Meet DR. Vanessa Persaud

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I believe that everyone's story and experience is unique. My goal is to allow you to openly share your stressors, gain awareness, and assist you in building the confidence to find the solutions to your struggles. I will work with you to explore your thought process and emotional patterns by using a series of techniques from various approaches. I will, also, create a secure atmosphere where you will feel appreciated and will obtain the highest quality of care while working towards achieving emotional independence. 

• Substance Abuse
• Multicultural Issues 
• Trauma
• Grief
• Bereavement related issues (including for minority cultures such as the Indo-Guyanese descent and East Indian background)
• Christian (faith-based) Counseling 
• Counselors-in-Training stressors related to the field 

While working in the psychiatric unit and outpatient settings, she has observed and worked alongside many counselors who struggle to understand and accept the norms associated with minority ethnicities like the Indo-Guyanese culture. This usually leads to clients of this ethnic background leaving counseling services prematurely. For this reason, Vanessa has expanded her counseling services specifically for minority cultures such as the Indo-Guyanese and East Indian populations dealing with death, bereavement, adjustment issues, and other life struggles related to these cultural norms but may feel misunderstood by clinicians who do not identify with these cultures in the counseling field. 

Vanessa Persaud is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. She also has her certification in alcohol and substance abuse counseling, trauma counseling, and grief counseling. She is a multicultural counselor who seeks to enjoy creating positive relationships for individuals struggling with life stressors, adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, grief, eating disorders, and trauma. Vanessa aids individuals struggling with burnout, self-care, and wellness-related issues. She also assists adults in dealing with addictive behaviors by teaching them how to avoid triggers and prevent relapse.

Additionally, Vanessa has worked very closely with counselors-in-training and has experience in coaching and providing supervision and support to counseling students. She aids counseling students and permit holders in minimizing their anxiety about working in the counseling field, decreasing fear and uncertainty, minimize stress over preparing for the NCMHCE and NCE exam and increase awareness in self-care within a counselor-in-training's personal and professional life.

As a clinician, Vanessa's goal is to support her clients in reaching sobriety and reaching their full potential while under her care. She works primarily with adults (18 years and older) helping them cope with stressful events in their lives. In therapy, she will work with clients to explore their thought processes and emotional patterns by using a series of techniques from various approaches. This can include cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and/or motivational interviewing approaches. Vanessa will create a safeatmosphere where clients will feel cared for and will obtain the highest quality of care. This includes being respectful, sincere, and compassionate in each client's struggles to achieve emotional independence.

St. John's University, Queens, NY

M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2015

Capella University, Minnesota, MN

Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision Candidate, Expected graduation date, 2021

St. John's University

Molloy College 

• Grief and bereavement issues among counselors and counselor educators 
• When grieving clients of Indo-Guyanese descent seek counseling: Recommendations for counselors in the clinical setting
• Between avoidance & problem-solving: Resilience, efficacy and social support-seeking

English