Adonai Shabazz
We explore difficult truths and make meaningful change. I specialize in working with individuals and couples of color who are navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, the impacts of racism and colorism, cultural disparities, life transitions, and relationship challenges. My work focuses on helping clients strengthen communication, develop healthier conflict resolution skills, and build the tools needed for more fulfilling relationships. My goal is to empower clients to examine their beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so they can make intentional choices that support the change they want in their lives.
First session
In our first session, you can expect a welcoming and collaborative space where we begin getting to know you beyond the challenges that brought you to therapy. I want to understand your experiences, gain insight into your concerns, and begin exploring patterns in your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. I may ask questions that encourage you to think about yourself and your experiences from a different perspective. My approach involves looking beyond the surface and becoming curious about the underlying factors that may contribute to the patterns you experience today. You don't need to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. Our first session is an opportunity to begin building an understanding of who you are, what you hope to change, and what that process might look like. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, gaining a new perspective, and beginning to recognize the possibilities for growth and change.
Strengths
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Techniques with an Afrocentric, culturally responsive approach. I work to help clients improve communication, challenge patterns, and create meaningful, lasting change. In therapy, we explore patterns that keep you stuck while recognizing the impact of life experiences, culture, and systems. I help to build self-awareness, accountability, and healthier coping skills so they can break old patterns and create meaningful personal growth and change.
Ideal clients
Your ideal client is someone who recognizes that certain behaviors, emotional responses, or relationship patterns may be keeping them from living the life they want. They may find themselves repeating the same cycles, experiencing familiar frustrations, or struggling with patterns they don't fully understand. They are curious about why they respond to situations the way they do and are willing to look beyond the immediate problem to explore the underlying beliefs, experiences, and influences that have shaped them. They are open to challenging their own perspectives, questioning behaviors they may have normalized, and examining uncomfortable truths about themselves. They understand that therapy is not simply about receiving advice or finding quick solutions, but about actively participating in a process of self-discovery and personal growth. Most importantly, they have a desire to make changes that extend beyond the therapy room. They want to develop a deeper understanding of themselves so they can break unhelpful patterns, make more intentional choices, and create changes that are meaningful and sustainable.
Ongoing work together
Our ongoing work together will involve looking beyond the surface and developing a deeper understanding of the thoughts, beliefs, experiences, and behaviors that influence your life. We will explore recurring patterns, question familiar ways of thinking, and examine how past experiences may continue to shape your present. As we build awareness, we will work toward translating those insights into meaningful action. This may involve challenging long-held beliefs, developing new ways of responding to situations, and practicing behaviors that better align with the changes you want to make. I believe meaningful change requires more than simply recognizing what needs to be different; it requires a willingness to actively engage in the process. Throughout our work, I will encourage you to remain curious, reflect honestly, and challenge yourself while providing support and guidance along the way. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and create changes that are intentional, practical, and sustainable beyond the therapy room.
Treatment methods
Psychodynamic
My approach to therapy is largely informed by psychodynamic theory, which emphasizes understanding how our past experiences, relationships, and unconscious patterns can influence the way we think, feel, and behave in the present. I believe that some of the challenges we experience today may be connected to patterns and beliefs that developed long before we became aware of them. These patterns can influence our relationships, emotional responses, decisions, and the ways we navigate the world, often without us questioning where they originated. In our work together, I encourage curiosity and deeper self-exploration. We will look beyond the surface of presenting concerns to explore the underlying experiences and patterns that may be contributing to them. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, challenge patterns that no longer serve you, and use that awareness to create meaningful and sustainable change.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
My therapeutic approach is informed by psychodynamic theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS), both of which emphasize developing a deeper understanding of ourselves and the experiences that shape who we are. I believe many of our present-day thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are influenced by past experiences, relationships, and internal patterns that we may not always recognize. Sometimes, the ways we have learned to cope or protect ourselves continue to show up in our lives, even when those patterns no longer serve us. Through our work together, I encourage curiosity and self-exploration. We will look beneath the surface of your behaviors, explore the different parts of yourself, and begin understanding the roles they play in your life. Rather than judging these patterns, we will work toward understanding where they come from, what purpose they serve, and how they may be influencing your present experiences. I believe greater self-awareness creates opportunities for change. My goal is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, build a more compassionate relationship with your internal experiences, and create healthier ways of navigating your life and relationships.