Hi, I'm Akilah—Your Story Matters Here
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for Women in PA, NJ, DC
I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in generational growth therapy for women from complex families.
I believe your wants, needs, hopes, and dreams matter—not just in theory, but in practice. If you've spent your life being told (or shown) that you come last, our work together is about changing that story.
Let me tell you a bit about who I am and why this work matters to me.
A Little About Me
I grew up in a family that immigrated to America from Trinidad and Tobago, which meant I was raised navigating two cultures—Trinidadian and American. That experience taught me early on how deeply society and culture shape families, and how families shape the roles their daughters are expected to play.
I've been practicing therapy since 2015, with over 4,000 supervised clinical hours—which means I didn't just get my license and start practicing. I spent years being mentored, observed, and guided by experienced therapists as I developed my skills. I'm licensed to provide therapy in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.—and I work exclusively with women from complex families because I understand the unique pressures women face.
My education:
Master of Family Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University (2015-2017)
Master of Education in Human Sexuality, Widener University (2017-2019)
That second degree isn't random.
Understanding how cultural, familial, and societal messages shape your relationship with your body, your worth, and your sense of self is crucial for this work. So much of what women are taught about their value is tied to their bodies, their desirability, and their role as women. This training helps me support you in reclaiming autonomy over your choices and your sense of self—which is exactly what women from complex families need.
What Drives My Practice
I chose to specialize in women from complex families because I kept seeing the same pattern: capable, compassionate women who could extend endless grace to others but had none for themselves. Women who knew intellectually they mattered but couldn't feel it. Women carrying burdens that were never theirs to carry.
Here's what I've learned over years of doing this work: The families that shape us don't exist in isolation. They're influenced by larger systems—economic pressures, cultural expectations, gender roles that were never questioned. And when those pressures hit families, daughters are often the ones expected to absorb the impact.
You weren't chosen for the caregiver role by accident. You were trained for it—through the toys you were given, the praise you received for being "helpful," the messages about what makes a "good daughter" or a "good woman." And that training runs deep.
My work is about helping you see what was always true but never acknowledged: you matter.
Not because of what you do for others, but because you exist. That's it. That's the whole reason.
And if no one in your family could see that or show you that, it doesn't mean it isn't true. It just means they were limited by their own unhealed wounds and the patterns they inherited.
You deserve someone in your corner who sees your worth clearly—until you can see it yourself.
Women's Empowerment as Therapeutic Foundation
Throughout history, women have been conditioned to measure their worth by how well they serve others—their families, their partners, their communities. This isn't just a family pattern. It's a societal pattern that has shaped how women relate to themselves for generations.
I specialize in working with women because I believe women matter—not after they serve, not when they meet someone else's preferences, but simply as they are.
My practice is grounded in women's empowerment and self-actualization. Our work together is about you discovering your own paths to value and fulfillment—paths that don't require you to shrink, sacrifice, or perform to be worthy.
I'm a Black woman who grew up navigating two cultures (Trinidadian and American), so I deeply understand the layered pressures women of color face. But I work with women from all backgrounds who are healing from complex family systems and reclaiming their lives.
If you're a woman who has been told—implicitly or explicitly—that your needs don't matter, this work is for you.
The Framework That Guides Our Work
I use generational growth therapy—an integration of evidence-based approaches I've chosen specifically because they address what women from complex families struggle with most: understanding family patterns, healing relationship wounds, and developing authentic self-love.
Here are the key approaches that inform my work:
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This helps you see your family as a system where everyone has interconnected roles. You'll understand why you became the caregiver, what maintains the patterns even when people say they want change, and why stepping out of your role feels so uncomfortable.
Why this matters: You stop asking "What's wrong with me?" and start asking "What happened in this system, and how can I respond differently?"
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This explores how your early relationships with caregivers shaped your sense of safety, worth, and how you show up in romantic relationships today. Many of my clients notice that family patterns show up in their dating life—people-pleasing, difficulty trusting, fear of abandonment, or feeling responsible for a partner's emotions.
Why this matters: Understanding your attachment style helps you see why relationships feel the way they do and gives you a roadmap for showing up differently—both for yourself and with partners. This is the theory clients ask me about most.
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ACT helps you identify what truly matters to you and take action aligned with those values—even when uncomfortable feelings like guilt show up. It's not about getting rid of guilt; it's about not letting guilt control your choices.
Why this matters: You learn to set boundaries, prioritize yourself, and make decisions based on YOUR values—not just what keeps everyone else comfortable.
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This approach helps you separate yourself from limiting stories you've been told about who you are ("I'm selfish if I prioritize myself" or "My worth comes from what I do for others"). You get to challenge those stories and author new ones.
Why this matters: You realize you're not your family's story of you. You get to decide who you are.
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Virginia Satir, often called "the mother of family therapy," focused on how family communication patterns shape self-worth and self-esteem. Her work helps you understand how the way your family communicated (or didn't) taught you what you deserved.
Why this matters: You learn to communicate your needs, navigate family dynamics differently, and build the self-worth that was never modeled for you.
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bell hooks described herself as "a writer, a feminist thinker, and a cultural critic." Her work on love, self-recovery, and how systems of oppression shape our capacity for self-love has deeply influenced how I approach this work with women.
Her writing validates what many of my clients experience: that learning to love yourself when you come from a complex family isn't just personal work—it's also about understanding how larger systems taught you that you don't matter. Many of my clients light up when we discuss her books because she names truths they've always felt but couldn't articulate.
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All of these approaches focus on understanding patterns, building self-compassion, strengthening self-worth, and making conscious choices about who you want to be. They're not about fixing you—you're not broken. They're about giving you the tools and framework your family never had to give.
My Style & Commitment to You
My approach: I'm direct, warm, and empowering. I won't sugarcoat things, but I'll hold space for your pain with genuine compassion. I believe in giving you practical tools, not just insight—because understanding your patterns is only half the work. The other half is changing them.
In sessions: I'll ask questions that challenge old beliefs. I'll celebrate your growth. I'll sit with you through grief and confusion. And I'll consistently remind you that you matter—until you believe it yourself.
My commitment to you: To provide a space where you can finally be the one being understood, not the one doing all the understanding. To help you turn toward yourself with the same care you've always given others. To walk alongside you as you break generational patterns and learn what authentic self-love actually feels like.
My philosophy: We didn't choose our families or the trauma that entered our lives. I see therapy as a way to continue your story with ownership—with the skills and tools to thrive, not just survive.
You've been everyone's person for so long. In our work together, you get to be your own.
Education & Experience
Credentials:
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
Master of Family Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University (2015-2017)
Master of Education in Human Sexuality, Widener University (2017-2019)
Specialized training in family systems, ACT, narrative therapy, attachment theory, and the Satir model
Member, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Experience:
I've been practicing therapy since 2015 with over 4,000 supervised clinical hours. For the past several years, I've specialized exclusively in working with women from complex families. This focus allows me to deeply understand the unique challenges you face and provide specialized support that generic therapy often misses.
Why I specialized in human sexuality:
Understanding sexuality and how cultural, familial, and societal messages shape our relationship with our bodies and desires is crucial for women. So much of what you were taught about your worth was tied to your body, your desirability, and your role as a woman. This training helps me support you in reclaiming autonomy over your body, your choices, and your sense of self.
Let's Connect
If what you've read here resonates—if you feel like I understand your experience and might be the right therapist to guide your generational growth journey—I'd love to talk.
🔴 Only 12 spots remaining for new clients
In our consultation, we'll discuss:
Your specific struggles and what you want to change
Whether generational growth therapy is right for you
What working together would look like and what you can expect
Available: Tuesdays–Thursdays, 1–8 PM | Where: Online (PA, NJ, DC)
Licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
You deserve to do well by yourself. Let's make that possible.