Meet Tiesha Farmer Grant

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tiesha Farmer Grant a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiesha , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

The only room I feel intimidated in when I am the only one that looks different is probably the gym. Even that feeling is fleeting. I was reared in a predominantly white, rural area which provided the initial stage of using my differences as leverage for achievement. I was an avid reader. The people I admired most were visible, and assertive. Their differences were the draw, and their innovation came from their identities. I learned very early that my blackness, womanhood, and other forms of intersectionality were hoisters, though they also presented unique challenges. I began by involving myself in spaces where the expected demographic was meant to be the majority. I brought perspectives from my vantage point, challenged the bases of their decision-making, collaborated with others with intention to make impressions, drive meaningful conversations and build influence. By high school, I had acquired both skill and confidence to take on any room no matter the persons there. Throughout college, both graduate school completions, and my field experiences, that self-assurance remained cemented. As I entered my careers in criminal justice, a system where the decision-makers hardly resembled those imposed with the consequences or doing the front-line work, and when I pivoted into mental health, a field heavily saturated with westernized thinking and being I still felt that I belonged in every staffing, courtroom, roundtable, treatment team meeting, service planning consultations etc. That is not to say anxiety and imposter syndrome does not present itself. However, I practice cognitive challenge and frame whenever I feel that my differences were hiding a fraud. I’ve convinced myself that I belong in these spaces because I have achieved as they have achieved, I have value as they have value, I have expertise and perspective that is also significant, and I am no room by accident nor luck.

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?

I’m a healer and a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the field of criminal justice and mental health. I am the owner and clinical director of Reentry Therapeutic Services, PLLC. I specialize in addressing childhood and adult emotional and behavioral disruptions leading to system involvement. I have dual, independent licensure in mental health and substance abuse, and my areas of expertise is in working with individuals facing these challenges within the justice system and child welfare.
I bring a holistic approach to fostering positive change for those justice and other system involved. My interdisciplinary background, combined with practical insights, positions me to effectively assess, treat, advocate, therapeutically intervene, and rehabilitate adults and youth, and promote policy and service changes for my target population.
My leadership roles have influenced and shaped the delivery of comprehensive care within correctional and secure facilities, ensuring that individuals receive the support they need for successful rehabilitation. Furthermore, I’ve served in impactful roles within state and county government for over 10 years. I am a public speaker and re-entry collaborative that provides training and education on policy development, criminogenic risk factors, social determinants of health and clinical program implementation.

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?

Embrace Your Unique Perspective, Be Visible and Assertive, and Find colleagues who understand or value diverse perspectives, and build relationships with them. When you are building your dream, you have to remember your product. Remind yourself what you are here to offer and remind yourself often. Reframe your thoughts about how many people are doing what you are doing. It does not matter. You have to retain and firmly embrace what your unique offerings. Put yourself out there. Do it scared. Do it confused. Do it unsure. Do not hide in the shadows that your intrusive thoughts create. Share your thoughts, skills, achievements, innovation/creations. Show people why you are here and remind yourself while you’re at it. Take up space, fill the rooms you are in. Lastly, find community. Community may even be your competition, but you cannot know all things. Seek mentors, or a close group of accountable partners, both within and outside your field, who can offer guidance, advice, challenge, and encouragement.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

I was contractor, providing therapy and assessments for other agencies since 2021. I formally launched my private practice in April, 2024. Within 6 months, my practice is full with a waitlist. My referral sources are from the spaces where I was the minority. This is the value of being visible, competent, confident and vouched for. I’ve most improved on staying in the moment, prioritizing my wellbeing, pacing myself towards my goals. I’ve exited the rat-race/hamster wheel and I’m enjoying the benefits of sustaining energy for my passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reentrytherapeuticservices.org/

Image Credits

Darrius Campbell,
D.See Photography, LLC