Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiaundra Jackson.
Born and raised in Compton, California, Kiaundra Jackson came from a city where poverty, drugs, and senseless gang violence was the norm. Her parents attempted to protect her from as much as possible but were unable to hide the negativity that was manifesting in their own household. At the tender age of 10, she witnessed domestic violence amongst her parents and had the words “I will kill you!” etched into her brain by her biological father. The familial and financial shift of seeing her parents divorced, living in a single-parent home with her mother, and her older sister expecting her first child at 16-year old caused Kiaundra to wonder if there was more to life. She just knew there had to be more than living from paycheck to paycheck, eating the same meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and barely getting by with just the basic necessities.
Unfortunately, due to her environment, she could not find a tangible example of what success looked like or what a healthy relationship should be. Literally, everyone she knew was either divorced or in an unhealthy relationship and seemed to be complacent with living mediocre.
As an attempt to deal with her own childhood trauma, she decided to put time and effort into her schooling and furthering her education. She was determined to create a new narrative for her and the life of her family for generations to come. On the road to success, she experienced numerous hiccups that could have caused her to quit. Resilience has always been one of her greatest qualities. She remembered seeing her mother work long hours and go without food herself just to make sure her children ate. She allowed that to be her why, her driving force and what prevented her to never settle for less.
After attending community college fresh out of high school, earning two Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology and Sociology, and a Master’s of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Kiaundra never allowed the setbacks early on in life stop her from pursuing her passions. It was those very traumatic experiences that shaped her to develop a passion for mental health and healthy relationships. Still, along the journey, others doubted her. Even one of her graduate school professors told her she would “never be a good therapist.” However, Kiaundra proved that professor and countless other naysayers wrong.
Because of her perseverance, Kiaundra Jackson is known as America’s #1 Relationship Therapist. She has been seen on the Emmy-Award Winning TV Show, The Doctors. She has been recently featured in The New York Times, The CW, FOX, Vice, BET and The Huffington Post as one of the ‘10 Black Female Therapists You Should Know.’ She is an international speaker, best-selling author, and trusted Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist that gets results. Kiaundra is the Visionary of KW Couples Therapy, and the Co-Founder of KW Essential Services and Black Speakers Rock.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Challenges, setbacks, and obstacles are inevitable–expect them, embrace them. I know that may seem counterintuitive to what most people may tell you. However, the most difficult times of your life help build character for what is to come. Nothing is wasted. So, remember, to get back up every time you fall because someone is in need of the very thing you have to offer to the world.
We’d love to hear more about KW Couples Therapy.
She currently owns a thriving private practice in Los Angeles where she works with clients in the areas of Premarital and Marital issues, Anxiety, Depression, Life Transition, Grief, Loss, and Faith-Based Counseling. Kiaundra Jackson provides support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies with compassion and understanding. She works with each individual, couple, or family to help build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.
She discovered the importance of having healthy relationships from seeing a lack of them in her own life. From that point on, she chose to specialize in helping couples strengthen and repair their relationships. She specializes in improving intimacy with couples by increasing effective two¬-way communication. She is dedicated to helping couples increase sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy. Kiaundra works with couples who truly desire to maintain a healthy, long-lasting relationship and uncover their true potential. Her therapeutic approach is holistic, eclectic, and tailored to her client(s) needs to make sure each person is cared for biologically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Kiaundra’s vision is to help 100,000 couples heal their relationships, prevent divorce, and keep families together.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
-Being told by a professor that I would never be a good therapist.
-Growing up in a single parent home.
-Not seeing healthy relationships in my personal life and community.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8929 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 410 Los Angeles, CA 90045
- Website: www.KiaundraJackson.com
- Phone: 424-317-6800 x2
- Email: kiaundra@kwcouplestherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiaundrajackson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kwcouplestherapy
Image Credit:
@TheeGlamShackIE, @JamesMediaInt
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