Meet Dr. Tselane Gardner

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Tselane Gardner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Tselane below.

Hi Dr. Tselane, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from my faith in God and the life experiences that could have broken me, but didn’t. As a survivor of domestic violence and homelessness, I learned early on that resilience isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build, one decision at a time.

There were moments in my life when I had every reason to give up. But instead, I leaned into my faith, my purpose, and the belief that my pain was not in vain. I realized that what I went through was preparing me to help others heal.

Resilience, for me, is rooted in surrender and strength. Surrendering to God’s plan, even when I don’t understand it, and finding the strength to keep showing up, not just for myself, but for the people I’m called to serve.

Today, that resilience shows up in my work through Healing Hearts Christian Sound Bath Therapy, where I help others restore their nervous systems, process trauma, and reconnect with themselves. While my work is rooted in my faith, I also honor that healing looks different for everyone. My sound bath experiences can be tailored as Christian or non-religious, allowing me to meet people where they are and support their journey toward restoration, regardless of their background.

My resilience didn’t just help me survive; it gave me purpose. And now, I use it to help others rise.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the Founder of Clinical Counseling with Tselane, where I provide holistic mental wellness services through Healing Hearts Christian Sound Baths, which can be Christian-based or non-religious, Women’s Life Coaching, and mental health education. I am also an international speaker focusing on mental health topics, including occupational burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma among service providers, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, and African American Psychology.

My work is trauma-informed and supports individuals, service providers, and communities in reducing stress, healing emotional wounds, and restoring balance to the nervous system. A key focus of my work is developing Service Provider Wellness Programs, in which I partner with organizations to address occupational burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma.

I also lead a Community Member Advocacy Program, connecting individuals and families to essential resources such as housing, food, and mental health services, while accompanying them to appointments with the Department of Rehabilitation, Housing Authority, and Social Security.

What makes my work unique is the integration of clinical expertise with holistic healing. While my approach is rooted in my faith, my services can be tailored as Christian-based or non-religious, allowing me to meet people where they are.

I’ve had the honor of partnering with agencies, both locally and worldwide, to expand access to meaningful, culturally responsive mental health support.

At the heart of my work is a simple mission: to help people heal, restore, and reconnect with their inner strength.

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?

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, self-awareness, and faith.

Resilience allowed me to keep moving forward, even in seasons where life felt overwhelming. Self-awareness helped me recognize my own patterns, heal from past experiences, and grow both personally and professionally. And my faith has been my foundation, guiding me, grounding me, and reminding me that my journey has purpose, even when I couldn’t see the full picture.

For those early in their journey, my advice is to do your inner work first. Take the time to understand yourself, your triggers, your strengths, and your areas for growth. Invest in your healing, because unaddressed wounds can show up in your work and relationships.

Also, don’t rush the process. Growth takes time, and every season is preparing you for the next. Stay consistent, seek support when needed, and be willing to learn, not just professionally, but emotionally and spiritually as well.

Most importantly, trust that your journey matters. Even the difficult parts are shaping you into who you’re called to become.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

One book that has played a significant role in my development is Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. I was first introduced to this book in the 1990s and had the honor of attending a summer series where the authors walked us through it in depth. That experience was transformational for me.

Growing up in my era, and in my mother’s and grandmother’s generations, boundaries were virtually nonexistent. I was raised with the belief that children were to be seen and not heard. It wasn’t until my late 20s and early 30s that I began to truly understand the importance of boundaries and learned how to say no without guilt.

One of the most impactful lessons from the book is that boundaries are not about controlling others, they are about taking responsibility for yourself. That shift changed everything for me. I learned that setting boundaries is an act of self-respect, not selfishness.

This wisdom became the foundation for my personal and professional growth and ultimately led to the development of my Healing Hearts formula:

#Boundaries + #SelfCare = #SelfLove

That principle continues to guide not only my life, but the work I do in helping others reclaim their voice, protect their peace, and prioritize their healing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.clinicalcounselingwithtselane.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingheartchristiansoundbath
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TselaneCoaching
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtselanegardner
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@clinicalcounselingwithtselane
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/5zg7vaVHYz