Transformative Therapy For BIPOC And LGBTQ+ Communities – Exclusive Interview With Shemya Vaughn
Dr. Shemya Vaughn is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri, and Licensed Clinical Counselor in California with a doctorate in rehabilitation counselor education from Michigan State University. She has taught at three community colleges and four universities. Her book, Transgender Youth, was published in 2016 and she also co-authored a book, Trauma-Informed Care in 2021. She currently operates an online private practice providing therapy for anxiety, depression, and trauma to individuals in the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.
Shemya Vaughn, Therapist
Introduce yourself.
My name is Shemya Vaughn and I started my career as a university professor teaching graduate level counseling courses, now I have transitioned into providing teletherapy to people of color and people in the LGBTQ+ community who experience anxiety, depression, and/or they have survived traumatic experiences. I am a licensed therapist in California and Missouri. I also am a certified rehab counseling and certified sex professional. I presently reside in Paris, France and enjoy experiencing a new cultural environment while rediscovering other parts of myself that I have ignored due to being a single parent and pursuing a career as a faculty member.
Could you provide an overview of Shemya Therapy's services and philosophy?
When I graduated my master’s degree program in 2004, there were not a lot of affirming therapists of color in the LGBTQ+ community and I became an ally and supporter to provide services to include the gay and trans community. I also noticed that very few people of color were able to find a therapist who was also person of color and I wanted to make sure folks could see someone who understood what it meant to live in a country where your race was not viewed as an asset.
How does Shemya Therapy differentiate itself from other therapy services?
My therapy practice actively aims to decolonize therapy for people in marginalized populations who continue to experience oppression and live with the negative consequences forced upon them by capitalism, White supremacy, and the patriarchy.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
It breaks my heart that insurance companies require individuals who pay monthly premiums to have a psychological disorder diagnosis to receive mental health treatment. A lot of mental health crisis can be avoided if someone receives preventative emotional support. The one thing I would change about my industry is the lack of access for people without severe mental illness. Everyone deserves to benefit from counseling services, not just people with a diagnosis. Receiving services early in an emotional crisis may prevent a more serious mental health crisis from developing.
