Conversations with the Inspiring Jonnique Adjmul

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonnique Adjmul.

Jonnique, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was always meant to be where I am today. It all started from the time I was a little girl. Helping others came naturally to me even then. I would be helpful to my family by helping with chores, helping pick up things from the store, helping get things from the other room, and helping supervise the younger children. So naturally, I developed a passion to help others outside of my family and I wanted to give back in some way.

At the age of 11, I was confident that I wanted to be a doctor. During that time, all the kids in school were talking about becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, or nurses. I wasn’t very good at winning arguments, and I had this idea that I wanted to help sick people, use a stethoscope, and wear a white coat, so becoming a doctor seemed like the most appealing choice. That dream stayed with me throughout the years and when I got to college I decided to major in ‘Microbiology’ so that I could begin learning what I needed in order to become a doctor. After taking and failing Chemistry three times, I decided Microbiology wasn’t the field for me, and that I wasn’t going to be a doctor.

I was in a tough spot because I had to find a way to not drop out of school and find a career I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life. I had to ask myself some pretty tough questions like “what was it about Chemistry that I kept failing at it,” and “what would I tell my mom who was excited and fully on-board with me becoming a doctor?” I realized that I was no longer moved by the idea of becoming a doctor, that my passion had somehow gone away or was not as strong as I thought it was. After going back through the school curriculum and saying no to a lot of potential majors, I chose Psychology. It was the only one I was more curious about, especially since I had no idea what the heck to do with a degree in Psychology. I was so annoyed at the fact that I basically had to start from scratch with school again, but when I took my first class, Abnormal Psychology, I fell in complete awe and fascination with the complexity of the mind and what made people tick. So, I continued forward and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. I then went on to complete a Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling.

I completed internships in South and Central Florida helping clients from all ages and all walks of life. My first internship was at a non-profit organization, working in the community with homeless and underprivileged individuals; young and old. I felt honored to be able to help others make the next steps in their lives, even if it meant helping them apply for a state identification card. The motivation they seemed to feel and the gratitude they expressed for having the ability to just sit and talk with someone was unmeasurable and heartwarming. I also had the privilege of interning at a non-profit group home for teen girls who were at risk and in the foster care system, and at a couple of different private practice offices. Numerous challenges and great rewards came from these experiences, but ultimately, I knew I was going in the right direction.

Finally, I came across the opportunity to start a practice of my own. It was a slow and scary start; an opportunity I did not take very lightly. After many years of growth and transitions, prayers, and a whole lot of debt later I have opened up my very own therapy office in Marietta, GA.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It wasn’t always a smooth road. Throughout the years, I’ve come into contact with a lot of potholes, forks in the road, had gotten lost along the way and made a lot of U-turns. I was told “no” in various ways, I had slow months (not days) where there was no business coming in, and I drained my pockets getting my practice up and running. Some people think that owning your own business is a cake walk, and it’s “lucky that you get to choose your working hours and time off,” but there is a lot of unpaid work that goes into it that they don’t and may never see.

But despite the ups and downs of building a therapy practice, I learned how to have patience, self-compassion, realistic expectations, thick skin, faith in my abilities, and a professional but relaxed wardrobe.

I would advise other women, especially young women just starting their journey to never give up. I would encourage that no matter how hard things seem, or how skeptical your friends and family are to your dream, own it! You are capable of doing so much more than you think you can. Your fears are just thoughts, and thoughts live inside your head–they are a construct of the mind not reality. You may experience a few bumps in the road and at times it will feel defeating, but you have the power to push through those tough times. When one way is not working, try another, and another, and another. There’s more to the story than what your mind draws up, and there’s not only one way to do things. There is a real light at the end of the tunnel and it’s waiting just for you. Don’t give up!

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am the proud owner of Humble Reflections Counseling, a private practice which is located in Marietta, Georgia. I am currently licensed to provide therapy in the states of Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. I gladly provide services in my office as well as online. I find joy in providing counseling and hypnotherapy to women of color with a focus in Afro-Caribbean and African American issues. I feel personally connected to this specific demographic because I was raised in both Jamaica and the United States. I love helping women of color feel whole and in control of their lives and find power in who they are instead of what they do.

I work with women who have a hard time with anxiety, relationships, social interactions, stress, getting past trauma, and coping with life transitions. I decided to work with women of color because we are suffering in silence and I think it’s so refreshing to have an objective point-of-view from another woman of color. Women’s issues are “swept under the rug” and we are expected to be “superwoman”—who works hard and takes care of home and others with a permanent smile on her face, who does not feel pain or suffering, or perhaps we do feel those things but we are expected to “get over it and do what we have to do.” I’ve noticed that the stigma among women in the black community is changing and I hope to be a part of that change.

I happily empower women to embrace the fact that it is okay to seek help from an objective and non-shaming party who is outside of their experience. My approach to therapy is to provide a warm and welcoming space where clients feel comfortable and safely share their deepest and darkest stories. I work hard to develop an environment that fosters growth, openness, motivation, and maturity. I incorporate meditation and mindfulness techniques in my approach, and clients are able to learn to see things from a whole new perspective. My office is designed specifically to help clients feel like they are home. I hope to help change the image that comes to mind when we think of who is likely to engage in alternative therapies and techniques that are very beneficial and necessary for our wellbeing like meditation, hypnosis, sound baths, reiki, and so on.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
The biggest barrier today to female leadership, in my opinion, is fear. The fear of failure is a powerful defeater. We worry that we are on a road to failure if we say or do certain things we are not known to say or do, and we forget that failure is not a destination. Failure is a tool along the path to our destination, and in life, we sometimes have to fail at things in order to learn and grow. For many generations, our society has engrained in us this habit of thinking that says “women are the weaker gender.” We are gradually awakening to the realization that we can and will do whatever we set our minds to; that we are a force to be reckoned with and we are not backing down.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.HumbleReflectionsCounseling.com
• Instagram: @humblereflections
• Facebook: @humblereflectionscounseling
• Twitter: @hrctweets

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