We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ebony Butler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ebony below.
Ebony, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My purpose is rooted in community. I have always been passionate about collective healing and advancement. So, when I became a psychologist, I knew my work would be no different. My work in the mental health space is centered on how it impacts the collective. This is evident in the creation of My Therapy Cards. I knew the Black community needed more mental health resources, so I created My Therapy Cards to answer this need.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a Black woman psychologist who experienced the struggle to find my own therapist and mental health support. I’ve also experienced the disparities that exist within the field of mental health for Black women and people. So, I wanted to take up space in this industry to reduce barriers to entry into this work as well as reduce barriers to care for consumers. I wanted to provide services and products that would address barriers like cost, stigma, and geographical limitations for the Black community. Making sure the Black community has representation in the mental health field is very important to reducing the stigma around therapy and mental health for us. My business is built around this passion and mission.
My biggest accomplishment to date is the creation of My Therapy Cards for Black women, men, and teens! This is the first card deck of its kind created in 2020. The cards and journals provide access to real questions and tasks that I ask in therapy with my clients. The cards provide a window into the field of mental health and therapy that some people might not otherwise have. The cards are also helpful for therapists to use in sessions and are a great way to ensure cultural responsiveness in the therapeutic process. My Therapy Cards provide representation of Black people in therapy, something Black people need to see to envision themselves in the actual mental health/therapy room.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Persistence, passion, and consistency have been the three qualities that have helped me on my journey. They’ve also helped me to create impact and put out meaningful work.
I would advise people to connect to their values and to their “why.” I also want people to think about their legacy. The vision for their legacy will drive their work and effort.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The book, The Four Agreements, has helped me tremendously. The principles in the book help me to stay grounded and based in my own values.
Contact Info:
- Website: mytherapycards.shop
- Instagram: instagram.com/drebonyonline
- Facebook: facebook.com/drebonyonline
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ebonybutlerphd
- Twitter: twitter.com/drebonyonline
Image Credits
headshot is by Camille Percy other photos are by Kara Marie Collective
