Our Story
GROWURPOTENTIAL was envisioned by Meisha Thrasher to become a healing justice organization that transforms mental health for marginalized folx. When invited to co-create this vision Dena Schwimmer and David Royal Brown both said yes. We have evolved into more than the vision and our investment is a legacy we are all proud of. While Dena has transitioned away from daily operations, this agency could not exist without her dedication and support.
GROWURPOTENTIAL launched our Clinical Training programs in 2016. We launched our Youth Resilience Program and our Resilient Teacher programs in 2017 and have maintained a partnership with Inglewood School District since then. We are honored to be considered valuable partners to a host of organizations and individuals that trust our mission.
While our community programs continue to expand we call on the community at large to invest in our approaches to destigmatizing mental health care.
We are a nonprofit counseling center, clinical training site, and collaborative community partner committed to nurturing restorative-minded clinical care and community resources for emotional development and wellness.
Our Mission
To expand access to culturally competent mental health care for marginalized communities across the state of California, through education, training, advocacy, and creative expression.
Our Vision
We are navigating an unprecedented crisis of emotional despair: chronic depression, suicidality, overdose, and growing homelessness. Without a doubt, much of this unrest is the result of untreated mental illness, trauma, and addiction.
This crisis does not discriminate, and does disproportionately impact peoples of color and LGBT community. We trust that positive exposure to culturally flexible care removes associations of shame or disgrace from mental health care.
We deliver individual, couple, and family therapy. We also provide a unique set of programs and groups to marginalized communities that support mental health. Our services have always been available in person and online, and since COVID precautions began, we have resolved to move all services online. All services provided by this agency are rendered by therapists in our Clinical Training Program.
Our Values
Values are a compass. They point us in the direction of our longing to be accepted, connected, and appreciated.
We value positive self-regard. The human that is open, focused, and a successful collaborator is capable of thriving on purpose. When our decision-making, behaviors, priorities, or capacity is lacking we deserve supportive partnerships to heal.
We value communities of intentional members who are Healing Justice Advocates. These communities create interactions that nurture trust and fortify the capacity to heal systemic oppression, environmental injuries, and trauma. These communities bestow equity by investing in the capacity of marginalized humans, curing disadvantage with resources, healing inequities with support, and curing imbalanced power through collaboration.
We value open hearts that move at the speed of trust, that listen deeply in support of mutual benefit. These brave leaders model empathy and nurture safer relating experiences that heal the nervous systems of neighbors and peers.
We Value boundaries because Healing Justice is a space created by intention to satisfy a mutual need. Boundaries are the walls that structure this space, so we negotiate mutual benefits from an open, restorative, heart space.
We value self-care because the sea of Healing Justice members must stay resilient to keep pace and contribute to expansion. Actions that demonstrate timely, honest, and respectful communication require energy so compassion must be nurtured on purpose and affirmed by the community.