We had the good fortune of connecting with DeAvila Bennett and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi DeAvila, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Being an African American woman, mental health was a very taboo subject within my community. I do not recall anyone talking about depression or what it looked like. When I became a licensed therapist, I saw that many people did not have access to mental health resources. My goal was to not only provide affordable services for mental health counseling but to create products that people could use at home to get some form of healing. The first product I created was “The Therapeutic Journal: 30 Prompts to Help with Self-Discovery.” From there I began creating worksheets, positive affirmation sticky notes, etc. I also launched my own private practice where I conduct virtual sessions in multiple states.
What should our readers know about your business?
I am the owner and Lead Therapist of Ask DeAvila Sadé LLC, a brand and private practice that connects mental health and the millennial generation. From counseling sessions to at-home therapeutic products, my goal as a Millennial Mental Health Therapist is to provide adequate resources to individuals who do not have access within their community.
Ask DeAvila Sadé was created in 2017 as a mental health podcast. It grew to Youtube and eventually, I began creating products like “The Therapeutic Journal.” As of 2021, the brand offers multiple therapeutic resources and virtual counseling sessions to individuals in multiple states. The path that I took was not the easiest. Mental health is still not seen as a priority, but a luxury. Some people do not believe they would benefit from working with a therapist and I will get many no’s before I get a yes. However, I do not let that stop me. I know that we are working to dismantle the negative beliefs surrounding mental health.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to eat! I will most likely get my friend to try all of my favorite restaurants. Slutty Vegan is one of my favorites to eat. For brunch, we would eat at The Real Milk and Honey. I would find happy hours for us to try as well.
The Coca-Cola factory is a fun time as well. Even with social distancing, it is still an experience. I would also take them on a tour of the HBCUs , especially if it is during homecoming week. The Trap Museum is a fun experience as well. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people I could dedicate this shoutout to from my parents to my friends and family. The one person who played a significant role in me becoming the clinician I am today is my professor and mentor Dr. Laura Taylor. From being a phenomenal educator to me in graduate school to supervising me as I worked towards being fully licensed, Dr. Taylor taught me everything I know. She is a strong, Black woman who believes in providing the best care to her clients as well as creating the best clinicians in the field. She is the epitome of Black Girl Magic.
Website: https://askdeavilasade.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askdeavilasade/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdeavilasade
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8BAYvBQBKVxgCBFinzRgog