We recently connected with Dr. April Givens and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. April, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
From early on at the age of 12 I said I wanted to be a Pediatrician. Once I started at the University of Louisiana at Monroe after majoring in Biology/Pre-Medicine, somewhere along the way I decided that this wasn’t what I wanted to do anymore. I knew I wanted to be in the medical field or helping field because I enjoyed helping people but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I thought being that kind of doctor would be stressful. Upon graduating with my BS degree in Biology/Pre-Medicine I later decided to start a Masters program in Clinical Mental Health. I took a career assessment and discovered my top matches. Being a helper this was what I was born to do. I enjoyed the coursework and learning about the field. I enjoyed the mock counseling sessions and speaking to a variety of people, I also enjoyed my internship experience and learning from various professionals in the field. When you love what you do it becomes your purpose, it’s not work, it’s not hard, everything just flows, and you become one with your purpose and who you truly are. I learned patience, I learned empathy, I learned to not judge people but meet them where they are. Everyone is struggling with something and just needs a little compassion from others. I try to be that person for my clients. I listen, I don’t judge and I meet them where they are. I also gently guide them to where they want to be. This is my purpose to be a guide, leader, therapist, compassionate person, listener, and teacher.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Licensed Psychotherapist and Founder of Urban Counseling Clique a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help children and their families by providing mental health counseling, camps, and workshops. I provide counseling and consulting in the state of Texas. I also provide supervision for clinical mental health students, nurse practitioner students, and licensed professional counselor associates in the state of Texas. Urban Counseling Clique has a diverse group of clinicians that provide mental health counseling as well as coaching for the state of Texas. We are located in Dallas, TX but we speak with individuals virtually all over the state. We truly enjoy helping others and bring an authentic approach to the therapy profession.
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?
One of the qualities that worked well for me is being a knowledge seeker, never be afraid to ask questions and seek as much information as possible to be the best you can be in your field of study. We never stop learning. Learning is a lifelong process because the world is constantly changing. One of the skills in my profession that is great to possess is active listening skill. You have to be able to listen to someone intently so you can help them navigate what it is they are going through. Lastly empathy is also a quality that is great to possess in any field. We have to understand where people are and not expect too much from them but meet them where they are.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am looking for other doctors to collaborate with in all specialties. In my practice we treat the whole person and it is great to have other doctors to refer our patients to. I am also a part of Doctors of Dallas reality show and would love to connect with other doctors that may be interested in coming on the show to discuss their specialty and be authentic. They can connect with me on social media on Instagram and threads @dr.aprilgivens or email me at [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: www.draprilgivens.com
- Instagram: @dr.aprilgivens
- Facebook: Urban Counseling Clique
- Twitter: @DrAprilGivens
- Youtube: Urban Counseling Clique
- Other: linktr.ee/DrAprilGivens
