Latonya Stephens is an inspirational Speaker, Poet, Marriage & Family Therapist and Life Coach. She is a “Super Creative” and enjoys swimming, dancing, nature walks, adventures and live concerts.
I am a native of Detroit, Michigan and love my Southern roots, by way of Georgia. I fell in love with poetry and storytelling in the third grade. I had a teacher named Ms. Jackson who taught Swahili and would share stories about African American culture. But, little did I know, she was shaping me to appreciate what my parents exposed me to and my love for Africa.
As a child, my parents would take me and my siblings to their hometown to visit our grandparents. This is where I saw and heard various love and family stories, especially from my aunts and grandparents. Their stories seemed so unreal.
In my late teens, entering undergrad, Ms. Vanessa (from church) would share even more stories that intrigued me. One day, she suggested that I consider becoming a counselor, (the term therapist or coach was not popular back then... I'm dating myself). Well, I decided to major in Psychology for undergrad. Later, I pursued Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy in graduate school. I guess I enjoyed psychology a bit, because I ended with a PhD in International Psychology.
Needless to say, I have heard many stories to date and as a result, learned many lessons. Here is a lesson from baseball caps...
I typically enjoy wearing baseball caps to help protect my eyes from the sun and to compliment my attire for the day. When I choose not to wear a cap, I am aware that my head is vulnerable to the sun rays and elements of the earth. For me, emotions are similar. Oftentimes, we cover our hearts and mind to avoid possible wounds, exposure and vulnerability. But, if we do not allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we can miss out on experiencing unconditional love, joy and other positive emotions.
Uncapped Inspiration is a compilation of evolving creative expressions and global experiences, where I have not only allowed myself to
be vulnerable with you, but shine light on areas that are not often discussed.
Thank you for experiencing this journey with me. I hope this is a safe space where you feel inspired to experience uncapped emotions.
If you would like to briefly share an experience or story, click here.