[0:00] As a child growing up, I remember [0:02] meeting a social worker and she um was [0:05] black and at the time that was my first [0:06] time ever seeing a social worker who was [0:09] of color. This particular social worker [0:11] just was amazing um and and restored a [0:13] lot of the trust and really helped our [0:14] family at the time and I was just like, [0:16] "Wow, I want to be just like her." [0:21] I serve children ages 6 to 17 and that's [0:24] individual therapy and then I moonlight [0:26] and crisis adults and children's. We [0:29] have our regular struggles. Um, and then [0:31] we have our systemic struggles that our [0:33] families are facing and battling every [0:35] day. So, if we don't address that or we [0:37] don't talk about it or give them the [0:39] safe space or even acknowledge that, [0:41] hey, you have trauma and you have things [0:43] that you're experiencing. If we don't [0:45] acknowledge those things, then we're not [0:46] doing any good. So, it's important for [0:48] me when I talk to my clients is like [0:49] here in this space, you are safe. You [0:51] can share your traumas. We can get [0:53] through them together. There's a young [0:55] woman, she's an adult now. We've been [0:57] meeting for about 2 years. And a [0:59] question she asked me when she first [1:00] started was like, I don't know what [1:02] healing or forgiveness looks like. And [1:04] so yesterday, she said, "I think I'm [1:07] ready." She's like, "I think I am [1:08] feeling healed." She's like, "I remember [1:09] I asked you that question and I didn't [1:11] see that for myself." And so for her to [1:13] come to that on her own and says, "I am [1:15] healing and I'm ready to forgive." Was [1:17] beautiful. A lot of us, we stay in that [1:20] like, oh, if I don't talk to anybody or [1:22] if I don't tell anyone what's going on, [1:23] then I'm not a burden or or I'm [1:25] embarrassed. There's nothing to be [1:27] embarrassed about. Don't do it alone. We [1:30] are here for you every step of the way. [1:33] [Music]