Hidden Gems: Meet April Brown of The Wellness Room

Hi April, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I must say that my life has been a complete journey. I was born in Monterrey, CA. My parents had four children, and I am the oldest. My father was in the military, so we lived in Germany for some time. My family moved to St. Helena Island, SC, when I was three years old to be close to my father’s family. We relocated to the Atlanta, GA, area when I was ten. Although I left for college, I always made it home back to Atlanta. I am a first-generation college graduate. I attended “The Fort Valley State University,” where I majored in psychology and school counselor education. I also met the love of my life at FVSU; we’ve been married for seven years. After graduating, I worked in schools supporting children and families for six years. While working in the school system, I dreamed of someday opening my private practice.

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?

My journey has not been smooth, but through the grace of God, I continue to persevere. His favor continues to carry me along this journey. I must acknowledge his grace and mercy on my life because none of this would be possible without him. God placed it in my spirit to get licensed back in 2014. In 2015, I started the process and obtained my license in January 2019. In March 2020, God said it was time to leave the school system. Then, the pandemic hit! While on lockdown and navigating all of the uncertainties, I experienced a loss. While grieving, God instilled a new purpose in my heart. I knew it was time to help people who looked like me in a new way. I had no idea what I was doing or how I would do it, but I decided to build my practice. It was hard because they didn’t teach you how to start or run a business in school.

Nonetheless, I started building my business with God leading the way. I sought support and community to help me navigate the process. Then, I opened my private practice in January 2021. Today, it’s still a learning process, so patience is a virtue.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Wellness Room, LLC?

Well, during the summer of 2021, my practicum professor challenged me to work with adults in my practice. So, I started seeing Black women, and I fell in love with it. Shortly after, I relaunched my business, The Wellness Room, LLC, in April 2022. I specialize in racial trauma and women’s issues. I provide online therapy to help Black women navigate race-based stressors that show up in the workplace, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, which can stem from racial trauma.

I learned about the concept of racial trauma during my doctoral studies. I was like….”Oh, my gosh…this is it!” Being able to put a name to what I had experienced and what so many other people that look like me had experienced was powerful. So, I began learning and researching how racial trauma impacts Black people. Racial trauma affects Black people more than any other racial group. Black people also encounter racism quite often in the workplace. Knowing this, I wanted to do something about it. So, my practice focuses on addressing these issues. I help Black women reduce race-based stressors and respond to microaggressions that may occur in the workplace. Ultimately, I want them to heal from the psychological impact of racial trauma. My work sets me apart because I provide therapy in a unique specialty. My goal is to combat the mental health concerns caused by racism. In the future, I want my work to create systemic changes that decolonize therapy and help Black people and other people of color thrive in all spaces.

What matters most to you?

Destigmatizing therapy in the Black community matters most to me. My work focuses on addressing mental health concerns among Black women. I believe all Black women can genuinely experience the freedom they deserve. They do not have to live stressed, overwhelmed, overworked, and frustrated. They deserve to live in peace. I believe the stigma surrounding therapy in the Black community lessened during the pandemic, so I see more Black women seeking support. I value helping them overcome some of the societal pressures that they experience. Moving away from these norms and expectations helps mitigate some of the schemas many Black women identify with, like imposter syndrome, superwoman schema, and strong Black woman schema. It’s time for Black women to take off the mask, throw away the cape, and stop carrying so much on their shoulders. I want them to feel empowered to embrace their authentic selves. I teach my clients how to use their voices and the importance of advocating for themselves in spaces where they feel invisible. I want them to know they can have work-life balance and peace of mind.

I am passionate about my work, and seeing clients progress brings me joy. I am most proud of my commitment to do God’s work. I provide individual therapy for Black women, support groups (e.g., Fibroids, Pregnancy Loss), and clinical supervision. Additionally, I am interested in continuing to engage in research. The literature surrounding racial trauma is still emerging, so the more I can learn and contribute to the field, the more work I can do to heal the Black community. Currently, my dissertation research project focuses on Black women counselor educators and what they do to reduce racial trauma in the workplace. Finally, I look forward to God continuing to use me to support the Black community and being a change agent in the counseling profession.