Charla Yearwood
"You can do hard things." ~ Glennon Doyle, Author
We continue our #UMatter theme with the intuitively insightful Charla Yearwood, Founder & Clinical Director of Connected in Community. Charla’s practice mission is to provide inclusive therapy, coaching, and education services confronting oppressive societal norms for community liberation.
Charla is charged with creating spaces that change the status quo for the greater good of her community and beyond. She loves standing up for other people, and the counseling profession allows her to provide that for people who aren't always given those opportunities. Her commitment to hearing others’ stories and giving provision to those who may not speak up for themselves brought her to the realization of becoming a counselor.
The significance of the work Charla does causes her to look at the root of the world around her. She would like Connected in Community to increase socially inclusive, in-depth conversations for the BIPOC community. Additionally, she would like to diversify her impact by inviting pre-licensed Black and otherwise marginalized therapists to develop their skills and grow as professionals.
Charla would like to progress the mental health community in the Indianapolis area and surrounding cities. She is striving to create a cross-disciplinary look at the cause and effect of affordable housing, safety, access to healthcare, and civil rights. Noting all factors play an imperative role in the health and wellness of individuals and communities.
She is forthcoming with her passion for mental health awareness and would like more people to recognize the urgency of creating more resources. Moreover, she would like us all to know, “The health, safety, and wellbeing of our neighbor is tied to our own health, safety, and wellbeing. If we're going to learn to love our neighbor, we're also going to have to really and truly love ourselves - flaws and all.”
Charla continues to be inspired by each client's willingness to be vulnerable and show up for themselves. She shares that those looking to start their mental health journey should ultimately lead the passage with fun. She stated, “There will be hard sessions and moments of reflection, and you'll want to look away at times. Know that you are also about to embark on what could become your greatest love story. One where you learn to fall in radical love with yourself.”
You can learn more about Charla Yearwood and Connected in Community by visiting their websites (www.connectedincommunity.org or www.charlayearwood.com), and by following them on FB (@connectedincommunity), IG (@connectedincommunity), and Twitter (@CharlaYearwood).