Carlita L. Coley, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor Author Advocate Human
Licensed Professional Counselor
Being a woman, a person of color, and a mother with two children who identify with the LBGTQ+ community, I have firsthand experience with the challenges that the marginalized and disenfranchised face. My lived experience, combined with my education, serves as the foundation from which I empower others to understand and accept all of who they are and use that knowledge to walk confidently through life.​
I have spent the past 15 years providing mental health services to women and children who have experienced trauma and struggle with various forms of anxiety and depression, and am the proud founder of Melanin Mental Health and Wellness, PLLC , and provide clinical supervision for therapists in training in the state of Virginia. I am licensed to provide mental health services in the states of Virginia and New Jersey and use a mix of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive and Behavior Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy. ​​
Author
I've been absorbing stories since childhood but it wasn't until quarantining during COVID-19 and a chance conversation with a newly reconnected cousin that my love for storytelling was ignited, and my desire to memorialize information by putting it in writing took action. I ended up publishing two psychoeducational therapy journals to support women on their trauma healing journey - Renew and Rise and working to better manage anxiety - Bye Anxiety.
I utilized narrative therapy to work through my own trauma, which culminated in my (first) psychoeducational memoir, Eve's Exodus. Utilizing narrative therapy was cathartic and transformative, and set the stage for me to continue on the path of producing literary work about the human experience as an author and therapist. The focus of my work is to educate, empower and inspire by storytelling through a therapeutic lens.
Advocate
​My advocacy originally started as a compassion project to rescue and rehome black cats after learning that they were the least likely to get adopted and the most frequently euthanized. Their experience of facing stereotypes and misconceptions that lead to unfair treatment have an uncanny similarity to the plight of people and orientations of color, who have faced (and often continue to face) harmful stereotypes, biases, and systemic disadvantages.
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Once I made that connection, I expanded the scope of my work through my nonprofit, The Rescue Black Project to facilitate projects that promote the education, advocacy, and support of at-risk and marginalized youth and felines of color. As a woman, person of color and mother with two children who identify with the LBGTQ+ community, my lived experience with the challenges that the marginalized and disenfranchised face compel me to be an advocate for change by amplifying voices that often go unheard and raising awareness about the disparities that exist.