Beautiful & Brave Article: How Therapy Made Me Better At My Job

When I graduated with a master’s degree in cinema and TV studies, I was ready to start my journey as a network executive — or so I thought. Like many early-twenty somethings, I was ambitious, driven, and determined to achieve professional success; nothing else mattered. Little did I know, the months that followed would be defined by my inability to manage the stress and pressure of working in a highly competitive field — that is, until I discovered the unlikely solution to my floundering career: therapy.

Like any treatment or coping strategy, regular behavioral therapy takes a ton of work, and nobody can do that work for you; you have to do it yourself. A year before I started therapy, I took a position in production management at a prominent television network. Yes, I thought. I’ve finally made it to the big leagues and can start my journey climbing the corporate ladder. But to my dismay, it wasn’t the dream job I had anticipated. Instead of being creative, I was glued to a cubicle, crunching numbers on a spreadsheet all day. I was undervalued, underpaid, and I wasn’t utilizing my skills. It was soul-crushing.

I met my therapist, Asha Tarry, at a Black Girls Smile Wellness Brunch. The brunch was my formal introduction into mental wellness and how important it is — especially for Black women. At the event, Tarry spoke about her work, we exchanged information, and I made my first appointment.

One of the first tasks I had to complete in our therapy sessions was a “Life Wheel.” This symbolizes the core values that affect my day-to-day happiness, including spirituality, finances, family, relationships, and career. This wasn’t a small exercise; I had to dive deep into my issues. At the time, I had student loans hanging over my head. I was lost in a long-term relationship. I was experiencing unusual digestive issues related to stress. Plus, I was supporting a struggling relative (both emotionally and financially). I was overextended in virtually every way. Yet while all of these factors were certainly contributing to my stress, I knew my job was the source of the depression I felt.