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WHO
(Is Presenting at Uncommon Retreats?)
We are beyond excited to announce our Presenters for the 2023 Uncommon Retreat!

Uncommon BIPOC
Our very own Founder, Pamela Lomax Tippit! She is a licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S). She holds an M.S. in counseling psychology from Alabama A&M University and a B.A. from the University of Alabama.
Before starting Blissful Mind Behavioral Health in March 2018, she worked for over 20 years serving diverse populations and clients ranging from children to seniors. Her varied experience in the community of mental health, hospital, and school settings has provided her with the perfect foundation for providing comprehensive therapy services in the private practice setting.
She is passionate about serving BIPOC and women clients and helping clients build resilience while becoming emotionally intelligent and strong so that they have the possibility to live the positive and productive lives that we are all destined for. She provides services that help give all clients the tools, encouragement, and information to live in a way that uplifts them in their life journey and helps them find bliss along the way.
WHO
(Is Presenting at Uncommon Retreats?)
We are beyond excited to announce our Presenters for the 2023 Uncommon Retreat!

Maria Mercado
Meet Maria P. Mercado. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabama and Virginia. She is a Certified Gottman Therapist, and EMDR trained. She is currently working on completing the process to become an EMDR Therapist as well. Maria is the owner/founder of Stronger Together Relationship Counseling LLC. Maria has over 25 years of experience in the Mental Health Field. Maria has worked in different settings offering mental health services. She says each has helped her learn things that have helped her grow as a counselor and as a business owner.
In her practice, Maria serves adult individuals and couples addressing relational issues, depression, anxiety, and past trauma/PTSD. She founded Entre2Mundos, which means Between2Worlds, to expand her reach in supporting peers in their growth as clinicians and entrepreneurs. Maria aims to work with clinicians identifying as people of color, immigrants, and minority groups. She wants to bring her experience and learning to assist others that want to or are already navigating the journey of creating a business from a unique perspective.
Maria is passionate about supporting her clients in meeting their goals to create healthier and more satisfying relationships. Maria also has found a passion in helping peers/colleagues who want to create their own business as she has. She knows that building a business is a challenging path. She says the journey can be equally exciting and difficult. Maria views building and maintaining a business as a relational experience. The experience is influenced by how one relates to self, those you serve, those with special meaning to you, and the money you make. These are part of the level of satisfaction you may have with the journey. For those reasons, she believes we can have sustainable businesses if we learn about how we relate to those areas. Having supervised other counselors seeking licensure has allowed he to recognize the need additional training and support for those wanting to build their own practice or other services to offer in the community.
WHO
(Is Presenting at Uncommon Retreats?)

Yunetta Smith
Spring Forth Counseling
Ground Breakers Coaching & Consulting
Meet Yunetta! Yunetta Smith is a thriving Therapreneur (Therapist + Entrepreneur), CEO, and founder of Spring Forth Counseling and Ground Breakers Coaching and Consulting. Yunetta is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, as well as a Nationally Certified Counselor, Clinical Trauma Professional, and EMDR Therapist/Approved Consultant.
She works diligently to spread awareness through various media platforms, including the weekly "Talk it Out Tuesday" segment on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, and self-publishing her self-care workbook, "Take the Struggle out of Self Care". Yunetta is a groundbreaker, a stigma breaker, and a cycle breaker who cultivates spaces for healing, wholeness, compassion, and change.
She hopes that you will EMBRACE taking off your mask EMBODY standing in your truth, and EXPERIENCE loving what you see!
WHO
(Is Presenting at Uncommon Retreats?)

Inspire Counseling, LLC
Therapist_of_the_south
Adrienne McCollum-Smith, LICSW-S, is a psychotherapist and group private practice owner of Inspire Counseling, LLC. Located in the heart of Hoover, Alabama. She is known across social media platforms as "The Therapist of the South."
Adrienne is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing); she is a level one sand tray therapist and a clinical social work supervisor. She completed her bachelor's and master's degree in Social Work from The University of Alabama. (2012;2013).
Adrienne's clients are high-achieving women across Alabama who struggle with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationships, and women's issues. She opened the doors to Inspire Counseling in March of 2019 and grew to six figures in less than two years in the midst of the pandemic Covid-19.
Adrienne has been a guest on several podcasts, panel discussions, and social media collaborations. She is a member of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce. She enjoys working with upcoming MSW students and new graduates and is proud of her relationships with universities across Alabama and Columbia. Adrienne was the first social worker approved to conduct biopsychosocial assessments and mental status exams for the state's disability claims. She hopes to scale her group practice as well as continue her efforts to influence women and their families to prioritize their mental health and reject the stigma in the BIPOC community.
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