A deadline taught me that "I can do it" and "this deserves my time" are two completely different statements. Once time became limited, I got very clear about what actually mattered.
Aset Griffith, MHC-LP, MSE · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Aset
Aset Griffith, MHC-LP, MSE, is a Brooklyn-based mental health counselor, educator, coach, and advocate dedicated to helping individuals navigate trauma, identity, emotional wellness, and life transitions. She currently practices with Next Level Mental Health Counseling and formerly Growth and Transitions Counseling, where she supports individuals and couples through culturally grounded, nonjudgmental care. Her work emphasizes trauma-informed approaches, identity exploration, resilience, and creating safe spaces where clients can reconnect with their strengths and develop healthier patterns. Before transitioning into mental health counseling, Aset built more than a decade of experience in education, special education, youth development, and learning support. She has served as a learning strategist and SETSS provider, supporting students through individualized academic, behavioral, emotional, and social development. Her background also includes coaching, teaching, professional development, lesson planning, IEP writing, teacher and student observations, community outreach, and DEIB-focused initiatives. This multidisciplinary experience allows her to bring an educational and culturally responsive perspective to her counseling practice. Aset holds a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from St. Bonaventure University, where she earned a 3.97 GPA and participated in Chi Sigma Iota, the American Counseling Association, and the Association for Multicultural Counseling Development. She also holds a Master of Education in Special Education and Teaching from Long Island University and has earned an Embodied Social Justice Certificate. Beyond clinical work, she is passionate about parent and caregiver support, recently developing a virtual Parent Support Village for families across New York State. Through counseling, education, coaching, and community-building, Aset is committed to advancing inclusive environments and helping people feel supported, understood, and empowered.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Aset
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my strong desire to learn, the support of my parents, friends, and partner who continually encourage and push me to succeed, and my genuine passion for helping others. I consider myself an academic at heart, with a deep love for learning, continuous growth, and sharing my knowledge to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never too late if you're not fulfilled somewhere. If I need to leave somewhere, then go. If I need to start a new career, because this is my second career, technically, then go do that. Making sure that you have the work-life balance, all those things. So it's literally never too late if you're not feeling fulfilled.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Trust your voice and don’t feel pressured to become a carbon copy of the people who came before you. Education and training give you a foundation, but your lived experiences, perspective, cultural awareness, and ability to genuinely connect with people are also part of what makes you effective. Stay curious, remain teachable, and develop strong boundaries early. You can care deeply about the people you serve without sacrificing yourself in the process. Most importantly, remember that being compassionate doesn’t require making yourself small. There is room in this field for women who are confident, direct, culturally grounded, and willing to challenge the status quo.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in mental health is how demanding the path to full licensure can be. Pre-licensed clinicians are completing thousands of required hours while navigating lower pay, high emotional demands, limited autonomy, supervision requirements, and costly licensing fees and exams. We talk about needing more mental health professionals, but the system can make it unnecessarily difficult to become one. There’s a real opportunity to create a more sustainable and equitable path into the profession.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are creativity, self-expression, compassion, and staying connected to the things that bring me joy. I absolutely adore dogs and have always been a big dog lover. I also value artistic expression through dancing, painting, and drawing, and I am making an effort to reconnect with those creative passions. I enjoy exploring personal interests such as collecting crystals and oracle cards, which allow me to embrace curiosity, reflection, and creativity in my personal life.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.