Today we’d like to introduce you to April Berry.
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 grew up in Newton, Mississippi — a close-knit community built on resilience, faith, and deep family bonds. As the youngest of three children raised by my parents, I was surrounded by love, structure, and expectations rooted in excellence. Much of my childhood was shaped by the wisdom of my elders. I spent countless hours with my Bigmama, Ms. Bertiel Evans, my childhood baby sister who is 99 years old today, and my grandparents, including my grandmother who is now 95. Their strength, storytelling, and generational perseverance instilled in me a profound sense of purpose and responsibility.
From an early age, education was never presented as an option — it was the expectation. I was raised believing I would go to college and become a doctor. For most of my childhood, I envisioned myself as a pediatrician. I moved through school known for academic excellence, graduating high school as Valedictorian. That dedication earned me a full Presidential Scholarship to Fisk University, where I completed my undergraduate degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude in just three years instead of the traditional four.
It was during my time at Fisk that I experienced a pivotal shift. While I began on the path toward medicine, I discovered a deeper calling — psychology. I realized my passion was not only healing the body, but understanding the mind and supporting the emotional well-being of others. I changed my field of study from biology to psychology and committed to pursuing graduate school with the goal of becoming a licensed psychologist.
After Fisk, I attended Alabama A&M University, where I continued to excel academically while gaining research and clinical experience that strengthened my professional identity. It was there that I met my mentor, Dr. Linda J.M. Holloway — a transformative figure in my journey. She supported me through every stage of growth: guiding me into my PhD program, helping me navigate the challenges of doctoral training, and standing beside me during some of life’s most difficult moments. I earned my Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with a Clinical Psychology concentration, solidifying my path forward.
I then attended the University of South Alabama, where I became the first student awarded the prestigious Southern Regional Education Board doctoral fellowship, along with numerous academic honors. I completed my doctoral internship at the University of Florida Counseling and Wellness Center and graduated with my Ph.D. in July 2022.
Since earning my doctorate, I have served in multiple leadership and academic roles — including Clinical Director of a nonprofit organization, Assistant Professor of Psychology, and Lead Clinical/Counseling Psychologist on an Air Force base. Each role deepened my commitment to service, mentorship, and accessible mental health care.
In late 2023, I opened my private practice, Pathway 2 Purpose Wellness & Consulting, LLC — a vision rooted in empowerment, healing, and transformation. Through my practice, I provide individual and couples therapy, psychological testing and assessment, independent medical evaluations, oncology-focused therapy, mobile mental wellness services, coaching and mentoring, professional trainings, workshops, and motivational speaking. My work is centered on helping people discover their strength, reclaim their voice, and move toward lives filled with clarity and purpose.
My journey — from a small resilient town in Mississippi to becoming a psychologist, educator, and entrepreneur — has always been guided by a personal motto I live by: climb and maintain. Climbing means striving for nothing but the best and finding ways around obstacles with determination and creativity. Maintaining means staying grounded, committed to self-care, and rooted in self-love. That balance is the fuel that keeps me going. It reminds me that success is not just about reaching higher, but about sustaining the strength, clarity, and wholeness needed to continue the journey. Through my work and my life, I strive to embody both — rising with purpose while remaining anchored in wellness.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. Some of my greatest growth came through seasons where I questioned everything I thought I knew about myself. During my doctoral training, I wrestled deeply with imposter syndrome. As one of very few people of color in my program, I often felt unseen or misunderstood by faculty at times. That environment caused me to question my abilities and whether I was truly equipped to become a licensed psychologist. In those moments of doubt, my faith anchored me. I leaned heavily on my trust in God to remind me that my calling was bigger than the discomfort of the space I was in. Through resilience, perseverance, and spiritual grounding, I continued to excel academically and clinically. Over time, the same faculty who once overlooked me began to recognize my work ethic, intellect, and leadership. That experience taught me that belonging is not granted — it is built through endurance, self-belief, and faith.
Just six months after earning my Ph.D., in January 2023, my life shifted in ways I could never have prepared for. I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. Two months later, in March 2023, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Suddenly, we were walking parallel oncology journeys together. We supported each other through treatments, fear, and uncertainty until he passed away in May 2023. Losing my father while fighting for my own life turned my world upside down. It was a season where grief and survival existed side by side. Yet even in the darkest moments, my trust in God became my lifeline. Faith gave me the strength to keep showing up when I felt empty and the courage to believe that purpose still existed beyond the pain.
During that same time, I was attempting to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) to become licensed as a psychologist. I faced multiple unsuccessful attempts, each one testing my confidence and emotional endurance. I also had to resign from my role as a Clinical Director, which felt like another loss in an already overwhelming chapter. It was in that moment of forced pause that I chose to surrender control and trust God’s direction for my life. I opened my private practice, believing that even small steps forward mattered. The business did not take off immediately, and because I was not yet fully licensed, I transitioned into academia full time. That path, however, proved financially unsustainable at the time. Eventually, I stepped into the position I hold today — a role that provided stability, growth, and the opportunity to keep pushing toward licensure. On my fourth attempt, I passed the EPPP and officially became a licensed psychologist — a milestone that represented far more than an exam. It symbolized perseverance through grief, illness, doubt, and uncertainty, carried by faith every step of the way.
In May 2025, my family experienced another devastating loss when my brother passed away. Just two months later, in July 2025, I was diagnosed with cancer again — this time Stage IV, having metastasized to my bones. The weight of compounded grief and fear could have easily broken me. Instead, I entered treatment for the second time with a faith refined by fire. I trusted that God was still writing my story, even when I could not see the ending. In December 2025, I was declared in remission. That victory was not just medical — it was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. It reaffirmed that my survival was not accidental; it was sustained by grace.
My road has been marked by loss, fear, setbacks, and moments where quitting would have been understandable. But my faith has taught me that resilience is not about avoiding hardship — it is about choosing to rise anyway, trusting that God walks beside me in every valley and every victory. Every chapter of struggle refined not only the psychologist and leader I am today, but the woman whose strength is rooted in unwavering faith.
As you know, we’re big fans of Pathway 2 Purpose Wellness & Consulting, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Pathway 2 Purpose Wellness & Consulting, LLC is a holistic mental health and wellness practice dedicated to empowering individuals to find meaning, strength, and purpose in their lives — no matter where they are on their journey. Founded and led by Dr. April Berry, a licensed psychologist whose own life path includes overcoming adversity, the organization blends professional psychological care with empathy, lived experience, and faith-centered resilience.
At its heart, Pathway 2 Purpose exists to guide clients toward improved well-being by offering a wide range of services that meet them where they are — emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and contextually. These include individual therapy, couples therapy, oncology-informed therapy for those facing or recovering from cancer, psychological and intellectual assessments, independent medical evaluations, compensation/pension exams, and culturally grounded consultation services.
What sets Pathway 2 Purpose apart is its existential-integrative, client-centered approach — meaning therapy is not a one-size-fits-all but shaped to each person’s unique background, challenges, and goals. Dr. Berry integrates diverse modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and solution-focused approaches within a multicultural framework to help clients live lives of meaning, purpose, and coherence.
Pathway 2 Purpose also addresses gaps in mental health care for marginalized and underrepresented communities, offering culturally responsive services that reflect lived experience, social identity, and systemic context. Dr. Berry’s own journey — as a breast cancer survivor, a woman of faith, an educator, and someone who has navigated personal loss while building professional excellence — strengthens her ability to connect, advocate, and lead with authenticity.
Beyond traditional therapy, the practice offers mental wellness trainings, workshops, diversity and inclusion education, motivational speaking, and professional mentoring — all designed to increase awareness, reduce stigma, foster healthier environments, and equip individuals and organizations with tools for sustained growth. A free 30-minute consultation is offered to help prospective clients feel seen, heard, and understood before beginning services.
Brand-wise, Pathway 2 Purpose is known for its Climb and Maintain philosophy — a guiding principle that embodies striving for excellence while rooting in self-care, perseverance, self-love, and spiritual grounding. This philosophy serves not just the practice’s internal ethos but is woven into how clients are encouraged to approach healing, life transitions, and purpose-driven living.
Ultimately, what Dr. Berry wants others to know about her brand is simple yet powerful: Pathway 2 Purpose is more than therapy. It is a partner in resilience, a space for transformation, and a catalyst for discovering direction and meaning — helping individuals navigate life’s challenges with dignity, strength, and clarity.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I have several favorite childhood memories, but one that stands out the most is working alongside my grandfather in our lawn care service. Those mornings started early. We would wake up before the day fully stretched awake, put on our work clothes, and load the trailer with equipment to prepare for a full day of cutting grass — usually five to seven yards. I remember the pride I felt riding the lawn mower while he worked the weed eater, moving with a rhythm that felt effortless to him and magical to me. In between yards, we always took a break for snacks. I would sit and watch him chew his tobacco and, like any curious child, ask if I could have some. He would smile softly and say, “No, Boot, you can’t have this.” Boot was his nickname for me, and hearing it always made me feel special — like I belonged to a little world that only we shared.
At the end of the day, we’d return to his house, unload the trailer, and walk into the kitchen where my grandmother always had dinner hot and waiting. That kitchen smelled like comfort. After we ate, we’d go sit on the porch together. My grandfather would send me back inside to grab him a “cold one” — his beer — and we would sit quietly watching the sun set. Those moments felt endless. Eventually my mom would come pick me up, and he’d head back indoors, knowing we would wake up and do it all over again the next day.
Looking back, those days weren’t just about cutting grass. They were about work ethic, love, routine, and the quiet safety of being raised inside a family that showed up every day. That time with my grandfather shaped my understanding of discipline, joy in simple things, and the beauty of shared moments that don’t feel big at the time — but become priceless in memory.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.p2pwc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_aprilb94/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557112871273
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/april-t-berry-ph-d-2ba0186b
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAprilB94
Image Credits
Brian Pearse Kelvin Cortez
