Meet Afiya K. Hooker | CEO & Licensed Psychotherapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Afiya K. Hooker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Afiya K., we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In my opinion, risk is a necessary aspect in life and business. It is a prerequisite to success. One cannot have success without failure and one cannot fail or succeed without taking calculated risks. The main difference between risk takers and people who give up, is that risk takers keep going! If I had given up my entrepreneurial pursuits when my mother (justifiably) shut down my operation of selling Happy Meal toys and bottled waters to classmates in the third grade, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Had I not opened my current counseling center due to spending all of my savings on a previous business venture (which failed), I wouldn’t be where I am today. If I had chosen to give up on my dreams and stay comfortable in a job that was unfulfilling after 3 years of being there, I would not be where I am today. Basically, every aspect of who I am makes me a risk taker. If you were to ask colleagues and friends of mine, they would tell you what I always tell them, “I had a dream, faith, and a budget of fifty cents!” From creating a brand new company as a new mother at the time, to hiring staff, or even choosing to go into the mental health field, all of those actions required me to take a leap of faith which is risky. I have had an ample amount of opportunities to work in different fields and with organizations that would have secured a great financial future for myself and my daughter. However, I chose to take a huge risk instead of relying on comfortability. Choosing to be a business owner and a psychotherapist was not only a purpose driven decision, but one that came with many challenges as well. I not only do this for myself, but I also do this for my community and the people that I am honored to serve on a daily basis.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am the owner of The Sunshine’s Haven Counseling Center, LLC, where our mission is to help clients create positive change in their everyday lives in order to improve mental well being. My staff and I have a vast amount of training in all things mental health, therefore we are able to provide therapy and counseling services, psychoeducation, therapeutic mentoring, support, and advocacy to our community and surrounding areas. As a licensed psychotherapist myself, my specializations include depression, anxiety, trauma, and self actualization/identity. However, we are able to serve all areas of mental wellness and life challenges for children and adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups as well. At The Sunshine’s Haven, there are several things that we are excited about. One of the most important things that my company strives to accomplish is normalizing therapy in general, but specifically within the Black community. That is why we are so proud to be able to provide services to BIPOC individuals, which makes up 97% of the population that we serve. We are also very excited about new services we are rolling out soon which will include more community outreach, specialized groups for women, and our annual therapeutic retreat on the beach. Finally, we are most proud of our clients and their resiliency throughout the process of self exploration, healing, and treatment. Was it easy to get where I am today? Absolutely not. But was it simple for me to choose this life of entrepreneurship? Definitely. Ever since I was a little girl I knew that I would be a business owner. My first business started while I was in the 3rd grade, selling McDonald’s Happy Meal toys and bottled water to classmates. Since that time, I’ve had a few businesses ranging from an online clothing boutique to tutoring and mentoring services. After completing my master’s degree in 2014 and becoming a psychotherapist, it was a no brainer for me to open a counseling center. Similar to knowing that I wanted to be a business owner at such a young age, I found out around the age of 10 that I had a desire to help people and work in the mental health field. In 2019, those two desires merged and I decided to end all of my other work and business endeavors to focus on what I knew my passion and purpose was, therapy and counseling services. If nothing else, this business has taught me to never give up. It was never an option anyway. However, looking back at all of the times that I had the opportunity to do so, I am extremely happy that I went the road less traveled although it required a bit more dedication, determination and hardwork.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I absolutely love the water! It is a peaceful and rejuvenating place for me. I would make sure to take her to the Gulf Coast for some fun and sun at the beach!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my daughter, Arrayah Sunshine Young. She inspires me, motivates me, and gives me even more purpose to continue to work towards my hopes, dreams, and goals.

Website: https://www.thesunshineshaven.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_afiyak AND https://www.instagram.com/sunshineshaventherapy

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/afiyak1908

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_afiyak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesunshineshaven AND https://www.facebook.com/afiyak1908

Other: Clubhouse: @AfiyaK