Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercianna Oliver.
Hi Mercianna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Even as a child, I had a very inquisitive nature related to the “why” behind people’s actions and decisions. I would often analyze and emphasize with movie and tv characters, much to my fellow watchers’ annoyance. When choosing an undergraduate program, I was excited to pursue a Psychology Pre-Med major at the Xavier University of Louisiana. While I was thriving in my science courses, my favorite classes were always the theoretical subjects of psychology and sociology. Around the end of my sophomore year, thanks to the help of my struggle in organic chemistry, I decided to drop the Pre-Med. That summer, I fell in love with research while attending a Summer Research program at Northwestern University. After graduating with my Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Spanish, I took a year before my entering graduate school. During that time, I worked as an assistant for a psychologist in Atlanta and as a Probation Officer full-time. Those experiences helped share my understanding of the mental health profession while also emphasizing the need for early interventions that can reduce run-ins with the law for some people based on their circumstances.
I attended Mercer University for my Masters in Clinical Mental Health, where I was tapped by my favorite professor to apply to the PhD program for Counselor Education and Supervision due to my natural ability to break down the nuances of counseling in a Teaching Assistant capacity. During my tenure at Mercer, I worked for the Georgia Crisis and Access Line and two UBH hospitals. These experiences in crisis counseling further shaped my mission to contribute as a resource for communities in need that might not see the value in attending to mental health until it was too late. I graduated with my Masters in 2013 and my PhD in 2019.
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?
From the outside looking in, the ride to where I am now may have seemed smooth, but it was not without its struggles, at least internally. Prior to my master’s program, I was very much a follower of the “10 Year Plan”. Attend undergrad, then grad, get a well-paying job and make your family proud, whatever it takes. However, working in the mental health field can come with unexpected costs mentally, emotionally and physically (as well as financially based on my student loans). There have been many points over the last decade where I have had to reevaluate my life goals and be willing to pivot to create the life balance I want. As a counselor, it can be easy to let the pull of all the work to be done override the need for boundaries and self-care. I have learned to prioritize my needs in order to be the best version of me for my students and clients. This includes recognizing that those needs change and that’s part of the journey. Through modeling this form of self-advocacy, clients and students have been empowered to do the same.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I co-own C.E.O. Professional Services, LLC, a private group practice, with my business partner Magaen Harris. We met while working at the Georgia Crisis and Access Line early in our careers and made plans to open a practice together based on our complementary skills and approach to counseling. Initially, a solo practice owned by Magaen while I completed my PhD, we officially became a partnership in 2021. As we expand, our focus is twofold with an emphasis on clients and training the next generation of counselors.
C.E.O Professional Services, LLC, offers marital/couple, family, relationship, and individual counseling services to adolescents, adults, couples and families. We also offer consulting, mediation, professional mentoring/coaching and training services to individuals, churches, businesses and organizations. We offer both in-person and virtual sessions.
For aspiring counselors, we offer a hands-on internship to complement their graduate school training while completing their program requirements. We also offer supervision for pre-licensed counselors as they work to be fully licensed. Both of our backgrounds allow for a well-rounded and multicultural perspective that helps our supervisees and interns develop into a strong counselors authentically.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Favorite Apps: Peloton, Calm and Apple Music (Daily Apps used to make sure I take time to pour into Me)
Books: Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Podcasts: In the Blackseat, Therapy for Black Girls, The Read
Pricing:
- Individual Supervision Sessions: $100
- Group Supervision Sessions: $50
- Coaching Packages Starting at $350
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ceoprofessionalservicesllc.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ceoprofservllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceoprofservllc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercianna-oliver/
