Meet Nessa Eugene | Speech-Language Pathologist, Business Owner & Lifestyle Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nessa Eugene and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nessa, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I approach my personal life in the same way I approach my professional life-holistically. I truly believe that everything is connected and at the end of the day I am not in the money-making business: I am in the human business. Making sure that you bring your full self, your humanity, to your work is so necessary. This is why authenticity, creativity, and compassion are central to all my relationships: professional or otherwise.

Honesty and transparency are at the core of authenticity for me. I approach my clients like I approach any responsibility-with sincerity and intention. My goal is to craft a comfortable and collaborative space so that my families ask questions, share comments, and are generally immersed in the process. Children thrive when the parents are active participants in the learning process. Active participation from all stakeholders is the most effective way to make creativity possible. When there are multiple “practitioners” in the room/ in a variety of settings, we can maximize a child’s ability to communicate. I love incorporating a lot of play into treatment, so that the child is motivated, excited, and encouraged to participate during therapy sessions. It’s important to me that the lessons are memorable, so that the kids can carry the lessons outside of the treatment session.

Weaving my personal values into my professional life has allowed deeper, long-lasting connections with the people around me. Over the years, it has been my priority to develop and practice these values within myself, so that I can simply help others.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

When your parents are immigrants you are raised to see America, your environment, and your life very much in the same way they did when they arrived-bright eyed and fearless. As a child of Haitian-born parents, resilience, creativity, and optimism were almost a birthright: one of the few possessions they had left to their name almost forty years ago. My childhood was filled with hope and perseverance as I struggled to craft my DIY identity with the spare parts I found laying around in the home my parents built. I found a passion in self-expression, especially through communication. I fell in love with the power they had to shape realities and give meaning to those born with a different language. As a speech-language pathologist, I am, in a way, counseling my inner-child as much as I am my clients on how to find their voice.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Although I have lived in California for over six years, I still consider myself a visitor in some ways. So if my friend came to visit, I would approach their trip similarly to the way I would plan my own day- full of adventure, exploration and relaxation! The diversity in California, whether culturally, socially, or geographically, makes filling out a daily planner super easy.

First stop is definitely my home away from home-the beach! If it’s the weekend, we might stop at the farmer’s market in Claremont to get some fresh fruit, locally sourced vegetables, some organic snacks and some locally grown flowers. I love to cook, so we would have food for our picnic basket before wrapping ourselves in the blue-blanket skyline of the Pacific coast. On any other particular day, movement would be essential. We might catch the sunset in the rustic mini-canyons in Glendale or get lost in Palos Verdes along the Portuguese Bend trail. In addition to the natural scenery, we would have to check-out the SoCal social scene! I might craft a couple of cocktails and catch a day party at a rooftop with must-see DJs or check out the SoCal nightlife to see what good trouble we could get into. With that being said, a California trip wouldn’t be complete without some rest & relaxation. I enjoy taking care of my body, so as a host, it’s only right for me to take my honored guest to get a facial/massage, or hit a workout at my yoga or pilates studio, or maybe we might just hangout by the park with some blankets, speakers, and enjoy the evening.

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?
Shouting out to God is always important to me, not just because He keeps my spirit grounded in something bigger than my ego, but also because it’s a way for me to express gratitude for all the angels He consistently sends my way. Some of these angels I’ve known my whole life like my family, who have blessed me with so much love, support and joy. Some I’ve met in the city of angels! My friends and loved ones close to my heart are my family. If I had a shout-out for all the times we chose each other, there wouldn’t be enough space in this magazine!

Website: https://www.letsblossomspeech.com

Instagram: @letsblossomspeechtherapy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nessa-eugene-m-s-ccc-slp-b806a3b6/