Hello! I welcome you to the first step in gaining insight, growing, and developing resilience in order to live to your fullest potential.  My name is Shari Cain, and I'm a mental health therapist in Maryland. I prioritize Black mental health but advocate for all to go on a self-exploration journey into fully accepting and loving yourself.  Oftentimes, people believe therapy is for those who are "crazy" or "insane," but it's really there to help you learn how to cope with the hard stuff so you can be fully present for the good. Growing up within the Black community, it's been taught to just "tough it out," but that leads to unhealthy patterns to manage adverse life experiences. It is why I became a counselor. I want to help end the stigma against mental health, especially within my own culture. I want to encourage people to explore past traumas, present hurts, and develop ways to become resilient without having to just "grin and bear it."  I invite all to reach out, even if it's just to see if therapy is good for you. It's neither too early or too late to seek help.