About Kevnesha Boyd, LPC
I am the Founder and Clinical Director of Quality Counseling, where I wear many hats, including being a Licensed Professional Counselor, Cannabis Consultant, and Registered Yoga Teacher. My primary focus is on helping adults who are grappling with generational trauma, racial trauma, systemic racism, and chronic stress. To aid trauma survivors in finding balance and healing, I employ holistic wellness practices like meditation, cannabis, and yoga. My vision for Quality Counseling revolves around reducing mental health disparities within the Black community, effectively shifting from intergenerational trauma to intergenerational healing.
My roots trace back to Connecticut, where I was born and raised in the inner city of New Haven, amidst circumstances that exposed me to family members grappling with incarceration and poverty. My unwavering dedication to helping others heal from trauma is deeply rooted in my personal experiences with childhood adversities and generational trauma.
I’ve amassed over 15 years of invaluable work experience in the mental health field, having worked in diverse settings. My educational journey includes earning an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Eastern CT State University, followed by a graduate degree in Community & Forensic Psychology from the University of New Haven.
My journey as a Cannabis Consultant began through my experiences navigating the medical marijuana program as a patient.
In this role, I extend cannabis education to consumers and wellness professionals to enhance therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing misuse and overdose. My overarching goal is to advocate for the destigmatization, decriminalization, and decolonization of cannabis as a legitimate medicine.
One of my core values is social justice, and I actively engage in advocacy through various channels. I fully recognize the critical importance of advocating for the dismantling of oppressive systems that disproportionately affect the Black community. My targeted advocacy efforts primarily focus on the criminal justice system and cannabis prohibition.
Yoga, for me, is a mental practice that leverages the body as a tool for processing and healing traumatic stress that lodges itself in the body, causing imbalances. Through yoga, I facilitate the release of resentment, anger, fear, judgment, and tension that no longer serve us. This process helps restore balance, peace, and acceptance, ultimately assisting individuals in fulfilling their deepest aspirations.
As a first-generation entrepreneur, I’ve discovered power, love, and support in building communities with other professional organizations and affiliations. These affiliations provide valuable resources and networking opportunities. Entrepreneurship has given me the platform to create an agency with the potential for significant social impact.
I am associated with various organizations dedicated to important causes, including Stop Solitary CT, Minorities for Medical Marijuana, NAACP, EMDRIA International Association, The Black Business Alliance, and The Collaboration of Minority Women Professionals.
Awards and Recognition
Cannabis & Advocacy
In my role as a Certified Cannabis Consultant, my primary objective is to provide clients with comprehensive cannabis education, aiming to optimize its therapeutic potential. Beyond education, our practice extends cannabis consultations, which encompass referrals and financial assistance for obtaining a medical marijuana certification.
It’s essential to underline that all cannabis use is regarded as medicinal, serving as a means of coping with various conditions. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is particularly debilitating, often severely limiting one’s ability to navigate daily life. Although PTSD qualifies individuals for medical marijuana certification, it’s worth noting that accessibility and affordability remain significant barriers, especially for people of color.
I am deeply committed to the cause of social justice, a core value that shapes my work. I wholeheartedly appreciate the significance of advocating for the dismantling of oppressive systems that disproportionately affect the Black community. My formative experiences of growing up, studying, and working in oppressed communities have fueled my determination to bring about legislative changes that can effectively combat systemic racism. I channel my focused advocacy efforts into areas such as reforming the criminal justice system and championing equitable cannabis legislation.
Black Community
Being a first-generation entrepreneur, I draw strength, love, and support from the process of building a community with fellow professionals and organizations. I’m actively engaged with several professional affiliations, including Minorities for Medical Marijuana, EMDRIA International Association, The Black Business Alliance, and The Collaboration of Minority Women Professionals.
These affiliations play a vital role in enhancing networking opportunities and resource accessibility. Entrepreneurship, in particular, affords the unique opportunity to establish an agency capable of making a significant social impact.
Quality Counseling is an agency dedicated to reducing the mental health disparities among Connecticut’s Black residents. My vision extends to ensuring that every Black individual in Connecticut seeking a Black therapist can access one.
Furthermore, I am deeply committed to fostering an environment within the Quality Counseling Team where Black mental health professionals can thrive. This entails valuing employee wellness, supporting professional development, and providing work autonomy.
