A psychotherapist works to help those who are suffering with stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, negative behavior patterns, debilitating feelings, and various other mental conditions. It can be a challenging profession. But psychotherapist Margena Carter relishes in her role of helping others.
Carter is a licensed marriage and family therapist, social worker, as well as a professional life coach based in Los Angeles. Through her company, Carter Care Therapeutic Services, she specializes in personal growth, relationship, and career counseling.
“Throughout my career I’ve worked in private practice, psychiatric hospitals, intensive in-patients and outpatient divisions. My skills and abilities widely range from managing clinical services departments to conducting corporate training. As a therapist, counselor, medical social worker and life coach, I have facilitated individual and group therapy sessions, provided case management, client de-escalation and many other therapeutic techniques using an array of principals and approaches,” explains Carter, who holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University of Los Angeles.
She continued, “I have had the opportunity to treat adults and children experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Many were co-occurring with emotional and physical disabilities, addictions, terminal diseases and other disorders.”
Carter knew for a long time she wanted to work in therapy. “I’ve been a therapist all my life! I was a peer mediator in Middle School and a Junior Counselor in High school. Where I would help to de-escalate issues amongst students,” she recalls. ”Also, growing up with both an aunt and uncle that suffered from schizophrenia. I would sit by the door and listen to my aunt respond to her voices and was fascinated! I wanted to know who she was talking to.”
Although she has worked in other realms, Carter decided to focus on marriage and relationships. “Family and relationship are the bulk of where mental health and mental illness starts. It starts in the home so if I can focus on bettering families then I can help to prevent abuse. Then there is one less adult abuse survivor repeating the cycle. And abusing others the way they were abused,” she explains.
According to Carter, many more people, especially in the Black community, are paying attention to their mental health and wellness.
“Absolutely, mental health is so important and with all the extreme gun violence and suicide happening, people want to make sure their doing what’s best to be their best. With celebrity influence they continue to shine a light on mental illness and decrease the stigma associated with a mental health diagnosis,” she notes.
Carter says she truly loves her job. “I love healing and educating. This is the best part about what I do. Having clients change their lives and being able to live the life they never thought was possible, is very rewarding,” she says.
