Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebrena Thurton.
Hi Sebrena, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Southern CA, in a “Black” household where learning and education was everything. I moved back and forth from Los Angeles to the Inland Empire and even attended one year of high school in St. Louis, MO. When I graduated from High School in 2010 and entered college, I was a Biology Pre-med major who wanted to become a Dentist. It was when I took Bio 200 and failed that I wanted to focus on my general education (GE) courses. That was when the love for psychology sparked. I changed my major to Psychology and that was my focus. I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from California State University – San Bernardino within four years and decided to further my education. I decided to get an M.A. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from Azusa Pacific University in 2017. During my first year of graduate school, I thought to myself “I don’t want to be a therapist. I want to become a Clinical Psychologist,” but after receiving 40 hours of my own therapy (graduate program requirement), I grew to love therapy. I wanted to assist people in making a difference in their lives. I’m glad that I’ve continued on this path that was paved for me. I’m now studying to take my CA Licensure exam. Please wish me luck!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This definitely have not been a smooth road. My first practicum site was for a community mental health agency where I worked in the Full Service Partnership (FSP) program working with individuals with severe mental illness. It was very interesting and fulfilling but I was not obtaining enough hours required by my graduate program. I believe that I needed 90 hours each semester so I had no choice but to switch sites. I then began seeing individuals at a school district where my clients were children, adults, and even couples. Never in my life did I imagine working with children or couples but as an MFT, we need to obtain 500 children hours to go towards the 3000 that we need for licensure, so it worked out perfectly. Therefore, not working with children was not an option. Working with children is where I began to face challenges. Why? Because depending on the age, children do not benefit from “Talk” therapy. They benefit from “Play” therapy and play therapy was not my thing.
Anyways, my first post-graduate job was still in community mental health but with children. I stayed there for about 11 months to gain my children hours until I decided to work with the adult population again. I obtained another job with the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program which was majority case management due to the individual’s basic needs needing to meet before beginning any therapy. That honestly was not a position that was fulfilling but I stayed within that program for six months before switching to an adult residential substance abuse treatment program and let me just say, it was a totally different beast! The adult residential substance abuse treatment program definitely hit home for me because substance abuse does run in my family. From everything that I saw within my own family, that gave me a different type of understanding. I saw that majority of the clients had a history of traumatic experiences which resulted into their substance use. This is where my interest to specialize in trauma began. At this point in my career, I was not yet trained in working with substance abuse or trauma.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a black, millennial therapist who’s a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #104323, working under the supervision of a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Kim Simmonds #89466. I’m currently working full-time as a Lead Therapist at an adult residential substance abuse treatment program. I’m also a therapist at Well-Play Counseling and Wellbeing Center working under the supervision of a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Denise Williams #92559, specializing in Trauma, intergenerational trauma to be exact. I’m known for utilizing Holistic tools such as Breathwork and Soundbowl healing in treatment. That is also what sets me apart. I’ve taken numerous amounts of trauma training to increase my knowledge and learned that individuals who have experienced trauma need more than empathy and warmth.
When I learned that, I saw how Breathwork and Crystal Soundbowl Healing can be useful. My clients and I breathe together to enter a deep state of relaxation using crystal Soundbowls and guided meditation to decrease symptoms that may impair their functioning. My therapeutic approach is integrative and includes person-centered and cognitive-behavioral therapy. I see my clients as an equal partner in therapy; they’re in the driver seat while I’m riding shotgun (passenger). My mission is to establish a healthy therapeutic relationship as it is something that I hold dear to my heart. I’m most proud of black individuals who are seeking services to break those generational chains by exploring their family background, gathering a deeper understanding in regard to their lives and wellbeing, and implementing the healthy, effective changes. The resiliency is amazing and I love it!
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Something that matters most to me is mental health within the black community. Believe it or not, therapy was such a taboo when I was growing up. Black people were not seeking mental health services; there was a lack of knowledge and awareness. I was always told “Give it to God” or “Just pray it away.” Those are two things that I hear often when working with black individuals. Why can’t we give it to God and do the footwork? The answer is “We can.” This is why I do what I do. I want to assist my people in filling those drained batteries that have been trying to fill others’ batteries. It makes me extremely happy to see that people within my community are open to learning about mental health and are seeking the services that they may need.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.well-play.com/Sebrena-Thurton
- Instagram: @thetherapeuticplug
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SebrenaTWellPlayInc
- Other: https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/listing/sebrena-thurton-well-play-counseling-wellbeing-center-3/
