Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Washington.
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 got to where I am at today by staying disciplined and consistent. I always had a passion for helping others and initially wanted to be a teacher. However, when I graduated college, I developed an interest in mental health and helping others during their healing journey. While in college, I also developed a passion for fighting oppression and being a servant to my community, the Black Community.
I moved to Atlanta, GA shortly after graduating with my Bachelor and started working in a psychiatric hospital. Here is where I started to learn my purpose that I was meant to be a mental health therapist. I pursued my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and graduated in 2015.
I was resistant to doing therapy at first but ultimately felt like I was led spiritually to do so. I eventually received my full LPC licensure and opened up my practice Healing Outreach Purpose Empowerment. After opening up my practice, I wanted to merge my two passions of serving the Black Community and Mental Health. I did so by writing my first book Heal or Repeat: Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey that I have been on has not been smooth. Some of the struggles along the way were learning how to run my own business efficiently. Another struggle was defining exactly how I wanted to market myself and lastly putting up the funds to create my business. Although these struggles presented themselves through the journey, I found a way to weather the storm and make things happen. Ultimately, without the lessons I learned from those struggles, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am blessed enough to have a successful practice seeing my ideal clients.
We’ve been impressed with Healing Outreach Purpose Empowerment, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Healing Outreach Purpose Empowerment is my private practice that I created in May/2020. My missions is to create a space of healing for individuals and communities who have been hindered mentally and emotionally by traumatic experiences. We will assist individuals and communities in finding purpose and using that to empower and liberate themselves. My vision is to promote a culture of healing through community outreach, finding purpose and empowering self.
I specialize in working with Black men who struggle with depression, anxiety, and trauma. I am known for also speaking about Intergenerational Trauma and its impact on the Black Community from a mental health lens. I have done multiple speaking engagements and trainings on television and at International Conferences on such topics.
The one thing I am most proud of brand-wise is my ability to market to Black men and get them excited to come to therapy. There is a stigma amongst us men that therapy means you’re weak and we’re uncomfortable with being vulnerable to someone we may not know. However, my brand targets those who may feel this way and I create a safe space so that Black men feel comfortable doing the work on being their best selves for their families and their communities.
I would want readers to know that I am one of a kind. I am a mental health therapist who cares and will push my clients, therapeutically, to be the best version of themselves. I am also an author who has published 1 book that is geared toward the healing of the Black Community. Lastly, I am a mental health speaker with a plethora of knowledge on various topics stemming from, Mental Health in the Black Community, Black Men and Mental Health, Suicide in the Black Community, and Intergenerational Trauma.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something surprising that most people who know me and my work might not know about me is I love video games. Many people may think the bulk of my free time is spent working on projects, my business, or even conducting research. However, I like to spend some of my free leisure time playing video games, more specifically Madden.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jwhopeservices.com
- Instagram: @J.washington.hope
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/lx4TNxoAx1c
