Shon D. Smith

Our work in mental health is not neutral. We either reinforce systems or challenge them. Choose intentionally. #MentalHealth #Counseling #Leadership

March 31 – Legacy & Leadership | #WomensHistoryMonth As the month draws to a close, we honor the women who have shaped mental health through theory, practice, and advocacy. Their legacy continues through us. How will you carry this work forward? #WomenInMentalHealth #Leadership #Equity #Counseling

Trauma & Healing | #WomensHistoryMonthHonoring Judith Herman, Marsha Linehan & Brené Brown. Their work reminds us: healing is possible, but must be accessible, inclusive, and compassionate. What does healing-centered care look like in your setting? #TraumaInformedCare #MentalHealth #Healing #Equity

Culture, Gender & Identity | Women’s History Month During #WomensHistoryMonth, we honor Karen Horney, Charlotte Bühler, Insoo Kim Berg, Marsha Linehan, Sue Johnson, Jean Baker Miller, Laura S. Brown, Judith Herman, Joy DeGruy, and Beverly Daniel Tatum. Their work reminds us that identity, culture, power, relationships, and lived experience shape mental health. How do you center identity and context in your work? #WomenInMentalHealth #Equity #Counseling

During Women’s History Month, we honor Virginia Satir, whose work transformed family therapy by centering communication, connection, and self-worth within relational systems. We also recognize Betty Carter, a co-founder of the Women’s Project in Family Therapy who integrated feminist perspectives into systems work; Monica McGoldrick, whose contributions to multicultural family therapy and genograms reshaped clinical practice; Nancy Boyd-Franklin, who advanced a multisystems, culturally grounded approach to working with Black families and communities; and Julie Gottman, whose work continues to influence couples therapy, trauma-informed care, and diverse family systems. Together, their work reminds us that healing does not happen in isolation. Family systems are shaped by culture, identity, community, and lived experience. How inclusive is your definition of “family” in your practice? #WomensHistoryMonth #FamilyTherapy #MentalHealth #Inclusion #MulticulturalCounseling #Leadership

Race, Identity & Mental Health | Women’s History Month During Women’s History Month, we honor Mamie Phipps Clark, whose groundbreaking research revealed the psychological impact of racism on children. We also recognize contemporary leaders such as Cirecie A. West-Olatunji, Patricia Arredondo, Thelma Daley, Beverly O'Bryant, and Marcheta Evans, whose work continues to advance multicultural counseling, social justice, and equity in mental health. Together, their contributions remind us that mental health does not exist outside of social context, identity, and lived experience. From the legacy of segregation to present-day disparities, their work challenges us to engage in culturally responsive, justice-centered care.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I am reflecting on the women whose advocacy helped shape the mental health field. Dorothea Dix’s work challenged injustice and called for more humane treatment of individuals living with mental illness. Her legacy reminds us that mental health advocacy is both historical and ongoing. #WomensHistoryMonth #MentalHealth #Advocacy #Leadership #Counseling

Firefighters run into burning buildings. EMTs hold lives in their hands. Officers face trauma daily. We train them for everything, except how to carry it all. First responders deserve mental health support as standard as their gear. Full stop. #FirstResponders #MentalHealth #BreakTheStigma

Counseling is not just service, it’s systems change. Lead boldly. Advocate consistently. Shift what isn’t working. #MentalHealth #Counseling #Leadership #Advocacy

Growth in life requires more than knowledge; it requires reflection, collaboration, and the courage to evolve. Let’s keep pushing the work forward. #Leadership #MentalHealth #Advocacy #MentalWellness

Counselors sit at the intersection of mental health, policy, equity, and access. That role requires more than service; it requires intentional advocacy and leadership. #MentalHealth #Leadership #Advocacy #Equity

Election Day: March 3, 2026 🗳️ Your vote is your voice—show up for your community. #ElectionDay #Vote #CivicEngagement

Counseling programs are professional programs. If DOED caps federal grad loans at $20,500/yr, counseling students may be pushed into private loans or out of the pipeline. WE need all counselors, educators, clinical supervisors, students, clients, and allies to add your public comment today. 🔗 regulations.gov/commenton/ED-2… 🔗 ACA Take Action: counseling.org/advocacy/take-… #Counseling #MentalHealth #StudentLoans #Advocacy

Sustainable leadership is a form of care: boundaries, clear roles, realistic timelines, and strong systems. What helps you stay effective long-term?

Leadership is more than a title, it’s presence, consistency, and care. Mental health work is leadership work. #MentalHealth #Counseling #Leadership #Advocacy

Counselors, educators, and advocates help people navigate trauma, transition, grief, and growth—and that impact reaches families, schools, workplaces, and communities. Stay grounded in humanity, ethics, equity, respect, compassion, and courageous action. Resources: 988 Lifeline | NAMI | MHA | NIMH #MentalHealth #Counseling #Leadership #Advocacy

Gave a talk at North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA) Annual Conference 2026 on Counseling Ethics: Navigating Professional Practice with Integrity. Thanks for the great turnout! #NCCA2026 #NCCAConference #NCCAAnnualConference #NCCAFuture - via #Whova event app

Honoring Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. (1941–2026)—civil rights leader, organizer, and conscience of the nation. From Operation PUSH and Rainbow/PUSH to coalition-building that reshaped presidential politics (1984/1988), his legacy endures. He stood at history’s crossroads: March on Washington (1963), Memphis (1968), and Chicago (2008). May we honor him by continuing the work. #JesseJackson #BlackHistoryMonth #AmericanHistory #CivilRights #Advocacy

Housing stability is mental health prevention. Unaffordable rent, forced moves, overcrowding, eviction risk = chronic stress + reduced access to care. “Stable housing is a critical component of recovery.” #MentalHealth #HousingJustice #SDOH #HealthEquity #AmericanHistory