Today, we’re talking to Ashley McGirt, MSW, Licensed Mental Health Therapist and founder of Ashley McGirt Counseling Services. Ashley is an accomplished speaker, author, hospice therapist, and entrepreneur running her own private therapy practice. Ashley specializes in helping individuals through racial trauma, grief and loss, and navigating anxiety and depression. In her practice, she uses a holistic and interactive- multicultural approach that focuses on the needs of people of color. Her interest in mental health began when she began going to therapy, but struggled to find a therapist of color she could relate to and wanted to offer the kind of help to others she wanted to receive.   She is also an avid traveler and wrote the book I Tried to Travel It Away: Mental Health Tips for Travelers to help folks create lives they don’t need a vacation from. We are so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and knowledge with the Balanced Black Girl community.   In this episode, we talk about… How women of color can prioritize their mental health when facing racial and gender inequalities How physical health ailments that often impact women of color can be avoided by prioritizing mental health Ways we can destigmatize mental health How women of color can release feelings of needing to be everything to everyone Mental health tips for travelers RESOURCES: Ashley’s Website: https://www.ashleymcgirt.com/ Ashley’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithash/ Ashley’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McGirtCounselingServices/ Ashley’s Book “I Tried to Travel It Away”: https://www.ashleymcgirt.com/new-products/i-tried-to-travel-it-away-mental-health-tips-for-travelers Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom: https://amzn.to/2Kd3L1H Letters to a Young Sister by Hill Harper: https://amzn.to/2S2oY0X