Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Tidwell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Danielle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a born and raised Georgia peach who has always been an artist at heart. It began when I was five years old and I was invited into an art show – Tapestry – for my “Big City” watercolor piece and small clay penguin. I grew up always doing art and was raised in a household where my parents had created their own business.
They became very successful, so being an artist was not seen as a “real” job – no “starving artists” in this family. I worked at my parent’s company and another “regular” job to understand the “real world” as my father would say. I began to read about psychology and the connections between the mind and the brain. I was interested in this subject immediately and I knew I wanted to do something within the realm of psychology. I worked three jobs as I went to Georgia State University after graduating from North Gwinnett High School. I took every art class that I could fit into my tight schedule. During a psychology class, I met a professor that got me working at the Marcus Autism Center who was working on studies with children and their families.
At the time, I had begun to want to do research and become a neuropsychologist. I watched my professor one day speak to a family and afterwards I asked him what he was doing with the family. He stated that it was a form of family therapy and right then and there was when I began to shift my thinking; I wanted to be more connected to these families and become a therapist. Along this journey, my art director told me to look into art therapy, which was not anywhere in Georgia… yet. I applied to Mercer University, Atlanta campus and continued to work at a dentist office as I took night classes and earning practicum experience at Affinity in Duluth. I worked hard throughout the program and landed a private practice job before I became fully licensed at Marietta Counseling for Children and Adults. Time passed and I received an offer at Alpharetta Counseling for Children and Adults as a marriage and family therapist. In this role, I worked with children, teens, couples, and families. I had a large caseload with many diverse clients. I received my full licensure and play therapy certification and began to wonder about my future.
As a therapist you need to have multiple lines of income – well at least for a therapist like me – so I knew I needed to continue learning new ways to conduct therapy. I was at a play therapy conference and was listening to an art and play therapist talk about her career. The understanding of how art is essential in the human experience spoke to me. I realized I had been working constantly and putting myself last. That is when I knew I was going to go back and become the next great art therapist. Art had always been a unique part of my life that was cast to the side. Naturally, when working with children, they loved to create artwork, and I could see how it transformed them, like it did for me. All my life, I used art as a medium to relax, focus, and regulate my emotions. I never knew the therapeutic benefits until I began continuing my education in many different fields of study. I was in Midtown when I applied to the art therapy program at Florida State University. Before I knew it, I had become fully licensed, received my play therapy certification, and was moving to pursue a PhD. Currently, I am completing a MS and PhD in Art Therapy to research multicultural children and families.
Has it been a smooth road?
The hardest part of my life was learning that mental health is important. I was constantly working multiple jobs and putting my own needs aside. I was raised to work hard for what you want, but you cannot do it alone. I got to where I am today because of people believing in me, and having a better understanding that I need to slow down and take care of myself before others. I am a work in progress because it has been engrained in me to overwork, forget to eat, go outside, or contact friends/family. Today I am traveling more than I ever have because I need it. Being a part of other cultures and witnessing different ways of life teaches me about not only about others, but myself. Growing up in Norcross, I lived among many different cultures and ethnicities and enjoyed being around such diversity.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Currently, I am a family therapist and I specialize in play therapy. I am working towards becoming a multicultural art therapist as well and hope to bridge the gap between systems and art. I am so proud of myself for becoming known in my community. I love that people refer family, friends and couples to me; it speaks volumes for me. I am so proud of seeing such diversity in my community and families come to me because of my diversity. I believe that I can only help my clients as much as I helped myself, so I continue to go to therapy as well. I am different from others because of who I am as a person: I am authentic, warm and truly happy. I love what I do – look I am getting a PhD! – so, I have to love what I do in order to dedicate my life to it.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I am biased because Atlanta is my home. I will always love my city and the diversity it brings to the South. Atlanta has always been the place to create a business and be able to live comfortably. My parents and grandparents came to Atlanta to make and grow their businesses. I want to continue seeing more diverse businesses!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://dani.dscga.com/
- Phone: 4702963264
- Email: dtidwell16@gmail.com
- Instagram: ___danielle16___
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dtidwell16
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dtidwell1
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