Meet Dr. Lesle Davis | Psychotherapist, Relationship Expert, Family and Divorce Mediator, Healing Agent of Broken Hearts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Lesle Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Lesle, how does your business help the community?
As part of my dissertation I developed a free psycho-educational resource, a podcast called SHE Matters, which aims to empower Black single moms in America to develop healthy attachments. WHY? Because Black single moms matter and they deserve to experience unconditional love that is often denied to them. As time went on, I decided to expand the audience to include all single moms around the world. Single moms often report feeling invisible, unloved, and unwanted, and it is not uncommon for us to believe we are alone in our experiences. In 2023, I launched SHE Matters as a brand that aims to bring awareness to the mental health struggles of single moms including depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety, that often arise from unhealthy relationship dynamics. As a professed single mom who has navigated my way through toxic relationships, I choose to use my voice to empower other single moms not just in my community but around the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an award winning Psychotherapist who focuses on assisting others with developing healthy relationships. In 2023 I was honored as the Top Mental Health Counselor of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals. This year I am proud to share that I am honored by IAOTP as the Empowered Woman of the Year and Top 50 Fearless Leader. I absolutely love what I do, not for the recognition, but to know that my service impacts the individual in front of me and for generations to come. I also enjoy speaking in intimate and large settings about mental health issues concerning single moms, women, teens, and Black maternal health.

So what sets me apart? I’m a tiny woman with a big heart, a fighter, and I never give up on myself. I am a Christian Black woman of excellence who holds a PhD in Counseling and Psychological Studies. With this degree I am part of the 2% of Americans who hold the highest educational degree and 4% of psychotherapists who identify as Black. I give all credit to Jesus Christ for giving me the grace to finish my educational journey and my mother for setting the example of being a Black woman of excellence.

As a single mom to an amazing heart warrior son, my journey to becoming Dr. D was not easy. While earning both my Masters and Doctoral degree, my son endured several open heart surgeries and hospitalizations, and I was right by his side while either attending class or writing papers. One of my proudest moments was celebrating the completion of my PhD studies the same year my son earned his high school diploma. Over the years I have learned the importance of balance, especially as a single mom to a child with special needs. What also sets me apart is I am never one to sugarcoat the truth. I wear my heart on my sleeve and use my experiences and knowledge to empower others to make better choices for themselves, especially when it comes to love.

If I could share one thing with the world, I would encourage everyone to recognize the power they have inside of them to positively impact the world. We all have a story that needs to be shared because you never know how your story will change someone else’s life. What we endure is not about us…it’s about getting through the pain in order to empower others in their journey to healing. That’s the basis of my brand SHE Matters. I boldly share my story of enduring toxic relationships as a Black single mom in America, including intimate partner violence, because I believe in the power of sharing my never sugarcoated truth to impact single moms around the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Everyone who knows me, knows that Dr. D loves her coffee. I love visiting local coffee shops that set the vibe for intimate conversations. If my friend is brave enough, I’d take them to a 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu academy to experience my personal form of therapy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I truly have been impacted by every person that I have met and I thank them all for the lessons learned and shared with me, especially my 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu community. Thinking of my jiu jitsu community, I want to honor the other half of Team Tiny, the lovely Ms. Vanessa Sims, and my main coach, Mr. Orlando Miner. Their support on and off the jiu jitsu mats means more than they will ever know.

Website: https://www.therealdrleslie.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlesliedavis/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlesliedavis/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@drlesliedavis?si=BPnQvmWBztuu4ens

Other: SHE Matters merch
https://shopshematters.com/

Join Cadre
https://joincadre.com/drleslie

Image Credits
Sherah Renee Photography and Nguyen Photography