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

Hi Winifred, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Honestly, I think it has been involving over time. I love art and creating art. I love mental health and talking about it. For a long time, I thought I had to be separate. This year, I am learning to combine them. I have been learning to manage my mental health since I was first diagnosed in 2013 after a hospitalization. Art became therapy for me as I learned to manage. I want to help people by sharing my experience. It’s very much in the early stages as I build the podcast and the store, but it has been a lot of fun figuring things out along the way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As it relates to my podcast, Therapy Thrift Shop, I am most proud of finally starting and sharing my story with others. It means a lot to me to hear how others are resonating with my story. It definitely wasn’t easy. I had to move past my own fears and insecurities to finally get started. The best way to overcome challenges is to just start. Each episode gets better as I take a step forward. Every time I share my story, I heal a little bit more which has been an unexpected surprise.

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.
If my friend were int Atlanta for the weekend, we would do brunch at Buttermilk Kitchen. We would take in a comedy show. Atlanta has a great comedy scene. I would take them to Eight Sushi Lounge for dinner.

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?
I would like to shoutout Lace Larabee who gave me the confidence to share my mental health journey with others.

Website: https://www.therapythriftshop.org

Instagram: @therapythriftshop

Image Credits
Lola Scott Art

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