Conversations with Courtney Clardy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Clardy.

Hi Courtney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I consider myself a multi disciplinary creative with a background as a writer, speaker, social worker, content creator, and now media correspondent. My story has been shaped by evolution, growth, and consistently allowing myself the space to expand into new versions of who I am professionally and personally. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a minor in Recording Industry: Music Business, as well as a Master of Science in Social Work. My academic foundation grounded me in both service and systems, while also giving me room to stay connected to creativity and culture.

My career in social work spans 14 years and includes experience in parent education, criminal justice, mental health, and organizational leadership. Throughout that time, I have served in a variety of roles, including president of a prominent counseling organization, which further affirmed my leadership abilities and my commitment to mental health advocacy and care. In many ways, I was always blending both worlds, the clinical and the creative, even when I was not fully naming it that way.

I now find myself in what feels like a full circle moment. My lifelong passions have always been writing and music, both of which I naturally incorporated into my work as a therapist and social worker. Today, I have expanded that foundation into writing articles that center cultural impact, advocacy, artistry, and music, among other topics. I am currently a full time entrepreneur, a journey that unfolded in an unexpected way, but one that I am intentionally leaning into more each day. I now work as a coach and consultant offering services in mental health, spirituality, content creation, social media, and speaking. I also continue to build my work as a writer, empowerment speaker, and content creator across multiple platforms, with the intention of producing work that inspires, reflects lived experiences, and helps people feel seen and connected.

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?
This road has been more bumpy than smooth. While I had a vision for transitioning into full time entrepreneurship, the reality is that I was also pushed into it in ways I did not fully plan for or expect. That shift came with a lot of uncertainty, and it required me to rebuild parts of my life and career while still actively living through the transition.

The challenges I have faced feel endless at times, and they have brought me to a place of starting again in certain areas. However, I am also learning to appreciate this chapter in a deeper way. There is more peace, more freedom, and more clarity than I have experienced in a long time, even in the midst of the unknown. That contrast has been very grounding for me.

I have had to face and overcome things I never imagined I would encounter, and because of that, I feel more anchored in my purpose now than ever before. I genuinely believe I am getting closer and closer to the life I truly desire, even if the path does not always look linear.

There were moments where the weight of everything almost made me want to quit. But I am grateful that I did not. What I once saw as setbacks, I now understand as shaping moments that were refining my resilience, my clarity, my needs, my wants, and my identity. In the words of Shae Universe in her song Ebbs and Flows, “still thankful for the bad days, ’cause they be working out in their own way”. That has become a grounding reminder for me, because even the hardest parts have played a role in who I am becoming.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a multi disciplinary creative whose work lives at the intersection of mental health, storytelling, and empowerment. I specialize in mental health education, spiritual and emotional wellness, content creation, media commentary, and coaching and consulting. At the core of everything I do is helping people feel seen, understood, and empowered to reconnect with themselves and their purpose.

My work spans several spaces. As a writer, I focus on cultural impact, advocacy, artistry, and music, often highlighting the deeper emotional and social layers behind the stories we consume and live through. As a media correspondent and content creator, I conduct interviews, create digital storytelling content, and contribute to conversations that center Black culture, creativity, and lived experience. As a coach and consultant, I support individuals in areas such as mental health awareness, spirituality, content strategy, social media presence, and personal development.

What I am most proud of is my ability to bridge worlds that are often separated. I bring together clinical understanding from my social work background with creativity, media, and lived experience. With a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work and over 14 years of professional experience, I have a strong foundation in both systems and people.

What sets me apart is that my work is not one dimensional. I do not only analyze culture or only support mental health or only create content. I integrate all of it. I understand people from both a human and systemic lens, while also speaking directly to the emotional and creative experience of being human. My approach is deeply rooted in empathy, storytelling, awareness, and truth, and I aim to create work that not only informs but also heals, affirms, and inspires.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risks are worth taking because you do not always know what you are capable of until you actually step into it. I think a common misconception is that risk taking means everything works out immediately or smoothly, but that is not the reality of it. Risk often comes with uncertainty, discomfort, and moments where you are building clarity as you go.

For me, risk taking is less about the guarantee of success and more about the willingness to trust myself in the process. Things may unfold exactly as planned, or they may shift in ways I never expected. Either way, there is value in what is revealed along the journey. The real beauty of risk is in what you learn, how you adapt, and how you grow through it.

One of the biggest risks I have taken has been stepping fully into entrepreneurship. Even though I have a strong background in social work and mental health, moving into full time entrepreneurship meant releasing the safety and structure I was accustomed to and trusting myself in a completely new way. Some days that still feels like a risk in itself.

On a more daily level, I take risks every time I show up authentically in my work, pitch myself, share my voice publicly, or expand into new spaces within media and content creation. Each of those moments requires vulnerability and trust in my own story and abilities. I have learned that risk is not a single defining moment, but a consistent practice of choosing growth over comfort.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.courtneyarlesia.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/courtney.arlesia
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneyclardylmsw/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@CourtneyArlesia
• Other: https://linktr.ee/CourtneyArlesia

Image Credits
Taryn Ferro (Aw Snap Photography); Jade Newborn (The Vi-vid Experience); Elle Danielle x Urbaanite Nashville; Ish Picturesque x TheBloggerXChange; Viridiana Rodriguez