I am Valencia Gantt-Banks, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Supervisor in the State of Florida. I was born and raised Jacksonville, Florida. I earned my bachelor’s degree at Florida A&M University (1998) where I majored in psychology. I then earned my master’s degree in mental health counseling at Nova Southeastern University (2003). I have been providing mental health services for the past seventeen years and love what I do. I also provide mental health supervision for future mental health counselors in the State of Florida.
I chose to become a mental health therapist/supervisor after realizing the need for more therapists of color. Throughout my training and clinical experiences, I focused on ways to help those I worked with develop a deeper sense of self-love, compassion, and awareness ultimately facilitating a healing process. Together, we will work closely to analyze what struggles you are facing and their underlying causes and try to change the behaviors and thought patterns that are keeping you from being the person you want to be. I believe that everyone who feels misunderstood, silenced, erased, or marginalized in our society deserves respect and the resources they need to thrive.
Therapy is a relationship that needs to be cherished between the therapist and the client. It is a vulnerable space that needs to be safe, comfortable, and motivating for the client to be able to share their inner, personal stories, and ways to overcome obstacles, struggles, and stressors. I provide Solution-Focused Therapy, utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies, and client-centered therapies to allow clients to express themselves and identify solutions to problems using their own strengths and skills. So, Let’s Talk.
Additional areas of focus: Abandonment, Body image, Codependency, Communication problems, Control issues, Dependent Personality, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family Problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Impulsivity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Midlife crisis, Military and Veterans Issues, Mood disorders , Multicultural Concerns, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic stress, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-love, Women's issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Focused Therapy
FL LMHC MH9907