Hey Hey! My name is Kortnie.
I am a licensed professional counselor and 3rd year Counseling Education and Supervision PhD student. My therapist journey began unexpectedly after closing the chapter on a lifelong dream of becoming a pediatric dentist. What initially felt like an unsettling shift turned into a pathway to making people smile by supporting them in various chapters of their lives, a journey that has brought me immense purpose and joy. Since then I have had the privilege to work in various settings with individuals across the lifespan. My experience includes supporting adolescents and their families with eating disorders, in-home counseling, outpatient substance use, school-based and community mental health, private practice, and university counseling. My passion for counseling and supervision comes from a desire to create safe spaces for BIPOC women to feel connected, heard, seen, and empowered.
I started Beneath the Surface while in my master's program out of the necessity for the visibility of black women in the counseling space and to destigmatize mental health for the BIPOC community. However, since 2019 my vision has evolved. I have since shifted my focus to intentionally service the mental health and wellness needs of young, millennial, professional, high-achieving, high-performing BIPOC women who appear to be seamlessly navigating life and figuring themselves out. These individuals are affectionately identified as strong, ambitious, hard-working, and the one who seems to balance it all while never breaking a sweat.
My vision of Beneath the Surface has been inspired by my experience as a self-proclaimed ambitious boss babe. I recognize the toll that has had on my mental health and relationships, and by the growing statistics of black women embodying leadership positions and pursuing their goals—my goal is to meet a much-needed demand. Beneath the Surface is exactly what it sounds like a safe space to be vulnerable and embrace those less visible parts to live a more balanced life with authenticity.
LET’S UNCOVER, HEAL, AND THRIVE TOGETHER!
Our Logo
In full transparency, lemons are fun, and their bright yellow color captures the eye! While that alone feels like a good enough reason for me, I had to reflect on the deeper meaning of Beneath the Surface. Like black women and other women of color, many fruits have resilient, tough exteriors that protect them from their environment. This makes them adaptable and often unique. But once the skin is removed, something beautiful and unique lies beneath. What is seen as weakness and vulnerability is an opportunity to unlock full potential. So why this and not a dragon fruit or something? Great question, Lemons, being natural cleansers, disinfectants, and purifiers, symbolize the idea of cleansing ourselves of old mental health narratives and embracing new ones to enhance our quality of life and well-being.
