- 10 min read

Alisha Mecene | Emotional Wellness in 2023

31 Mag Ladies let me introduce you to an outstanding Becoming Proverbs 31 Woman! Please meet Alisha Mecane! Alisha is a mother, wife, and entrepreneur, she has the whole gambit under her belt, and she manages to look amazing while doing it. Allow her to tell you a little about herself in this special interview we did with her.

Alisha, Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a lover of avocados, who relishes getting lost in a new city and a firm Thai Massage. As a wife and a girl-mom of twin two-year-olds, you can often find me with my cell phone in hand, proudly capturing candid moments of their childhood. I’m the type of Mama Bear who takes pictures of everything, in part, because I love photography as a form of visual artistic journaling. Family is everything to me, literally everything. At the end of the day, I’m replaceable anywhere but at home. It's a symbiotic relationship, I need them and they need me, and it's an honor to be loved so deeply by them.

a family poses with babies in garden — Family

When I have downtime I enjoy being outdoors in nature, listening to stimulating podcasts and audiobooks, journaling, and connecting with friends. I crave movement, whether in the form of dancing, running, walking, or stretching. I'm a lover of the arts. In fact, as a child, I wanted to be a Broadway performer and I still catch a live play whenever possible. Faith is a significant aspect of who I am, informing my grace-based approach to viewing and loving people. Since High School, I've been intrigued by how the lines of psychology, spirituality, science, and philosophy intersect. Being a Psychotherapist is a monumental aspect of who I am because it's not solely a job or professional career to me, it's a calling.

At the end of the day, I’m replaceable anywhere but at home. It's a symbiotic relationship, I need them and they need me, and it's an honor to be loved so deeply by them.

How did you get into Psychotherapy?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been immensely drawn to connecting with people, beyond small talk and pleasantries. Something about the art and science of conversation allured me like no other career pathway. In High School, I completed an internship at The Center Against Abuse and fell in love with the notion of being fully present, attentive to, and supportive of a person’s journey. I saw their therapist in action, responding to an active crisis and my eyes lit up. Seeing women leave with hope, confidence, and reassurance created a curiosity about how to facilitate such transformative experiences, grounded in evidence-based practice. I was immediately hooked!

Within months I moved overseas until I completed both undergraduate and graduate school degrees focused on Counseling Psychology. I threw myself into every internship and volunteer opportunity I could acquire to gain the experience and exposure necessary, to cultivate my craft and become effective with clients. By the time I completed my studies, my resume contained experience within schools, psychiatric clinics, nonprofit organizations, universities, community centers, and in-patient addiction treatment centers. Having provided individual therapy from children to adults, group therapy from children to adults, psychological evaluations, treatment planning, diagnosis, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. I assisted with the University of Massachusetts's Psychopharmacological research efforts. And was selected from among my peers at Assumption University, for a Graduate Fellow position, earning the exclusive privilege of conducting research alongside my professors. My passion for psychological research was sparked! To this day, I often read the latest research for sheer indulgence and interest. All of these life-changing experiences served as confirmation that Psychotherapy was indeed what I was created to do.

Please share your journey to launching your Emotional Wellness business.

Emotional Wellness Boutique was courageously dreamed up by women in Bermuda. Over the years women approached me, inquiring if I was available for Psychotherapy sessions within a private practice capacity. At the time I was serving as a Counseling Team Leader at a nonprofit organization, which kept me quite busy. So I didn’t see how I could accommodate this. However, in April and May of 2022, something shifted in the atmosphere. There was a surge of women, almost weekly asking me for the same thing. A safe space to land. Session times that would best fit into their active and robust lifestyles. Flexibility to have a session within the comfort of their home, while working late on the job, or truly any space where they could talk confidentially.

Then In May 2022, a divine encounter took place. I bumped into a mother and her daughter at the park. We talked for almost an hour about the challenges her daughter was experiencing, and how zealously this mother struggled to find the right therapeutic match for her within the community. I shared some initial thoughts and we ended up creating an individualized therapeutic approach that would match her unique needs. She became my first client. And within two weeks, Emotional Wellness Boutique had been launched, offering Psychotherapy to both local and international clients.

Can you share what mindsets you have had to overcome on your journey from launch until now?

Your self-talk can create a mindset of victory or victimhood. Fear, insecurity, and uncertainty can easily overshadow the vision that is placed inside of you. And those thoughts and feelings are natural and common when you’re starting something new and unpredictable. It’s the protective and cautious aspect of your brain that wants to keep life safe and predictable.

Starting off, I found it helpful to give those doubting thoughts the opportunity to step onto the floor and make their case. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we call this examining your thoughts for evidence that backs them up. As I journaled those unhelpful thoughts and limiting beliefs that could block my mission. I quickly noticed that they all had one thing in common. There was no evidence to substantiate that it was true. It was all based on fear, not facts, and certainly not faith. With this awareness, I didn’t remain neutral for very long, because I was standing on what I knew to be true: The need is significant, women and adolescent girls are ready, God was in agreement, and I had the capacity to provide support. So there was truly nothing to fear.

The need is significant, women and adolescent girls are ready, God was in agreement, and I had the capacity to provide support. So there was truly nothing to fear.

Can you share with us how you balance all of your commitments while being a wife and mother?

Boundaries allow you to align your time with your mission and priorities. I’m very clear that my family comes first. My personal well-being comes first, in part, because I cannot promote a lifestyle of emotional wellness with my clients, and I don’t prioritize it myself. The way I've structured my practice was very strategic, allowing allows me to be fully present with my husband and twin girls, while still being accessible to my clients during working hours. Each day I use my agenda to help strategize what’s most important for that given day, to reduce overwhelm and maintain organization. It’s essential for women to book their needs into their schedules, as there will always be competing interests for our time, focus, and energy.

My husband and I book both spontaneous and planned monthly dates, to keep the spark alive and enjoy child-free time together. I take lunch breaks almost daily, which serve as a daily mini-wellness retreat where I plan a nourishing self-care routine. I say no to assignments when necessary and say yes to help when needed. Going to bed early, allows me to wake up early feeling refreshed and energized for our girl's morning routine. I utilize radical self-compassion and use microbreaks to improve my productivity. I also assess which tasks on my plate can be outsourced or completed more efficiently, to open time for the things I truly value.

How has your faith been Challenged or Strengthened in your journey from starting all of your entrepreneurial ventures to the present success of those businesses?

Within entrepreneurship, there are often no set working hours. Therefore, the time I would usually spend in worship can easily be encroached upon, as your business is a living organism that requires attention. I find this to be the biggest challenge. Now, I utilize offline time periods to make time for worship. I also use my wellness lunch breaks to include time for prayer, scripture, worship music, and meeting God in nature.

It has strengthened my faith because I trusted God’s voice and led with no sense of how successful the Emotional Wellness Boutique would actually become. Every new client, workshop request, consultation, newspaper request, and media speaking engagement is a confirmation of God’s faithfulness and providence. When I started in May 2022, I frankly never imagined all of this. It’s quite humbling and awe-inspiring when you witness firsthand what God can do with your yes!

What Values, Declarations, and Scriptures got you through your seasons of launch until now?

I valued just one. Just one client, just one life, just one transformation. If Emotional Wellness Boutique was brought into the earth, to provide a safe therapeutic space for just one, then our purpose would have been fulfilled. Because my Father values just one soul. My Father would seek out to rescue, just one.

Romans 8:28 – All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.

Habukkah 2:2 – And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Can you share any advice with entrepreneurs, career women, and busy mothers/wives about the importance of emotional wellness? We often talk about wellness to boost performance and to keep juggling the mounting responsibilities on your plate. But whether you’re a full-time mother or you’re employed outside of the home. Wellness is your birthright! You are deserving of well-being for your benefit alone. Not just because of how it will give you a productive edge in fulfilling your various roles. Listen to your body, mind, and spirit. You will likely notice that these aspects of who you are don’t flow in harmony when we chronically live outside of wellness. Our bodies can develop dysfunction, our minds can become tumultuous and our spirits can become disconnected. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would easily agree that wellness is essential. However, we may not know how and where to prioritize it in our everyday lives. And to be fair, there’s research that confirms that women are overwhelmed with most of the household responsibilities; but most women didn’t need a study to confirm this! There’s legitimacy to why women struggle with finding time to prioritize emotional wellness. It’s not them, it’s the load. A documentary named Fair Play helped bring this to light and shows women that they're not alone in the pursuit of balance. Yet, this pursuit is crucial, as chronic stress can put both our physical and mental health at risk. Increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, digestive problem, headaches, muscle tension, muscle pain, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep problems, weight gain, and memory and concentration impairment. Our minds and bodies and fully integrated, with our brains, nervous system, and organs all being influenced and impacted by the way we live our lives. What tips can you share on being a busy Proverbs 31 Woman in business and staying encouraged in the journey while having Work | a Life Balance? I'd say, my goal isn't to be busy, it's to be effective and purposeful. Be mindful of perfectionists and unrealistic expectations, "musts", or "should" that cause added self-imposed strain on your day. Track back to your self-talk before you become overwhelmed, to tune into the ways your inner narrative may be driving your frustrations. Pause to recharge and offer yourself the gift of refreshing before and when you reach burnout. Become mindful of your triggers to burnout and signs that you may be heading in that direction. Rest is your fuel. Go to bed early or take the day off, if you can. Don't hesitate to disconnect from tv and social media when you need a break from the noise. When you’re overwhelmed, breathe. Relax your shoulders, stretch, and talk to yourself gently and with kindness. When you lose motivation, come back to why this is important to you, your family, your community, and the generations behind you. The loss of motivation and feeling discouraged can also be a sign of depression, so talk with a confidential Psychotherapist such as myself. Journaling can provide m a helpful reference point, allowing you to write down the vision, track your progress, and safely land your thoughts. We all need tangible reminders. Celebrating your small wins and rewarding yourself along the way can aid motivation. Sometimes you may feel unseen and your contributions unappreciated. Please know that I see you, my Sister. But most importantly God sees you. 2 Chronicles 16:9 reminds us "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." Rather than waiting to be acknowledged, my Sister, treat yourself with the care that you've been waiting to receive. What services from you can we look for in helping with emotional wellness for the year? Emotional Wellness Boutique provides a non-judgmental, down-to-earth approach to help you shift, heal and thrive. Therapy is for everyone! Whether you’re hoping to reduce symptoms of anxiety, experiencing infertility, pregnancy, or postpartum mental health strain and exhaustion. Or perhaps you're interested in learning more about yourself or increasing your overall well-being and performance. There is space for you here!

We're currently offering telehealth (online) sessions for women and girls 13-18 years old, and in-person ecotherapy sessions for girls ages 5-18 years old. We also facilitate dynamic online and in-person mental health workshops and training for corporate settings, churches, and other community partners. Also, we're training and positioning ourselves to begin facilitating therapist-curated, mind-body stretch and relaxation classes and workshops as well. Because mental health complaints and trauma can also show up as muscle tension, stiffness, numbness, and disconnection from one's body.

Looking to enhance your wellness? Join our Moving Towards Emotional Wellness women's walking club geared around boosting vitality and health within our mind and body. Our wellness tribe first met on Saturday, February 25th, with our first surprise location at Cooper's Island. It’s a stroller-friendly walking club for women, activating radical self-care through movement in nature. It entails monthly outdoor walking adventures at a surprise location and weekly therapeutic resources to explore independently. Our inaugural adventure took place from February - June. Based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback, I plan to offer again in the fall, and again, at the start of 2024. Follow me on social media to receive updates and stay connected!

To book a session, sign up for our wellness walks, organize a mental health workshop, or submit your email address so that you can receive updates.

Please go to: www.EmotionalWellnessBoutuique.com.

Monthly Therapeutic Topics:

February 20th to March 17th : Self-Love and Self-Prioritization March 18th to April 21st: Peace and Stillness April 22nd to May 19th: Self-Compassion May 20th to June 23rd: Living Authentically and Unapologetically June 24th to July 22nd: Honoring Myself, Celebrating My Journey