We had the good fortune of connecting with Nickia Lowery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nickia, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I do not really think anything that I have done is a risk because I do everything with faith. The faith in God and how he has ALWAYS kept me and provided me with what I needed and faith in myself. I will say that there are many times when I decided to do something with some fear because the unknown is scary and uncomfortable. I have taken the leap to start things with no idea what the outcome would be or how I would fund the ideas I come up with. Maintaining a “go getter” attitude is what has been the catalyst to propell me forward.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I think what sets me a part from others is my transparency. I Always bring my authenticity into the room. My brand, my busines, in every aspect of the word is a walking testimony to the experiences that I have been through in my life. I walk it like I talk it. I am a teen mom that alone has so much stigma and left many not believing in me. I have experienced sexual trauma in my life, domestic violence, and so many incidents of racial trauma in my life just to name a few of the significant events that have seriously impacted my life. It has not been an easy road and every day I learn something new about myself. I am not perfect, I am constantly shifting to improve me so that I can help others. I have a passion for everything that I do, There is nothing that I do that is simply for money. I can not imagine having a business or career that I do not enjoy and for that I am truly blessed. The things I have been through may not have been easy but man they have made for experiences that are shaping up to provide me with an incredible career. The biggest lesson that I have learned is that you can have the best products, bomb ideas, or finances to build your business but if you DO NOT have your mental health addressed and your are struggling mentally you will sabotage your success. This was the biggest lesson for me as I entered business is resolving some of those unhealed emotional wounds. I have spent my entire life in survival mode and did not even know it. I had so much unhealed trauma and didn’t even know it until it showed up in my business and career and I realized how much I was sabotaging myself. Things like want to do everything myself because I can not trust anyone else with my business or ideas. afraid to relinquish any level of control. I wanted to answer the phones, schedule all the appointments, do all teh credntialing with insurance companies etc. Then as I began to heal and recognizing that wanting to control everything was a trauma response because the perception of “control” may be feel safe. However I was exhausted. I was not being as productive as I could be because of that exhaustion. So as I began to heal I learned the concept of working smarter and not harder. I began to hire folks, delegate responsiblities. In essence relinquishing control allowed me to be free. Free to really make the mony that I so desired. Free to thrive without the heavy burden of taking care of everything. Once I began to do that I started to actually see profits and increase in my business. The other thing from understanding my mental health is learning to power of doing things scared! In business fear can be your kryptonite. There will always be a reason not to start your business today or put of pitching that idea today. There is no “perfect time” the perfect time is now. This is my belief and my faith talking but if God brought you the idea he will see you through it. The right time is always now. Do it scared! It is because of this that I am in the process of finishing my second book, creating retreats that I always wanted to bring to the women I serve, being placed in rooms with powerful and amazing women, and landing speaking engagements that continue to create evern more lanes for myself and amazing connections. I am truly walking in my calling and what an amazing feeling it is! Not bad for a girl from Reading, PA!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well I am giggling as I think about this question because five years in, I am still getting to know MetroAtlanta so for me whenever I go out its an adventure. I am still experiencing things for the first time so when people come visit me that is really what makes for an exciting time is that we are both experiencing it first hand. I love to laugh and have a good time. I love live music and I must say I have been very happy hanging out at Linnethia lounge in Duluth. I was pleasantly surprised at the reasonably priced menu and the excellent live entertainment that have consistently been a presence there. Well done Mrs Nene Leakes!! I have heard great things about the High Museum so I would defintely take some time to visit there as well as some fun activities like the Atlanta Selfie Museum or visiting places like Cabbage Town and exploring the vibrant street art. Atlanta is such an amazing place of artistry there is just so much to see its hard to pick. I didn’t even get to the food and wine so definetly the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Again there is just so much cultural here it is going to take more than just a weekend to explore Atlanta, look at me five years later and I still haven’t had the full experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
One of my favorite actresses, Taraji P Henson said something during one her speeches that continues to echo for me and really has been the foundation of how I move and have gained success, she said and this is loosely quoted of course because it has been some years, ” If you want to suceed you have to get from around those who have your same problem and surround yourself with those who have your soolution” this was all it took for me to decide to leave my hometown where so many could not see the vision that I had for myself and where opportunities were limited and relocate to the Atlanta area. It was because of that decision that I began to surround myself with those that had my “solution”. I would like to thank Latasha Matthews, LPC, CPCS, CPLC, CAMS who is an awesome mental health expert, author, adjunct professor and colleague who embraced me from the time I relocated from Pennyslvania to Georgia. She did not know me but she gave of her time whenever I needed, provided me with step by step instructions on how to get started with my practice and she was definitely a model for me authoring my first book. It does not stop with her though, I had the opptunity to connect with individuals like Dr. Joy founder of Therapy for Black Girls and Spirit who has made a significant impact in media and establsihing herself as a brand all of these ladies provide different attributes that I strive to embody in some form or another and has motivated me to keep going.

Other: https://linktr.ee/dopetherapist

Image Credits
capturedbyshantel ( main photo shot and shot with roller skates on) Diamond Sands for ( she’s dope crop top shot)

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