My Name is Sherrie Lynn Lilley and as a mother of five children, and a child lost to miscarriage, it is my personal conviction that parenting is both the most rewarding and challenging vocation on earth. It is said that parenting does not come with a manual, but when we enact the proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child,” the potential for our children to succeed is extraordinary. It is also my belief that This parenting journey starts while pregnant, as the mother nurtures, nourishes and nestles life as it forms. As a mental health professional, I have had the privilege of collaborating with mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence and who have had to be supported through pregnancies and child-rearing after courageously choosing to parent alone. The pregnant mothers often struggle with a range of emotions including how their child was conceived, the guilt of separating their unborn child from their co-parent, and the stress and anxiety of giving birth while living in fear. Cocooning these mothers in unconditional love and support has been some of the most fulfilling work I have done. Along with domestic violence and intimate partner violence support for pregnant mothers, I am enthusiastic about ensuring that populations of color, and of all ages have access to mental health support for the stresses that come with pregnancy. In addition, as a counselor who has shared my own grief as well as that of others after experiencing infant loss, it is important that parents are allowed a grieving process that is honoring of the magnitude of such a loss. At the same time, pregnancy can be exhilarating, exciting, confusing, and petrifying all at the same time. Every mother deserves the support as she makes decisions about her prenatal and postnatal care. planning for the birth, looking forward to the first months of parenting, while experiencing the roller-coaster of emotions that come with post-partum can also be daunting. Post-partum depression, whether short term or long term can provoke feelings of deep sadness, detachment from the newborn and an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Providing a safe space for parents to navigate these new emotions is imperative to both the well-being of the primary caregivers as well as the baby. Pregnancy and childbirth are biological, physiological, and psychological. As a mental health professional, joining with a community of like-minded providers with the goal of creating an amazing pregnancy and birth experience is and honor that I cherish. A little about myself is that I was born in the island of Bermuda and am the middle child with four other siblings. I identify as a black woman who is divorced and the mother of five incredible human beings. My greatest joy and biggest accomplishment are my children. They are reflections of my desires, tenacity, determination, and courage. I am also totally blind for the past 9 years, after losing my vision gradually over the course of my life to a retinal degenerative disease. This has not stopped me from living a full life which includes founding an advocacy charity for persons with disabilities in by island home and conducting workshops, webinars, and motivational speaking on platforms all around the United States and Bermuda. For fun, I bowl in a blind bowling league, sing with my family, and plan events and seminars. Most important of all is that I have done my work; I have, and still actively participate in my own healing process so that I can be the most effective, caring, empathetic, and empowering counselor for my clients. I received my education at Pillar College where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Counseling, receiving an award for Writing and Rhetoric, and another for exceptional leadership. I went on to earn my master’s degree in Mental health Counseling from Fordham University where I scored one of the highest grades on the final comprehensive exam.

Currently, I work at a domestic violence shelter in New York City, am in private practice, and own a coaching business. Earlier this year, I embarked on the next phase of my career when I was hired back at Pillar College as an adjunct professor. I am a lifetime learner who is always pursuing education and information that can be poured back into the communities with whom I work. I have completed certifications as a parent facilitator and child and adolescent relationship educator. Most importantly is the privilege to serve as mother to not only my own biological children, but to act as a mother figure, surrogate mother, and sister mother to all the families I am privileged to serve.