Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Shelley.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
An excellent place to start is around age 11, the first time I watched Holly Robinson-Pete portray a psychotherapist on a television sitcom with a majority black lead cast. I recall this being my first significant impression of “a therapist” and how the therapy process works. Seeing that woman work in this profession was confirmation that it was what I was going to do as well. I would become a therapist, “become” being the operative word here. To become the therapist I wanted to be; logically, higher education would be a part of the process. I was prepared to attend college, and beyond to attain the career objective I desired. On the other hand, I was not prepared for the predestined life experiences designed to help shape the therapist that I was meant to be. I am currently unable to identify an institution of higher learning that could have prepared me for the education with which the human life experience would soon present and continue to offer.
I had arrived. I was officially accepted on Fisk University’s campus in Nashville, Tennessee. Never mind that I am now a 19-year-old single mother who has taken a huge risk to invest in education and training for her purpose and career. I am here, and this is the path to becoming a therapist. The college years are also “an intro to the real world.” that’s how this works, right?? Go to school, study, complete assignments, graduate, land a lucrative position, and then life is good.
Looking back, I am grateful for the innate optimism and risk-taking that guided me toward making specific past decisions. They’ve led me to this space I currently occupy in the world, this place in time that offers me the opportunity to share bits and pieces of a uniquely meaningful mental health care journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hindsight observation of myself previous to, during, and post-college years revealed blindspots around personal mental health care practices. I was fully aware and attuned to the loving support that some family members and friends had to offer, yet I was not attuned to the symptoms of anxiety and depression that were equally present in my life. Every choice I made during these times appeared to be the logical next step to reaching my goals. No matter what, my only option was to keep going. Trust God, figure it out, and make a way. I carried the weight of immense responsibility for myself, my livelihood, my education, and my child. Unbeknownst to me, I perceived responsibility and worry as the same. There was no delineation. The underlying stress I felt began to reveal itself in various ways, such as fatigue and changes in appetite. Most alarming was when my hair became increasingly brittle and began to shed consistently. This was my turning point. I became more aware of the impact of persistent feelings of stress and worry. Not fully aware of how to attend to the senses and undiagnosed symptoms, I began to acknowledge them and my perceived impact—a first step to making space for mental health care. Communicating mental health care needs were not a part of the typical conversation with friends and family during this time. Although I was not aware, making an effort to articulate and communicate my mental health concerns to myself was one of the best decisions that I have ever made for myself.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Melanin & Mindfulness, LLC?
Melanin & Mindfulness provides a space for working with adults and children ages 3-9 years old to consistently provide quality and effective therapeutic services. In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, I am a certified yoga instructor and gifted tarot reader, which are offered as individualized therapeutic, supportive practices. Private yoga and guided meditation sessions set my business apart with a unique flair.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define my success as choosing to show up every day. And every circumstance of life with curiosity over fear and openness over ego.
Contact Info:
- Website: meandmiwellness.com
- Instagram: @meandmi_wellness
