Latresa White

I started my career working for the Department of Public Health doing WIC services for almost 20 years, where I saw a lot of families and women going through personal issues. As I would give them their services, they would have questions or personal problems, and I would always ask how they were doing. It was interesting because everybody just wanted to talk about something, and I was there as an opening ear. To this day, people still ask where I am when they see me around the community - I've seen people have babies, and now their babies are having babies. It started with wanting to help others, understanding that even just a simple hello could change somebody's day. I have a bachelor's in criminal justice because I originally wanted to be a detective, but I decided I needed to do something different, so I went into mental health and earned my master's in clinical mental health. Since then, I've worked in private sectors, schools with children of all ages from 8 to geriatrics, and I've worked with veterans. Currently, I work remotely doing disability assessments for veterans to help raise their ratings for their disabilities, and I also do therapy on the side with another company. I don't have a private business and don't plan on doing that anytime soon - as long as I can help others, I'm fine. My main expertise is helping people in crisis, particularly those who are suicidal, talking them down off the edge. I worked in a prison for 2 years working with people who wanted to commit suicide, and I've helped many people out of situations like that by just giving them an open ear and letting them talk instead of telling them what they have to do. With veterans especially, they've already gone through trauma, so why make things harder for them? I'm just here to help people the best way I can.