Meet Shauntis Bussey | Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

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

Hi Shauntis, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?

I think it’s important for people to know that not everyone is ready for therapy. The purposes of going to therapy are (a) to heal, and (b) to change. These things only happen with real commitments of time, energy and follow through. Most importantly, effective therapy requires trust.

Pressuring or manipulating yourself or someone else into therapy does not work. Focusing on ‘fixing’ someone else does not work. Showing up to sessions just to talk without a commitment to action does not work. Insight alone does not yield results.

It’s helpful to think of a therapist as a specialist. You are the expert in your life, and the therapist is an expert in their respective areas of training and clinical practice. When you partner together, you can build a life of joy and liberation. Conversely, if you’ve been working in therapy on a weekly or biweekly basis for 6-9 months without seeing much progress, it’s time for your therapist to (compassionately) call out the pattern of stagnation.

What should our readers know about your business?

I am most excited about being a Black biracial, lesbian, solution-focused therapist in California who runs her own clinical practice AND accepts insurance. It reminds me of the running line by Ashley Nicole Black in ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ when she says “What I always wanted was to find a Black lady therapist in-network, but I guess I dream too big.”

Being authentic and accessible are essential to the foundation of my work. Which is why I consider Therapeutic Rebel a concierge mental health service. The services are tailored to the client’s needs at a rate, pace and time that work for them. And I love being able to see my clients apply solutions that actually work and build their path toward joy and freedom.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

My love language is food. I live in the north coastal region of San Diego, so I have a few spots where I like frequent. Here is a taste:

Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar – New Orleans eats
The Switchboard – Historic and Hawaiian inspired
Felix BBQ with Soul – Cajun, Southern, Comfort
Gonzo – Japanese, Ramen
Miller’s Table – Curated dining experience paired with international wines
MOPA Lounge – European cafe and wine bar

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

There were some books I read (or re-read) and podcasts I listened to this year and they have really stayed with me because of their powerful messaging and stories. They were:

Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Burnout by Emily Nagoski, Amelia Nagoski
We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
Navigating Narcissism (Podcast) with Dr. Ramani

Website: www.therapeuticrebel.com

Instagram: @therapeuticrebel