Guest Author: Shanice Ebony Harris, LMSW, RMT, CD
Therapist – Reiki Master Teacher – Certified Doula – Zumba ® Instructor
shanice-ebony.com
When I was 5 years old, I wanted to be a pediatrician. By the end of high school, I went through wanting to become a nurse practitioner, to master researcher, to guidance counselor, to youth programming director, to teacher. Here’s a brief post-High School timeline of how that young girl’s dreams have been playing out…
2011
- Entered college determined to become a High School English Teacher – until I took my first English course.
- Fell in love with Intro to Psychology and was now determined to become a psychologist.
2015
- Graduated with a major in Psychology and minor in Children and Youth Studies.
- Got accepted to the Masters program of my dreams, but something didn’t feel right. So I denied my acceptance and waited.
- Started practicing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with children on the Autism Spectrum.
2016
- Got my first “real job” as a Behavior Specialist in Treatment Foster Care.
- Turns out I was already “social working,” and with the support of my supervisor and colleagues, moved forward with applying to MSW programs.
2017
- Moved to Maryland from New York in hopes of starting grad school in Fall of the next year.
- Still doing ABA.
2018
- Didn’t realize how much living on my own out of state was going to rock my world. I was hospitalized for the worst depression I ever had, succeeded by months of what I didn’t have language for but now know to be mania.
- Moved back home for six months to get my life together and got a part time job at an afterschool/summer program.
- Contemplated moving to Nicaragua to teach English. [haha]
- Re-applied to MSW program because I decided I was GOING back to school.
2019
- Moved back to Maryland to begin my studies at the UMB School of Social Work.
- Still doing ABA.
- Began my Reiki training, because Reiki played a crucial role in my healing and I knew this was something I wanted to incorporate into my work.
- Inspired by the woman whose class kept me going every week, completed Zumba® training.
2020
- C O V I D
- Considered taking a leave of absence from school because STRESS took on a new form. Mental and physical health were declining due to rapid changes that came with the pandemic as well as a ton of relationship stressors and it got dark…again. All while PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) was wreaking havoc.
- Spirituality, therapy, and health became more and more central to my life.
2021
- Completed Doula Training – I had always felt a connection to birth work and got a scholarship to train and certify for FREE via MomCares in Baltimore, so I knew the time was right.
- Got a concussion and had to quit my job if I wanted to even think about graduating.
- With support of my advisors, friends, and a whole lot of spiritual work, graduated with my MSW, got licensed, and started working.
2021- 2024
- Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD in 2021 and now exploring neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD) – becoming more aware of the way mental health and executive function contribute to what I deem as “success.”
- Worked in several settings: outpatient mental health, school support, hospital, nursing home…My body always let me know if I was in the right place. I never was. I started becoming frustrated, feeling like maybe NOTHING would work. I pressed on to continue taking care of myself, not letting myself settle for toxic work environments, low pay, or simply weird vibes.
- I currently work as a high school therapist, and it feels like I’m finally exhaling. I get the time and resources to be able to work on my own goals while being at a place that feels stable enough to help me stay grounded. I get to utilize every skill I’ve practiced so far – behavior analysis, youth enrichment, health and wellness, spirituality – and I LOVE IT HERE. My life looks like High School Therapist/Step Team Coach by day, and Doula/Reiki Master/Zumba® instructor by whatever time I feel. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Future Plans
- Let’s just say five-year old me was on to something. 😉
I don’t know all the details about where I’m going next, but what I’m sure about is that this present moment feels righter than it’s ever felt, and I’m going to let that lead.
Embracing my pace means never compromising my health or wellbeing for the sake of “finishing a goal.” If the goal is meant for me to accomplish, it will get done with ALL of ME intact.
Embracing my pace means allowing myself to be guided by my intuition and live as limitless as I am.
Embracing my pace means to live a life that feels free, I must trust that everything is happening as it needs to. Find the flow, and go with it.
