11: Connecting Black and Brown Individuals with Therapists Who Understand | Crysta Harris of the Black Brown Delaware Therapists Directory (BBDT)

Crysta Harris, a licensed professional counselor of mental health (LPCMH) and the founder of the Black and Brown Delaware Therapist Directory, shares her personal journey of becoming a mental health therapist and explains how her own experiences with trauma and the lack of safe spaces to express her feelings influenced her career path. She discusses the importance of representation in therapy and the unique connection that can be formed between black and brown therapists and clients. Crysta also talks about her experience as an entrepreneur and the challenges and rewards of running her own private practice. She highlights the growth and impact of the Black and Brown Delaware Therapist Directory and shares her vision for its future expansion.   About Crysta Harris: Crysta is a therapist that has a special interest in working with Black and Brown women. In 2021, Crysta founded Crysta Harris & Associates, a mental health private practice whose mission is to create a safe space for Black and Brown women to not only drop their capes but also tears. Crysta focuses on women who have challenges navigating anxiety, trauma, depression. She also enjoys working with mothers who have perinatal mood disorders.    Crysta is a visionary, creator and problem solver. She saw that Delaware needed a resource to help those find a therapist that looks like them, so during the height of COVID-19, Crysta created the only mental health directory in the state of Delaware, the Black Brown Delaware Therapists Directory (BBDT). BBDT is a digital platform that connects Black and Brown residents of Delaware to culturally competent mental health providers. The BBDT Directory focuses on eliminating mental health disparities, providing access, accessibility to mental health care, and providing education to both residents and providers about mental health topics in the black and brown communities.  Crysta wears many crowns, not only is she an entrepreneur, mental health therapist, public speaker and creative, she is also a wife and a mother to her son, Stokely Harris and twin daughters, Harley and Harper. Crysta is also known as a Trajectory Transformer, Goals Guru, and a Generational Curse Breaker. crystaharris.com     Episode Timestamps: (00:40) Crysta's motivation to work in mental health and her purpose to empower others (03:00) Crysta's journey as an entrepreneur (07:45) The story behind the Black and Brown Delaware Therapist Directory (09:55) Growth, impact, and future goals of the directory (13:40) Needing a safe space to share feelings (17:40) The importance of boundaries for entrepreneurs to prevent burnout   Connect with Rachel: Facebook Group: The Mental Health Entrepreneur Website: traumaspecialiststraining.com Instagram: instagram.com/trauma_specialist LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachel-harrison-81a4796