If you're a BIPOC Christian woman struggling with chronic illness, medical trauma, or a crisis of faith—and you're exhausted from being dismissed, gaslit, or told to just pray harder—you're in the right place. Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling provides trauma-informed therapy that honors both your physical pain and your spiritual journey. Here, your whole truth is welcome.

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Shakira's Story: Why She Understand Your Journey

Cheerful Heart Mental Health Counseling PLLC was born out of our founder's personal journey with severe stage 4 endometriosis, adenomyosis, and medical trauma. For years, she navigated dismissive doctors, debilitating pain, and the isolating experience of having her suffering minimized or ignored. Even with extensive clinical training, it took time for her to recognize how deeply these experiences had impacted her own mental health and relationship with God.

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Through this journey, Shakira realized how often women's stories of pain and resilience (especially Black women's stories) go unheard in traditional care systems. She saw firsthand how the medical system fails women who are already marginalized, how churches sometimes offer spiritual platitudes instead of real support, and how few spaces exist where women can bring their whole selves.

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Founding Cheerful Heart became Shakira's way of creating the space she needed but couldn't find; a place where clients feel truly seen, validated, and empowered to find joy in the midst of suffering. This practice was built on the belief that healing thrives in community, compassion, and collaboration, and that every woman deserves a safe space to reclaim her strength and joy.

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Shakira takes pride in clinical supervision and is dedicated to training and nurturing  counselors who are passionate about working with BIPOC Christian women who are experiencing a crisis of faith due to chronic pain and medical trauma.

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Our Expertise: Clinical Training That Backs Up Our Commitment

We are a practice of Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) led of Shakira who is a LMHC  with Diagnostic Privilege (LMHC-D) with over a decade of experience helping women navigate the complex intersection of mental and physical health. Shakira's clinical training includes:

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• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for trauma processing

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain and illness

• Motivational Interviewing (MI) for collaborative goal-setting

• Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD and anxiety

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Shakira trains her clinicians to also use evidence-based approaches in their work while honoring the reality that healing isn't one-size-fits-all. Our work integrates clinical expertise with cultural competence, faith sensitivity, and a deep understanding of what it means to live in a body that feels like it's betraying you.

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A Voice for Women Who've Been Silenced

Shakira's lived experience combined with clinical expertise has made her a sought-after voice in the field of medical trauma and women's health. She's shared her story and insights on national and community platforms, including:

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• Endometriosis Foundation of America's Patient Day 2024 – where Shakira spoke about the emotional toll of endometriosis and the importance of trauma-informed support

• Endo Black, Inc. –Shakira was featured as an Endo Sister of the Month and panelist discussing the unique experiences of Black women living with endometriosis

• Brave Providers – contributing to a network of clinicians committed to equity and compassionate, trauma-informed care

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Through these platforms, Shakira continue to champion an integrative approach to mental health that bridges personal narrative with professional expertise, creating pathways of hope for women navigating complex medical and emotional challenges. Shakira's clinicians who work under her supervision also have lived experience with women's health issues and identify as Christians as well.

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Our Mission: More Than Just a Counseling Practice

At Cheerful Heart, we blend professional expertise with heartfelt advocacy to create more than just a counseling practice—this is a sanctuary for growth, healing, and transformation. Whether you're processing medical trauma, navigating a faith crisis, or simply need someone who understands what it's like to be dismissed and gaslit by systems that were supposed to help you, we're here.

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You deserve therapy that validates your experience, honors your faith, and addresses the whole you, not just your symptoms. You deserve a space where "I'm tired" doesn't require justification, where doubt and anger at God are met with compassion, and where your pain is never minimized.

That's what Cheerful Heart offers. That's the sanctuary we're building for women like you.

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Ready to begin your healing journey? Visit our Services page and Schedule your free consultation today.