Margaret Banks

My communication style

To work with me is to be in a judge-free zone where you will be able to tell your story the way you see fit. I believe if clients do not have a rapport with their therapist, they will not be able to make the progress they are hoping to make.

My journey to mental healthcare

This profession is personal for me because growing up, I never saw many people who looked like me who were therapists. Additionally, I wanted to erase the mental health stigma in the African American community and bring awareness that just because a person seeks therapy does not mean they are crazy.

My goals for you

I believe the therapist and client are to collaborate to set goals based on the goals the client wants to work on. I believe goals should be prioritized. Sometimes clients present with a host of issues, but what I have discovered is that when the main issue is solved, oftentimes other issues will be solved or at least symptoms minimized.

Our first session

Clients can expect a lot of open-ended questions so I can get to know who they are and what brings them to therapy. I would be collecting clients' history and assessing for symptoms, duration, and severity to obtain a diagnosis for insurance purposes.

I identify as...

• Female
• Black or African American
• Christian