Today we’d like to introduce you to Lacrisha Holcomb.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was called to be creative. The phone number kept popping up as “Healer” although being behind-the-scenes in my introverted writer bag was my preference. After experiencing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety as a young adult that were rooted in childhood trauma, it became obligatory for me to learn how to survive. Being a “Creative Healer” was literally my lifeline. In order to keep me here, which means exactly what it sounds like, I had to learn how to think differently, feel differently, and behave differently.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at therapy, it became evident that I would have to tie the cape on and command some wind to go underneath my wings to help me flutter until I could fly—become the healer I was looking for. I went from being a triggered teacher to an uncertain counselor, not knowing quite where I was going but assured that I could not stay where I was in any way, shape, or form. Speaking life, encouragement, and empowerment into other people had always been a natural gift. I was always a curious person and a storyteller as a booklover. It was an honor to be a witness for people, the attentive listener and personal cheerleader they needed. Ironically, searching for my own healing and answers had sent me all around the country—I had looked everywhere except inside of me. I was a Wounded Healer. My faith gave me confidence. I had been qualified to do what I was doing. I did not feel like an expert, but I was still a model and a guide for what was possible. You do not have to be perfect to be effective in your purpose. You do not have to be perfect to save a life, including your own. From there, Therapy Is Light, LLC was born. It’s my baby!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road was absolutely narrow with potholes and perpetual construction work! Looking back, it confirmed for me that the work I am blessed to do now is a God thing. Every time I wanted to give up, there was divine intervention holding me in place. Being a first-generation two-time college graduate, there was no safety net or support—every single part of my journey was freestyled. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way. My friendships and a romantic relationship at the time were strained by the financial and emotional hardships of having little familial support. I often questioned why I was pursuing a career in mental health while simultaneously retraining a lifetime of my own wounds. I noticed how much easier everything seemed for peers who had more stable upbringings and families, and it began to make me feel resentful.
At one point there was a hiccup in my financial aid, and I did not have housing for summer school. The right people and opportunities seamlessly showed up. When I had very seriously considered dropping out of grad school, I was surprisingly nominated for and won a five-figure fellowship award. Then, I was selected to be Miss School of Education shortly afterwards! The challenges were offset by unexpected and vital favor. The same girl who could not afford to go to prom was the whole Miss School of Something! Crowned and spoiled on somebody else’s dime due to the potential my professors had seen in my work. It was a victory for “merit,” and that is all I ever felt like I had. Faith and matching, quality work. My struggles were the epitome of getting it out of the mud and I still have not reached the crystal-staircase portion of the journey yet. But! That is what gives me even more motivation. I wholeheartedly believe that it is the responsibility of each of us to use what power, knowledge, and freedom we gain to empower those coming up behind us. My footsteps will make the road smoother for a creative healer of a similar background when it is their time to get on the road.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When it comes to working, I am many things! I truly cannot be confined by any one box or label. Occupation-wise, I am a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate and soon-to-be fully licensed as an addictions professional. I study Addiction Medicine as a masters-level clinician and have worked in addiction treatment settings with individuals, groups, families, and veterans. My roles have included substance abuse counselor, intervention specialist, and care manager. Utilizing the arts through art and narrative-centered therapeutic frameworks has been transformational. As a creative, I have become most known for my freelance writing and now dancing on these social media streets, haha!
My business baby and mental health awareness platform, Therapy Is Light, has helped to enlighten millions of people on the importance of mental health. What started off as an impromptu online store creation two years ago after watching a Youtube video about how to create passive income has now revolutionized into a mental health movement that I could not be more proud of. If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be a “Mental Health Maven” or “Social Media Famous,” I certainly would have laughed. Do not even get me started on dancing! That was reserved for dimly lit house parties and club shenanigans! Now, I am dancing for psychoeducational purposes all by myself in the living room with my internet friends hyping me up! It is pure love! I am most proud of my fearless authenticity. From being a young girl with low self-esteem who was afraid of being seen and using her voice to now giving my full self permission to take up space, be seen, and heard is such a beautiful milestone in my healing journey. I believe this sets me apart from other healers because it displays another aspect of the therapy process and how therapists can carry themselves—shattering the stigma, which is what being a light beam is all about!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned along my journey has been what it means to be a servant leader. I never want to become so educated, accepted, or popular that I forget my roots and the reasons I entered the mental health field. I never want to be unapproachable, unrelatable, or unwilling to correct myself. Mental health professionals have their own mental health as well and we are obligated to take care of ourselves not only to serve other people, but to serve ourselves, too. I matter outside of what I do for other people and still, I now have both the power and duty to positively influence other people and their healing journeys. This means I am obligated to remain teachable because the people I serve also share gems with me. I never want to lose my empathy or compassion as I have personally been disappointed and harmed by individuals in leadership positions who lost touch with the “why” along the way. Truth and service are integral parts of my legacy.
Pricing:
- Prices range from $15-$40 for merchandise including shirts and other comfy gear. Please email info@therapyislight.com for Mental Health Speaker requests and to receive a quote for specific event types.
- Personal wellness and business consultation services are available starting at $100.00 per hour.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@therapyislight.com
- Website: www.therapyislight.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TherapyIsLight/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TherapyIsLight/?ref=content_filter
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lacrishaholcomb
- Other: flow.page/therapyislight
