Community Highlights: Meet Vickey Simmons-Hart of Inclusive Mental Wellness LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vickey Simmons-Hart.

Hi Vickey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Honestly, my journey has been anything but linear. I started in nursing, moved into tech, transitioned to education, and somehow found my way home in mental health. Looking back, every pivot makes sense — each chapter gave me a new way to understand people, systems, and what it means to heal.

In nursing, I learned how to care for people at their most vulnerable. But I also started noticing something deeper: you can stabilize a person’s body and still miss their pain if you don’t address what’s happening in their mind and spirit. That realization stuck with me — I wanted to understand people beyond their symptoms.

That curiosity led me into tech, which might sound like a sharp turn, but it taught me about systems and innovation — how structure and access impact care. I saw how technology could both bridge and widen gaps in human connection. I started realizing I wasn’t just drawn to “helping” people, I was drawn to understanding the whole ecosystem of how people live, learn, and cope.

That’s what pulled me into education. I earned a Master’s in Education and even pursued an Ed.D. with an emphasis in Behavioral Health, studying how behavior, learning, and emotional health intertwine. Working in academic and community settings, I saw the same truth repeat itself: people can’t grow or learn when their internal world is in survival mode. That insight changed everything for me.

I eventually decided to follow that thread all the way to mental health counseling. I earned my Master’s in Counseling, became a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in both Arizona and Minnesota. Since then, I’ve worked in community mental health, private group practices, and integrated care — all of which have taught me that real healing happens when people finally feel seen and safe.

That’s why I created Inclusive Mental Wellness LLC — my private practice centered on trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and affirming care. I specialize in supporting people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and anyone navigating life at the intersections of multiple identities. My work integrates modalities like EMDR, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems, DBT, and CBT, but the heart of my approach is human connection.

I also collaborate with Abundance Counseling Services PLLC, expanding access to inclusive, high-quality care. Outside the therapy room, I create mental health content and resources designed to make healing feel more approachable — less clinical, more human.

If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s that healing isn’t linear — and neither is purpose. Every chapter, from nursing to tech to education to therapy, gave me a new perspective on what it means to help people come home to themselves. Inclusive Mental Wellness is the space where all those experiences come together — science, soul, and story — to remind people that their wholeness isn’t something to find; it’s something to remember.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth road? Not even close — but every bump taught me something about grit, grace, and growth.

There were seasons when my life felt like a nonstop relay race. I’d clock out of my 8-to-4 job, grab my iced coffee, and sprint to the car just to beat rush hour traffic and make it to my internship by 5:00 p.m.. I’d work there until 8:00 at night, then drive home under the glow of streetlights, walking through the door around 9:00 — exhausted but nowhere near done. Dinner still needed to happen. Homework needed checking. Somebody needed something ironed, signed, or solved.

I was a full-time employee, full-time student, wife, mother, and grandmother, raising six kids while trying to chase a dream that sometimes felt just out of reach. And in the process, I missed a lot — sporting events, school performances, random family moments I desperately wanted to be present for. There were times I sat in my car after a long day, wondering if it was worth it — if all the sacrifices would lead anywhere.

The hardest part wasn’t just the exhaustion. It was carrying the weight of wanting more while constantly giving everything I had to everyone else. Learning to keep even a small piece of myself alive in that chaos — that was the real work.

But those years built endurance, empathy, and perspective. They taught me to see the quiet strength in survival, the sacredness of rest, and the power of showing up for yourself even when it’s inconvenient.

So no, it wasn’t a smooth road — it was long nights, missed moments, takeout dinners, and a lot of faith. But that grind shaped who I am and gave me the heart behind Inclusive Mental Wellness — a practice built for people who’ve had to keep going, even when the road was anything but easy.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Inclusive Mental Wellness LLC?
🌱 Let’s talk about Inclusive Mental Wellness — what you should know

Inclusive Mental Wellness isn’t just a therapy practice — it’s a movement. It’s a space where healing, identity, trauma, and liberation converge. Where your whole self — your culture, your gender, your history — isn’t just tolerated, but held, honored, and centered.

Here’s what makes us different, what we offer, and what we’re deeply proud of:

🚀 What we do & specialize in

At Inclusive Mental Wellness, I provide a range of therapeutic and supportive services designed to meet people exactly where they are. Some of the core offerings include:

Trauma Recovery & Nervous System Healing
Whether you’re recovering from a single traumatic incident or navigating years of complex trauma, I use modalities like EMDR, Brainspotting, parts work, and body-based strategies to help regulate the nervous system and re-process stuck pain in a way that feels safe, sustainable, and humane.

Identity & Liberation Work
This is central to what we do. You’ll find space here to explore all the intersections of who you are — race, gender, sexuality, neurodivergence, culture — without needing to code-switch or shrink. We unpack identity wounds and co-create a route toward radical self-trust, authenticity, and freedom.

Individual & Couples/Relationship Therapy
Whether it’s personal overwhelm, feeling stuck, or relational stress, we work together to strengthen coping, shift patterns, build communication, and reconnect with yourself and others. Therapy here is collaborative and trauma-informed — not prescriptive.

Attachment & Inner Child Work
You’ll learn to get curious about parts of you that guard, protect, or shut down under stress. We hold space for those inner parts — your younger selves — and gently bring healing to areas that never got fully seen or soothed.

Support for Burnout, Creatives & Caregivers
For people constantly pouring into others, this space is for you to reclaim energy, unlearn over-functioning, align with values, set boundaries, and recalibrate ambition so it doesn’t cost your soul.

Spiritual / Existential Support, Body Image & Self-Worth
Life isn’t just mental or emotional — sometimes the deeper layers call. We explore meaning, grief, belief systems, body image, internalized shame, and identity wounds in a compassionate, body-neutral framework.

Consultation & Supervision (for clinicians/therapists)
For those in the helping professions, I offer reflective, identity-affirming clinical supervision and peer support — grounded in real talk, growth, and integrity.

🏆 What sets us apart / What we’re known for

This is where the heart of the brand really shines. What distinguishes Inclusive Mental Wellness from other practices:

Trauma-informed and identity-centered
Many practices talk about trauma or cultural competence; here, those are inseparable. The therapeutic lens isn’t just about “healing trauma” — it’s about how who you are (your cultural, sexual, gender, and lived-identity) shapes how trauma shows up and how healing looks. The work always acknowledges systems, power, and liberation.

Relational over clinical
Therapy shouldn’t feel like a checklist. My approach is deeply relational: I meet you where you are, with transparency, curiosity, and respect. We build trust first, and the rest follows.

Flexibility & accessibility
I strive to work across insurance platforms (Headway, Alma, SonderMind) while also offering cash-pay slots. For many, therapy is an investment; I try to make the path clear, transparent, and accessible.

Holistic modalities + lived experience
The work we do isn’t just intellectual — it’s embodied. We integrate body-based techniques, parts work, somatic tools, identity exploration, spiritual and existential layers. And yes — I show up as a real person with experience of struggle, overcommitment, intersectionality, and imperfection.

Centered around communities often left out
My work is especially for those who often don’t see themselves reflected in traditional therapy: Black women, LGBTQIA+ folks, caregivers, creatives, people navigating intersectional identities — folks who might otherwise feel like they’ll have to edit themselves to fit into the therapeutic frame. Here, you don’t have to explain or apologize for who you are.

🌟 What I’m most proud of (brand-wise)

I love that Inclusive Mental Wellness feels authentic, not curated. It is what it says it is — a space built for people who’ve had to keep going when life is messy, hard, and layered.

I take pride in being transparent about cost, modality, and approach, rather than hiding behind clinical jargon. People deserve to know what they’re entering into.

I am proud of the way the practice bridges clinical skill + cultural humility + relational presence. That balance isn’t always easy, but it’s what feels truest to me.

I’m also proud of the ripple effect — clients becoming more empowered in their everyday lives, speaking up in spaces they once felt silenced, finding a sense of belonging, and carrying forward healing into their communities.

🗣️ What I want VoyagePhoenix readers to walk away knowing

Your story matters — all of it. Whatever identities, histories, or wounds you carry aren’t side notes here — they’re chapters in your healing map.

Therapy can feel alive, flexible, and humane, not mechanical or reductive. You get to go at your pace and be seen in your fullness.

You don’t need to wait until you “have it together” to begin. You don’t need to erase scars to sit in the room. You bring your whole self.

If you feel like you’ve already “tried therapy” and it didn’t work — it might just mean you didn’t find the right fit. A trauma-informed, identity-affirming therapist can open doors in ways prior work couldn’t.

Healing is ongoing — it’s not arriving at a final point. It’s navigating, evolving, rediscovering, shedding, rebirthing. Inclusive Mental Wellness is here for all of it, not just the “good days.”

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Honestly, I wouldn’t be here without my people — my foundation.

My family has been my anchor through every single reinvention. When you’ve had as many jobs, degrees, and career pivots as I have, most people would start to question your direction — but mine never did. They showed up for me, believed in me, and were there at every graduation, every pivot, and every “I think I’m changing paths again” moment. They’ve celebrated me through each chapter, not for the titles I earned but for the persistence it took to keep going.

My wife of 13 years, Kristen Hart, has been my rock — loving me through the chaos, the late nights, and the endless to-do lists. She’s been patient when the balance tilted, steady when I wasn’t, and has reminded me time and time again that purpose doesn’t have a deadline.

And then, my incredible kids — Jordan, Kaleb, Kyle, Savannah, Amaris, and Bryleigh. They’re my “why.” They’ve watched me hustle, struggle, and rise. I wanted them to see that growth isn’t neat or easy — that it’s okay to start over, to chase new dreams, and to do it scared if you have to. They’ve motivated me more than they’ll ever realize.

I also have to give flowers to my mentor and forever friend, LaShunda Armstrong, LCSW. She’s the definition of faith and courage in motion — the kind of woman who saw something in me and wasn’t afraid to help me cultivate it. She took a chance on me when I was still finding my footing, and through her mentorship, I’ve learned not only how to be a clinician, but how to be a grounded, ethical, and compassionate one. She’s more than a mentor; she’s a true friend and a lifelong influence.

Every person in my circle — my wife, my kids, my mentor, my extended family — has shaped the clinician, business owner, and human I am today. None of this was a solo act. They’re all part of the story, and this chapter belongs to them just as much as it does to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://inclusivemwaz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivemwaz/

Image Credits
I took all of these images myself.