About J. Okoye Wellness: Your Partners in Mental Health & Personal Growth
I know throughout this site we talk about "we" and "our team," but I wanted to use this space to introduce myself personally, because I know that trust matters, especially when it comes to your mental health and well-being.
My journey to creating J. Okoye Wellness didn't start with a business plan. It started with a single college elective that changed everything.
I walked into my freshman year at Western Carolina University convinced I was going to be a lawyer.
I had it all figured out... or so I thought. But in the spring of that year, I took a social work class as an elective, and my entire path shifted. For the first time, I saw a way to help people that felt deeply right. I didn't know exactly what I'd do with a social work degree, but I knew it was where I belonged.
Hey, Jettana Here!
After graduating and working in the field for a year, I realized I wanted to go deeper.
I earned my Master's in Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill, and it was during grad school that I truly understood the holistic nature of healing. With the right resources, support, and treatment, people could transform their lives. I wanted to be part of that transformation as a psychotherapist.
But as I moved through my early career, working at different organizations, I kept noticing the same pattern: I was often the only Black person, or one of very few, in the room. I know firsthand how mental health carries a stigma in Black and Brown communities, and I wanted to create something different. A space where people who looked like me, and people from all walks of life, could feel safe, seen, and supported without judgment.
LCSW, NBC-HWC
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From a solo practice to a growing team, here's what shaped:
THE J. Okoye STORY
2017
2020
2020
2021
2024
2025
Founded J. Okoye Wellness as a solo private practice in North Carolina, focused on creating a safe space for anyone seeking compassionate, evidence-based mental health care.
Became a Nationally Certified Health and Wellness Coach through Duke University's Integrative Medicine Center. This allowed me to blend psychotherapy with coaching, giving a clear path to healing and mental health goals.
Started speaking publicly at keynotes, workshops, and panels, despite being terrified of public speaking. (Yes, really.) But I knew my message needed to reach more people, so I leaned into the discomfort.
Welcomed my first daughter. Taking six months off for maternity leave was one of the biggest risks I've taken as a solopreneur, but my clients showed me grace, and I returned with a fresh perspective on rest, balance, and what it means to truly be present.
Welcomed my second daughter. Balancing motherhood and business ownership continues to teach me about boundaries, sustainability, and the importance of practicing what I preach.
Added skilled clinicians to J. Okoye Wellness, expanding our capacity to serve more people while maintaining the personalized, holistic care we're known for.
2026 & Beyond: What's Next
Opening a new office space, growing our team, expanding into corporate coaching and consultation, and planning community and corporate retreats.
The mission continues: spreading mental health awareness, breaking stigma, and helping people build lives they love.
OUR MISSION
What Makes Us Different
Here's the truth: I didn't build J. Okoye Wellness to be just another therapy practice. I built it to be the kind of place I wish existed when I was starting my own mental health journey. A place where you don't have to code-switch, where rest isn't seen as lazy, and where your goals matter as much as your struggles. As a Black and woman-owned practice, we're committed to providing culturally competent care.
Our approach to therapy and coaching
- We treat the whole person. Your mental health doesn't exist in a vacuum. We consider your relationships, your work, your body, your community...all of it.
- We challenge you (with compassion). Growth requires honesty. We'll graciously call you out when you need it and work beside you to get back on track.
- We celebrate progress. Healing isn't linear, and every step forward deserves recognition.
- We practice what we preach. We've done the work ourselves, therapy, coaching, setting boundaries, and redefining rest. We know what it takes because we've lived it.
THE TEAM
CARE IS OUR THROUGHLINE
When I started J. Okoye Wellness, it was just me. But as the practice grew, so did the need for more skilled clinicians who could serve our community with the same level of care, compassion, and cultural competence here in Durham, NC. I brought on a team of talented therapists and coaches who share our values and approach.
Specialities include:
- Therapy for anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief, and trauma
- Workplace stress, burnout, and career-related challenges
- Body image work and disordered eating support
- Minority mental health and culturally affirming care
- Transracial parenting and identity exploration
- Relationship and friendship challenges
- Life coaching for high-achievers, entrepreneurs, and those navigating major transitions
- Mental health coaching and proactive wellness strategies
- Community-building and perfectionism work
SPEAKING & EVENTS
Taking the Message Beyond the Office
As someone who built a woman-owned mental health practice, comfortably "behind the scenes," stepping onto stages and in front of cameras felt like the ultimate vulnerability. However, I knew my message, about rest, authenticity, breaking free from perfectionism, and building real community, needed to reach more people than I could see one-on-one.
Since then, I've had the privilege of speaking at universities, corporate events, conferences, and women's summits across the country.
If you're looking for a speaker who brings inspiration, practical tools, and real help for your audience...
I'd love to connect.
I've delivered keynotes, led workshops, and participated in panels on topics like managing stress, mental health in minority communities, workplace wellness, and sustainable success for high-achievers.
Every time I step on a stage, I'm reminded why I pushed past my fear: because these conversations matter. People deserve rest. Because authenticity is the antidote to burnout.
...And because we all need community to thrive.
