It’s Time to Say Goodbye!

Ladies…my time has now come to an end. Unfortunately, this is the last time I will be talking with you and I am so sad. First, I would like to thank God for guiding me through the thick and thin of this practice and never leaving me. If I didn’t have him I would be lost. As an intern, I have gone through so many new experiences and I never would’ve survived them without him. I would also like to thank Dr. Clack for teaching me so much. Dr. Clack has taught me what it means to run a business and working with communities of color.

I learned to always make time for myself. She saw that I was stressed out and gave me reassurance that it was okay to take my time. Dr. Clack has also taught me that even when it gets tough in college, hang in there. Don’t give up. In my whole experience, my takeaway message was to take care of myself.

I believe that without self-care you will not be whole.

While creating these blogs, I thought about you all and even wondered how you were doing in your journey. It’s a shame that three months went by so fast. There were plenty of topics that I wanted to discuss with you but sadly, I can’t. It pains me to say goodbye without even knowing your improvements in life or stories.

You have made me feel so comfortable and safe writing on this platform and I couldn’t thank you enough for that. I hope that these blogs helped you out and made your life a bit easier because it is hard out here. We all go through life and it is not always easy. I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my perspective on art, exercise, and mental health with you all and spending time with you. One of the things that I will miss the most is creating special blogs for you because helping you makes me feel better. I pray for you all and hope that your healing journey will help you evolve. I want you to remember that I am so proud of you and I will miss all of you terribly.

Again, thank you for this experience and God Bless you!

In Your Wellness,

Briana Ricks, BA Intern Stockton University

Angela R. Clack PsyD LPC, Practice CEO, ACS

Dr. Clack’s Response:

A Letter to My Intern Briana,

Three months have truly flown by! I wasn’t sure how I was going to make this internship experience happen for you because due to the pandemic we are all virtual/telehealth. Yet, I was impressed with your tenacity in finding me online to inquire about the possibility of being an intern in my group practice. That shows a lot of initiative, determination, and perseverance to make it happen.  I am very compassionate and committed to the support and education of emerging black mental health professionals because they are too few of us and many more have left the field for various reasons. I am going to be just one of many supervisors who you will have in your career as a counseling student. I just pray that my staff and I have modeled professionalism, compassion for the helping profession, and supportive practice that seeks to meet the needs of the black community.

It did start out slow and sometimes uncertain as we learned how to work within the guidelines, we had…but we did it and we did it well! I found you really found your sweet spot in writing blog stories and I watched as you connected with our audience. I know your stories made them feel seen, heard, and understood.

Now, my young professional, and intelligent Black woman in the helping field, you are on your way. I know you will do well.  Remember your identity, personally and professionally, as you explore your career options in whatever God assigns you to be or do. As you boldly assert, He is your source. 

Take care, and remember your self-care!

Blessings, Dr. Clack