Lea Vincent is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. She attended high school at Notre Dame de Sion and went on to the University of Missouri- Columbia where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She worked in the social services field for 9 years before pursuing her Masters degree in Counseling. She graduated in May 2019 from MidAmerica Nazarene University and is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and a member of Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society. She has experience in several psychotherapy modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Attachment Based Family Therapy (ABFT). She currently works for St. Luke’s Healthcare System as an Intensive In-Home Therapist, and provides individual and couples counseling in private practice part-time. Lea is a consultant, workshop leader, and guest speaker within the mental health community, highlighting issues of mental health stigma in faith-based and underserved communities. Lea is a proud wife of nearly 11 years and mother of three beautiful children and one fur baby! As a Black woman, Lea has a lived experience of the effects of systemic racism and oppression that have shaped her ability to recognize its impact. She has done her own work to develop her cultural identity, and has taken the opportunity to educate and assist others in that process by teaching on the subject in Multicultural classes and personal interviews. Lea believes that being well-rounded is an important part of personal development, and manages to balance pursuits in ministry, family, professional career, and education. She believes that the energy put into personal development will prove to be the most important aspect of one’s professional career and personal life. Lea understands that “the person of the therapist” consists of several facets, including personal identity, cultural identity, spiritual identity, and professional identity. She believes the interweaving of these identities make up the counselor as a whole, and Lea is passionate about recognizing how those may show up in the counseling room. Lea feels that being a therapist is not only a profession, but a ministry and personal calling. She takes pride in aiding in the healing process and creating safe spaces for emotional expression and speaking one’s truth. Lea has a conviction to break the stigma around mental health within the faith-based community with the motto, “See your doctor/therapist, take your meds, and PRAY!”