Meet Dr. Cashuna Huddleston, Ph.d.

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Cashuna Huddleston, Ph.d.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dr. Cashuna , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Being born and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi where the state collectively has some of the highest poverty rates in the United States taught me well about resilience. In fact, around 20% of Mississippi’s population is living in poverty and contributing factors include limited access to high-paying jobs, lower educational attainment levels, and historical economic disparities. To give a short historical story of my upbringing, my maternal and paternal grandparents had elementary school level educations and had jobs where they worked long hours in fields or factories. My parents were lucky enough to graduate high school to also work jobs reflective of those of their parents. Despite facing the multiple forms of marginalization rooted in Mississippi (and the South in general) and being underpaid yet committed to caring for their families, I witnessed at a young age that resilience had to be the status quo if I was going to be successful. My resilience is a function of what I can remember as far back as 4 years old in which I learned that there may be struggle, you can not forget your responsibility. I watched the journey of my family define resilience within the space of survival, resistance, and thriving despite obstacles. My family taught me that resilience not only means surviving but also pushing forward and honoring the sacrifices of those before me. I was the first person on my maternal side of the family to go to college. Indeed, I possess the intellect but the ways in which I am grounded in having creative resourcefulness, working hard, and balancing is what got my three degrees. Resilience for me is as much about inner strength as it is about collective survival and progress.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

At New Way Psychological Services, we offer an empathic, supportive and collaborative approach. We help clients understand themselves and make changes in their lives. We work creatively, utilizing techniques from different theoretical orientations and strategies, particularly from Cognitive-Behavioral, EMDR, Psychodynamic, Attachment and Mindfulness perspectives among others.

We work with children (5+), adults, and couples who struggle with a range of issues and disorders. We also offer psychological evaluations for children (6+) and adults in diagnosing neurodevelopmental disorders, personality disorders, learning disability and pre-surgery evaluations (e.g., bariatric, spinal cord, etc.).

Starting and running my private practice has offered many exciting opportunities, both professionally and personally. Through the learning phases and mishaps, I have grown to appreciate how I have evolved in my capacity to lean into having full autonomy to design my services, choose my niche (e.g., specialization in treating people with psychological and health issues), and structure my practice exactly how I want it to be. It has been exciting to have the freedom to decide which clients to work with, what therapies to offer, and my own office hours! Lastly, one of the best parts of owning my private practice has been the ability to work with my clients over a longer period of time which has offered a sense of fulfillment in witnessing sustained progress and growth.

I am excited about the future of my business. I am continuing to build my brand and private practice through media outlets like Goodhousekeeping (e.g., article about dopamine), podcasts (e.g., Culturally Distinct, Beauty Unveiled) and an interview with BlackDoctors.org. Future plans also include providing more training opportunities, creating a grief app, private practice consulting and starting a mental health podcast!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

There are several skills that has developed and continue to be impactful in my journey. I think it has been imperative that I possess strong interpersonal and communication skills. Effective communication is critical for fostering a therapeutic relationship where clients feel safe and understood. Active listening, empathy, and non-verbal cues all play a role in creating a supportive environment. Establishing trust encourages clients to open up about their issues and participate fully in their treatment, which is necessary for treatment effectiveness. Another skill is the ability to have analytical and critical thinking skills. Psychologists need to be adept at understanding complex psychological conditions and we must stay updated on the latest research and use evidence-based practices to choose the most effective treatments. Lastly, I would say that emotional resilience and self-care awareness has been foundational in my journey. Emotional resilience has allowed me to possess the ability to handle the intensity of clients’ emotional experiences without becoming overwhelmed. Given the emotionally demanding nature of my work, I have prioritized self-care to prevent burnout.

My advice for early career folks is to seek quality supervision and mentorship. Mentorship is especially helpful in navigating complex cases or ethical dilemmas, receiving feedback, and transitioning from academic learning to practical real-world applications. For folks who aspire to have a private practice, I would encourage them to understand the business management side because this aspect of having a private practice is crucial. This includes understanding billing, insurance, marketing, and legal issues. The earlier you start learning these aspects, the more prepared you’ll be when you’re ready to open a practice. In conclusion, embrace lifelong learning. Stay informed on the latest research, therapeutic techniques, and best practices by attending workshops, conferences, and reading current literature. Specializing in an area of interest can also help you to stand out and build expertise.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

In Outliers, The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, he explores the factors contributing to high levels of success, challenging the traditional notion that individual talent and hard work alone explains success. This book was good for me to read to not only keep me motivated but it also aligns with the progress and explanation of my own success. I did not evolve into who I am on my own, my success has been the result of my history, community, and fortunate opportunities that has driven my achievements and making my success possible.

One valuable aspect of this book is how Gladwell popularizes the mastery requires practice idea. He states that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve mastery in any field. The key takeaway is that putting in substantial hours of focused effort is essential for becoming an expert. Gladwell also argues that cultural legacies – attitudes, behaviors, and traditions passed down through generations – significantly affect success. Ultimately, the deeply ingrained cultural values around hard work, patience, and precision can influence achievement across generations. Lastly, Gladwell explains that while intelligence (IQ) matters, it is not the sole determinant of success. Practical intelligence, is equally, if not more, important. Gladwell’s insights challenge conventional wisdom and encourage a broader view of what it means to achieve success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.newwaypsych.com
• Instagram: newwaypsychologicalservices
• Facebook: New Way Psychological Services
• Linkedin: Dr. Cashuna Huddleston, Ph.D.

Image Credits

Photo Credits: Cherish This | Photography by Ashley