Miya Mays
Miya Mays is a dedicated Clinical Mental Health Professional and Senior Housing Case Manager with over a decade of experience supporting individuals and families through Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, and behavioral health programs. She is master’s-prepared and working toward clinical licensure, specializing in Trauma-Informed Care, Applied Behavior Analysis, motivational interviewing, and a wide range of wrap-around services. Miya is recognized for her ability to stabilize housing, reduce systemic barriers, and improve client independence through evidence-based interventions, collaborating closely with landlords, healthcare providers, school systems, and corporate partners to achieve measurable outcomes in housing stability and quality of life.
In addition to her clinical work, Miya channels her creativity and passion for community engagement through Mic Drop DMV Compilation LLC., where she serves as a Creative Consultant. In this role, she creates, edits, and performs written content including articles, poetry, and short stories, while organizing and executing community events in the DMV area. Her work bridges psychology and storytelling, making mental health, resilience, and human behavior accessible and actionable for diverse audiences.
Miya’s academic journey reflects her commitment to social justice and human development. She earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trinity Washington University, focusing on issues like intimate partner violence, trauma, recidivism, and homelessness, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia State University. Her professional and creative pursuits converge around a core mission: empowering individuals and communities to thrive through informed, compassionate, and innovative approaches to mental health and human services.
• Peer Recovery
• Basic Life Support
• Understanding Trauma and Loss in Addiction Treatment
• Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Education
• Hippa 101
• HMIS Family Programs
• Trinity Washington University- M.A.
• Virginia State University- B.S.
• The Betterment of Brother and Sisters Organization Inc.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my passion for helping families navigate difficult transitions and my dedication to providing the support, resources, and guidance they need to achieve stability and self-sufficiency. Seeing the positive impact one person can make inspires me to continue growing in the mental health and social services field.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is that true leadership isn’t about titles, but about showing up for others, leading by example, and demonstrating perseverance and faith — lessons I learned from mentors in organizations like the Betterment of Brothers and Sisters.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to stay persistent, focus on your own growth, and prioritize self-care, because helping others requires both patience and emotional resilience.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities in my field right now is navigating the shift from locally funded programs to federally supported housing initiatives, which expands the reach and impact of services while requiring careful balancing of professional growth, licensure goals, and personal responsibilities.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are faith, focus, and resilience. I believe that every challenge—personal or professional—is an opportunity to grow and staying grounded and persistent allows me to turn obstacles into lessons.