Meet Yanada G. Essex, LCSW-BACS, ACSW
Founder/Clinical Social Worker/ Wholeness Ambassador 

Hello, my name is Yanada. I consider myself not only a skilled and compassionate Social Worker, but also a Wholeness Ambassador. According to Google, an ambassador is a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity. I embraced my purpose to help people become whole. With 29 years in the social service field, I have devoted my life and career to equipping people with skills to improve the quality of their lives. I meet people during the toughest times of their lives, but I also get the opportunity to see the strength and resilience of people who refuse to give up. This partnership yields a vicarious reward and sense of fulfillment when healing and wholeness take place. 

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MY PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

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In the Fall of 1994, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Liberal Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly the University of Southwestern Louisiana). I majored in Psychology and minored in Business Management. Continuing my education at Southern University at New Orleans School of Social Work, I earned a Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree in 1998; my concentrations were Mental Health and Direct Services. After becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Louisiana in September of 2002, I established Brighter Days, Inc. two months later.  I obtained two vital social work credentials, Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) in 2006 and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor (BACS) in 2009. Recently, I became a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Massachusetts in 2022. Through the years, I have worked in the following social service fields: Substance abuse, Health Care, Case Management, and Mental Health, in both Outpatient and Inpatient treatment settings. 

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My areas of focus include, but are not limited to:

· Anxiety

· Depression

· Family Issues

· Grief/Loss

· Self-Esteem

· Spirituality/Christian Counseling

· Trauma

· Women’s Issues

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