Influential Woman · Addiction counseling
Bernita Harrell
Drug and Alcohol Counselor, Survivor, Entrepreneur
Asbury Park, NJ
Her Story
About Bernita
Bernita Harrell is a Drug and Alcohol Counselor based in Asbury Park, New Jersey. She has worked in the field of addiction since 1998, accumulating over 20 years of experience across various settings including administrative roles, detox, residential treatment, and collaboration with agencies such as federal parole and Alcoholics Anonymous. Her expertise encompasses substance abuse counseling, mental health, and broader community services. Harrell passed both the oral and written boards for the New Jersey Drug and Alcohol Counselors board on her first attempt. She is currently a non-traditional college student pursuing an associate's degree in addiction studies, which she plans to finish in December 2027, followed by a bachelor's degree in social work at Rutgers University. In addition to her counseling work, she founded her own brand, Building a Better Bridge, to support young girls navigating mental health, substance use, and social media challenges. She is a member of the grassroots women's group Willing Women Communicating since 2019. Harrell attributes her success to a personal awakening that instilled a don't-stop mentality, and she emphasizes integrity and treating individuals as unique in her professional approach.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Bernita
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have to honestly say it's attributed to God. I was sleeping for so long and I was in a dark place for so long. One day I woke up. I realized that the sky's the limit. I'm not defined by my past, and that I can have and be and do anything that I set my mind to. I have that don't stop, keep going mentality, even at my age in college.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't stop. Whatever you do, don't stop. Keep moving.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The beautiful thing about my industry is you get the opportunity to see people as people. No cookie-cutter approach to this. Everyone is an individual unto themselves. We should treat them as such.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in this particular field right now is that we are inundated with the opioid epidemic. It's almost like we're shooting in the dark. It's the worst drug to treat that I've ever seen in my profession in all these years. This field is broad. It's a wide field. You don't have to stay as a drug and alcohol counselor. You can become a licensed professional counselor. You can own your own company. It's a rewarding one at the same time because we get to change lives.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity. I think that word sums up a lot, even for my life. There's no way that I can be in my role without first looking at myself. Integrity is the word.
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