Meet Garielle “GeeCodes” Dameron | Full-Time Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Garielle “GeeCodes” Dameron and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Garielle “GeeCodes”, why did you pursue a creative career?
Absolutely! Work-life balance is essential to my lifestyle. Many helping professionals are at risk of burnout and compassion fatigue. Research shows that burnout and compassion fatigue negatively impact individuals’ mental health and well-being. After experiencing burnout and compassion fatigue in a previous work setting, I learned that incorporating wellness was essential to work-life balance. A big part of my wellness journey was physical. I enjoyed weightlifting, running, and cooking healthy meals. Over time, I realized that while exercise and eating healthy were necessary, something else was missing. For me, work-life balance was hitting the gym and meal prepping. As human beings, we must feed our mind, body, and spirit, which is essential to our overall well-being. Balance is integrating wellness into your daily lifestyle. Today, work-life balance is a big part of my life, personally and professionally. I have significantly benefited from integrating wellness tools such as yoga, mindfulness, and meditation into my lifestyle. Spiritually, I pray, worship, read my bible, and attend church. We must also nurture ourselves socially. Life is hard. We cannot do it alone, so we must surround ourselves with people who uplift and encourage us. We must have healthy relationships that pour into our souls. I am also a firm believer in mental health awareness and self-care. I attend therapy weekly and understand the quote, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” So, I pour into myself daily. I created a list of rewards for myself. When I complete a task or big project, I tell myself, “Great work, April. How do you want to honor yourself today?” Sometimes it looks like a get-off-work early pass, a nature walk, a movie date, or quiet time reading a book.
Professionally, my business is grounded in balance. Our vision at The Wellness Room, LLC is to equip people and businesses with personalized wellness solutions that increase overall well-being, improve work-life balance, and restore peace of mind. I share a plethora of wellness tools and resources with my clients. I primarily work with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Many BIPOC struggle with the concept of self-care and work-life balance. In our communities, we selflessly care for our families and communities. Sadly, placing the needs of others before your own can have detrimental effects physically, psychologically, and emotionally. The key to work-life balance is prioritizing your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

My journey to entrepreneurship has been challenging, but worth it. Grit, determination, consistency, and resiliency are how I got to where I am today. The biggest challenge, thus far, has been funding. Therefore, access to capital is necessary for the next phase of my business. I have learned that building a business is more than a marketing profile and a website. Nonetheless, I am overcoming these challenges through mentorship and community. You don’t know what you don’t know, so having a strong support system is vital. We are planning to launch our new wellness services mid-July. We are also working on an exciting project that we hope to kick-off by the end of the year. We plan to start crowdfunding this summer! Along the way, I learned that asking for help is okay. Being vulnerable and admitting I do not have all the answers has strengthened my character. Finally, I learned that entrepreneurship is an ongoing learning process that requires patience and consistency.

Choosing to expand my brand came from my experiences. I am passionate about mental health and wellness. I became a business owner to teach people how to take better care of themselves. Before opening my business, I worked in the education services sector. While there, I experienced compassion fatigue and burnout. One day, my supervisor asked me to spearhead a new wellness initiative to improve employee wellness. My team and I were assigned a budget and asked to create a wellness initiative for teachers and staff. We decided to create a customized wellness space using the funds provided to help employees reduce stress and improve their well-being.

While managing the “Wellness Room,” I saw my colleagues prioritizing their self-care. I was so excited that I could be a part of their wellness journey. While working in education, I always dreamed of starting my private practice. When the pandemic hit, I lost my job and started building my business. I have worked in private practice for two years.

While working with my clients, I noticed that “wellness” was a theme in our sessions. Many of them were experiencing burnout and compassion fatigue from work. And they believed that taking care of themselves was a selfish act.

Despite this, I helped them tear down these harmful belief systems and thought processes that impeded their ability to see themselves as worthy of self-care. My dissertation research also focused on what Black women professors did to combat workplace stressors. Working with my clients and conducting research taught me that people seek wellness outside the workplace. At that moment, a light bulb went off for me. I must expand my business to offer services that cater to people and businesses.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

For my 35 and up crowd, there is a ton to do in Atlanta. My top places to visit are the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, the High Museum of Art, and the Trap Music Museum. If you like sports, check out a Hawks game at the State Farm Arena, a Braves game at Truist Park, and a Falcons game at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. If you are outdoorsy, I recommend having a picnic at Piedmont Park, walking The Beltline, getting on the Skyview Ferris Wheel near Centennial Park, and checking out events at Lakewood Amphitheater. For epic shows, check out the Fox Theater. If you want fun and recreation, I recommend visiting the rooftop of Ponce City Market, Six Flags Over Georgia, The Painted Pin, and The Painted Duck.

For the best views of downtown, check out SkyLounge on top of the Glenn Hotel. Food, drinks, and nightlife are endless in Atlanta, but I will share a few of my favorite spots. For vegan foodies like myself, I recommend Slutty Vegan, Bar Vegan, Slim & Husky’s, and Velvet Taco. For a nicer dining experience, check out Herban Fix and The Consulate. They are truly hidden gems. Check out the Lantana inside the Starlight Hotel, jazz night at Suite Lounge, The James Room, Bar Vegan, and SkyLounge for drinks and nightlife. Lastly, if you are in Atlanta on a Sunday, you must go to brunch! There are many places to go, but I recommend Atlanta Breakfast Club, Cultivate Food and Coffee, and Breakfast at Barney’s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

First and foremost, I must give a shoutout to God. When I reflect on my life, God was with me every step of the way. I genuinely believe in the scripture, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. I must also thank God for a praying mother. Although she is no longer with us, her prayers covered me and my three siblings. I want to shoutout my support system, my husband, Dr. Brown, and my sister, Mrs. Floyd, for their love and encouragement. Thanks for always believing in me. Regarding mentorship, my previous clinical supervisor Ms. Smith was paramount to my journey to becoming a licensed professional counselor and beyond. I want to shoutout my previous professors, Dr. Moore, Dr. Jarvis, and Dr. Byrd. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be successful and for supporting me over the years. Thank you to the outstanding staff members who also helped me while pursuing my education, Mr. Cagnina and Ms. Joseph—shoutout to Mrs. Manning, my kindergarten teacher, and Ms. Ladd, my fourth-grade teacher. Shoutout to my therapist tribe. We are in this together! Shoutout to the following spiritual and faith leaders who have changed my life: Joel Osteen, Bishop TD Jakes, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and Michael Todd. Shoutout to my YouTube family, Dr. Umar Ifatunde, Ralph Smart, Yoga With Adriene, Motiversity, and Soft White Underbelly. Keep changing lives and making amazing content! And shoutout to Dr. Eric Thomas; his story and words have transformed my life. Shoutout to my praise and worship team, Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe, Casting Crowns, and Jesus Culture. Finally, shoutout to the online resources that have changed my life, the Holy Bible app, Insight Timer app, and the I AM app. Lastly, I want to shoutout the books that have helped me along the way: The Four Agreements: A Practice Guide to Personal Freedom, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Power of a Praying Wife, and The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts.

Instagram: @gee.codes;@todai.y;@putdetshiton;@onnacanvas;@geecreativesworld

Facebook: Garielle Dee

Youtube: Todai. ; PUTDETSHITON ;

Other: geecodescreatives@gmail.com todaibooking@gmail.com putdetshiton@gmail.com onnacanvas@gmail.com

Image Credits
Garielle “GeeCodes” Dameron