Today we’d like to introduce you to Abeke Baker.
Abeke, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a 2011 graduate of Mercer University School of Medicine’s Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s Degree program. I have had a unique career path in the Mental Health/Social Services fields that began at the age of 14. I started as a youth counselor for the Red Cross Lock Key Kids safety program and has more than 18 years of hands-on experience ranging from a Program Director of a Howard County Parks and Recreation in Columbia, MD which included youth and young adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities, autism, and mal-adaptive behaviors to Inpatient Crisis Stabilization Hospital for adolescents and adults.
While working in various inpatient and community based settings providing comprehensive mental health services (crisis intervention, assessments and psychotherapy), I realized that although my LGBTQ brothers and sisters seeking mental health services, some may fall short of finding a provider who is affirming, empathetic and non-judgmental to their present issues and may opt of receiving appropriate mental health/counseling services. After all, everyone deserves a safe space!
The morning of June 29th 2015 I sat on my bed for hours knowing I was suppose to be at work. I had my 1st 6 figures job but at a scrafic to my relationships and future health. 36 hour working in ERs and 12 hours off which meant 4-5 hours of sleep, couldn’t have been healthy physcally or mentally. That day I work up physical and emotional exhaustion so after sitting there for hours I finally went back to sleep which is when I do my best thinking and when I work up I started the paperwork for All-1-Family, Inc.I was still working more than 16 hrs days the first few weeks but I didn’t notice it. All-1-Family, Inc’s offical birthday is July 21, 2015.
I believe my eternal battle was that I was not working towards my goal of providing care to my community the best way I could.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been a few bumps in the road. I have had this dream for the past 15 years but some of life changes and challenges have create a unique journey. One of the biggest choices I’ve had to make was to start my company or maintain financial stability by working for corporations to provide stability of my two stepchildren. I chose the stability of my children but as after my oldest 1st year in college All-1-Family, Inc. was born.
Please tell us about All-1-Family – what should we know?
We are a community organization focusing on mental wellness for LGBT individuals, particularly, persons of color. All-1-Family, Inc. provides low-cost, affordable counseling services (individual, family, group, and couples) to all persons. While All-1-Family provides mental health services to any person who may be in need, our clinicians’ professional interests are immersed with their personal experiences as identified LGBT persons and/or allies of color in the community. This melting pot of LGBT-friendly professionals allows for a ‘safe-space’ for all LGBTQ+ identified persons to simply, ‘be.’ That is to say, All-1-Family, Inc. believes that our mission is to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ identified persons/allies to ‘be’ themselves as they embark on their unique journey of growth and discovery with their therapist by their side. Throughout this unique journey, our therapists provide empathy, understanding and no judgment. Our LGBT-affirming therapists strive to improve the mental wellness and physical wellness (as both physical health and mental health are strongly interrelated) through psycho-education (HIV/STI lifestyle education groups, process groups) and via individualized, evidence-based therapeutic modalities (i.e., cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused brief therapy, to name a few). All-1-Family, Inc. strives to improve the lives of our LGBTQ+ community by promoting resiliency, identifying coping skills to best deal with life’s stressors and by providing a safe space for this growth to occur.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I know that I am lucky & blessed to have the unconditional love and support from my seven siblings. My father is Nigerian and culturally I should be shunned, disowned or possibly killed but my father never changed his love for me. Sometimes, I feel like my mother likes some of my past partners more than me the way they would talk on the phone for hours. I also know that many of my LGBTQ brothers and sisters don’t have a healthy of origin family so sometimes they have to create their own. I am only able to do this work of caring for others with the support of my family, business partner Chris and my best friend Amanda.
Pricing:
- Sliding scale (Individual) $20-$100
- Sliding scale (Couples/ Family) $40-$120
- Insurance payments
Contact Info:
- Address: 1530 Dekalb Ave. NE
Suite A
Atlanta, GA 30307 - Website: www.all1familyinc.org
- Phone: 404-454-9805
- Email: info@all1familyinc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/all1family/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/all1FAMily/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/All_1_FAMily
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/all1familyinc/
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Chanel Haley
August 22, 2019 at 5:34 pm
I FULLY endorse ALL-1-Family for mental health services.