Today we’d like to introduce you to Shevon Jones.
Shevon, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far
If I am honest I got into this field on “accident”. When I started college, I changed my major probably 4x. I had so many interests and I couldn’t figure it out. I got to my sophomore year and my adviser told me pretty much I needed to get it together if I wanted to graduate.
I talked to one of my friends who had graduated a few years before me and she said, ” try out human services it’s easy and you can do what you want to later”, so I enrolled as a Human Services major and loved it. I fell in love with every class and found that the work came easy. Now granted, I started college as a psychology major but could never really find my niche. When it was time to do my internship I was in love with the helping field. When I graduated in 2009, I enrolled straight into my master’s program at Clark Atlanta University studying Social Work. The MSW program at CAU is one that I hold dear to my heart. I made some amazing friends, connections and learned so much about what it means to be in this field. It was there that I truly learned the importance of the social work field and how we needed to uphold others to the greatness of this profession.
I started my career with Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS), right after grad school. It’s funny because nobody wanted to come work for DFCS and I only came because they had a program that paid for my master’s degree lol. People always referred to us as “baby snatchers” ” food stamp workers’ , but never as true social workers. I learned some of the best lessons in my social work career through DFCS. This is where I was introduced to family dynamics that I had not seen up close before. It challenged me to check my own basis’s at the door and really made me practice meeting people where they are. There is something to be said when you meet people at the point of being in a position to remove their kids, they think every nasty thing of you and you show them true care and concern. Some of my best client stories come from DFCS and I will forever for grateful for that experience.
I have also worked for the Child Fatality Review Unit in which I reviewed the child deaths in GA. This gave me a new appreciation for life and understanding just how precious life is and how much more work needs to be done to protect our children. This is also where I discovered a passion for suicide prevention and helping youth understand that they have a reason to live. I’ve also worked as a social worker doing in home therapy and worked in a crisis stabilization hospital. And my current position in suicide prevention.
All of the positions that I have held have lead me to where I am today. I have learned so many things about myself and the type of social worker I want to be. But if nothing else all of those experiences have helped me to see that it is my job to advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves, to listen even when I think I have all the answers, and to be a light for those who feel they have no one else. It has lead me to create a platform designed push through hope and light when others feel their light has dimmed.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been easy. In fact, two significant stories come to mind. I entered into this field with so many goals and I wish I could say that I have accomplished them all, but I am still working. When I graduated from grad school, I immediately signed up to take my license exam. I was excited and ready to really dive into my career. Well, I failed the test by 1 point. I was devastated and I carried that failure with me for a long time. I felt that I was less of a clinician without, fear held me back from retaking the test for years. Yes, even as a clinician pushing clients to overcome fear I let mine hold me hostage. It was not until last year that I finally said no more and started studying for the exam. I was pumped and ready to jump back on my journey because I had wasted so much time in fear. When I met with my clinical supervisor to sign my paperwork we realized that we had miscalculated my dates and I actually was not eligible to take the exam until January 2020. Again, I was devastated, yet again and it took a few days to shake that feeling of failure all over.
The second hurdle was with my doctoral program. I enrolled in my doctoral program right after grad school with the goal to have my Doctorate in Social Work by time I was 30. Well, I finished all of my classes and I was writing my dissertation and ran out of financial aide. I was devastated. I came all the way to the end and could not finish. Although that is still a goal of mine, it has yet to be completed.
I beat myself about about the goals that I did not accomplish for so long that it has taken my a little longer to get to where I want to be. But I will say that although I have had some challenges I have come a long way in the experiences I have been able to have along the way.
Mental Wellness Collective – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am the founder of the Mental Wellness Collective. It is an online community designed to help women prioritize their mental wellness. As a social worker running this online platform, it is my job to prioritize the conversation around mental wellness and teach women; especially black women resources, information, tips, tools and strategies to improve their mental health.
I am so proud that I can discuss the things I love and that is mental health. I am an advocate for people functioning at their highest level and understanding that it is okay to not be okay. So being able to create a platform where I can provide information and resources to people who may or may not need it at the moment is important to me. I feel that my job is done if one person comes to my blog or social media and finds something that helps them to hold on a little longer until they can get the help they need. A lot of my information centers around depression and anxiety but can be applicable to other disorders as well.
I am giving a lot of information. So often on social media we see so many pages giving fluff or just nice quotes. All of that is good, but when someone is going through a hard time they need something more than a quote to get better. I make it a point to share insight that they can use whether it is how to choose the right therapist, what evidence-based practice may be right for them, or blogs that dive deep into dealing with their depression or anxiety.
Something that I think sets me apart is that I am attempting to build a community that bridges the gap for those seeking help and those who are the helpers.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is being able to fully live in my purpose and change lives. The more people I reach the more successful I feel that I am. As a social worker providing therapy I feel that I am successful every time I get to save a life, every time I get to share the message of hope and every time I get to show others that they matter and that they are more than their issues/situation. I am looking to change lives nationwide, to reach the masses. Sharing my message on a variety of mediums, and across cultures and countries, will be my gage of success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mentalwellnesscollective.com
- Email: hello@mentalwellnesscollective.com
- Instagram: thementalwellnesscollective
- Facebook: thementalwellnesscollective
Image Credit:
Drea Nicole Photography (only for the 1st picture)
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
