Meet Shavonne James | Therapy Group Practice Owner & Licensed Clinical Therapist

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

Hi Shavonne, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’d like to think that I’m a calculated risk-taker. I definitely know what I want, most of the time, and I’m not very impulsive so I can play the long game as long as it’s moving me in the direction of the desired outcome. I understand that sometimes there are things that look like setbacks but, because they may be benefiting the end goal, I’m willing to make those sacrifices. I think I’ve always been a pretty tenacious person and I tend to see obstacles as opportunities to challenge myself. Early in my career, I left a job to take a lower-paying job because I wanted to learn specific skills rather than stay in the comfort of what I knew and I don’t like when uncertainty or fear creates stagnation. I also believed that they would see that I was worth more than what they were offering (and I didn’t realize you could negotiate salary, haha). Within a few months I made more than I was making at the previous job and, in the end, I made more than double that previous salary. Risk, to me, is necessary for growth. I’m always looking for new ways to improve – personally and professionally – not because I think that I’m not good enough but because it’s exciting to see what more I can do. Of course, like most things in life, it’s not a linear progression but I feel like I can deal with the repercussions of calculated risks that I took rather than the risks that I didn’t take.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started Paper Cranes Counseling because I really wanted to connect with people that I felt my skills, as a clinician, resonated with and the bonus being able to employ a diverse team of women because minority mental health is a passion of mine. As we grow, I want us to continue to reflect racial and cultural diversity in the mental health sector because there is still some stigma in a lot of communities of color about seeking mental help. I think what makes Paper Cranes Counseling special is that even though it is a business, the focus is more on work culture and the client-therapist connection rather than getting as many clients as possible. I am a big advocate for work-life balance and I really try to encourage my team to check in with themselves and acknowledge their needs. A big part of our work can be emotionally laborious as we hold space for people, notice patterns, remember important dates, acknowledge shifts in the room, toe the line between gently affirming and holding people accountable, etc. We are humans caring for other humans and we have to make sure that we take care of ourselves so that we can continue to do good work. Looking ahead, I’m excited about creating more ways to give back and empower historically oppressed groups through our work and in collaboration with community organizations. If any local organizations want to collaborate, feel free to reach out and we’ll see how we can help or support.

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.
An ideal BFF date, for me, would start off with brunch somewhere on 2nd Street in Long Beach (probably Saint & Second). Then we’d probably check out the shops and pick up some dog goodies from The Dog Bakery. For more open air and sunshine, I’d love for us to ride our beach cruisers, or do some roller skating, down in Laguna. Honestly I could spend the whole rest of the day at the beach (Treasure Island specifically) – reading, relaxing, listening to music. A week-long visit would have more of that same go-with-the-flow energy. Maybe we’d have high tea and head to The Huntington Library or Descanso Gardens. We could grab boba and then hike at Abalone Cove or go looking for vinyls and end the night at a concert. My post-concert tradition is to get donuts and California Donuts has been my go-to spot after leaving my favorite venues like the Wiltern, Shrine Auditorium, Troubadour, Greek Theatre, Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood Bowl, etc. If our social batteries still had juice, then we may spend time, the next day, at a themed pop-up experience, dine-in theater, escape room, or some outdoor space with vendors and entertainment like Black on the Block and local night markets. Other than that, I’m a bit of a homebody and game nights are my speciality so we’d probably just invite people over for dinner and games. I’m kind of known for my love of murder mystery dinners so they’d probably get roped into that, haha.

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?
There are so many people, books, podcasts, Youtube channels, etc. that deserve a shout out because I feel they have greatly contributed to my growth as a human and a business owner but I couldn’t possibly name them all. For this shoutout, I’m going to dedicate it to my family – my supportive husband and our vibrant children, my quirky parents, and my loving (and hilarious) siblings. I learn so much from them all and they are a big motivation for my betterment. I do also want to shout out Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ book, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. I reference that book often and it’s so heavily highlighted because there was something in me that shifted after reading it. I felt like it spoke a language that I forgot I knew and I was fully nourished by the reminder.

Website: https://www.papercranescounseling.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/papercranescounseling

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/papercranescounseling

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/papercranescounseling

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@papercranescounseling

Image Credits
Blossom Blue Studios