With over 25 years of experience in counseling, Dr. Joanne Frederick is a powerful force in the mental health field. As the CEO of JFL & Associates Counseling Services, an Associate Professor at George Mason University, and a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she has dedicated her life to breaking barriers and uplifting communities through mental health advocacy.
Growing up with a deep awareness of mental health challenges, influenced by both her personal experiences and her Caribbean roots in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Frederick was drawn to the field of psychology from an early age. Her journey has since been defined by a passion for helping others heal, breaking stigmas, and ensuring that underserved communities have access to quality mental health care.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is a wife, mother, professor, and leader who masterfully balances multiple roles with discipline and grace. From founding the nonprofit Holistic Opportunities Propelling Everyone (HOPE) to pioneering the concept of Bibliopsychoeducation, she continues to shape the conversation around mental health in profound ways.
In this exclusive interview with Women On Topp, Dr. Frederick shares her inspiring story, insights on mental health in underserved communities, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind.
What inspired you to pursue a career in counseling, and what has kept you passionate about it for over 25 years?
At an early age, I remember observing mental health challenges in a different country, as my family is from Trinidad and Tobago. I was exposed to mental health challenges within my own family. I clearly remember my mother telling me that if I faced hardships or life challenges when I got older, to talk about them. At five years old, I didn’t understand exactly what she was saying. As I grew older, I began to understand what she was telling me and its importance.
I was 14, in high school, when I took my first psychology class and immediately fell in love with the subject. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the psychology field. It was my love for the subject and the work that led me to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in counseling psychology, and a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling.
What has kept me passionate for over 25 years? The privilege of seeing people heal—through talk therapy, medication, and sometimes a combination of both. I am a staunch advocate and a strong believer that when we work on our mental health challenges, it can literally save lives.
As a wife, mother of three, professor, and CEO, how do you balance your personal and professional responsibilities?
I’m going to tell you. Two things I use every day are a calendar and a to-do list. I’ve used a calendar since I was about 13 years old. It helps me balance all of these roles: as a wife, as a mother of three, a professor, a CEO, a daughter, and a child of God. Every morning, before my day begins, I look at my calendar to assess my schedule and prepare for the day ahead. I use one calendar—my motherly duties, classes I teach, community service, and every obligation is on that calendar. And it’s color-coded! Every aspect of my life is a different color—yellow is for fun things, organizational commitments are colored by their organization, and so on.
I also write a daily to-do list. This gives me the time and opportunity to include items that may not be on my calendar. As I complete items on the list, I cross them off. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to cross items off the list. Although I may not have gotten everything done, it keeps me organized and focused on what’s important. People have told me, “Wow, you’re busy. How do you do it? You still arrive on time with a positive attitude and ready to work.” That is how—a calendar and a to-do list. I’ve done it for many years now. It aids in my productivity and success.
How has being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. shaped your journey?
Both of these organizations are nonprofit, community-based sisterhood organizations. I became a member of Iota Phi Lambda while attending Morgan State University, around 18 or 19 years old. Iota Phi Lambda taught me about being a professional Black woman, sisterhood, and community service. Through Iota Phi Lambda, I saw what it was like to be a business-minded woman. It allowed me to meet so many women of different backgrounds that I otherwise would not have met. The relationships I built and the knowledge I gained from this organization remain invaluable. I’ve been a member now for over 30 years.
I joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, in my early 20s. Alpha Kappa Alpha is an international organization and sisterhood. We serve all mankind. The organization taught me again about sisterhood, friendships, and relationships. It taught me how to campaign, how to serve the community in terms of teaching people their voting rights, and how to dress for certain occasions. I learned so much from being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Both organizations have shaped my journey by teaching me how to be business-minded, how to be sisterly, and how to embrace friendship and love. Although I don’t have biological sisters, I am grateful to have gained a tribe of sisters who support, encourage, and uplift me through both organizations.
What do you wish more people understood about mental health, particularly in underserved communities?
I wish more people understood that everyone experiences mental health challenges at some point in their life—everyone. Period. The two most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions are anxiety and depression. The reality is we have all experienced one, the other, or both at some point. However, when it persists for an extended amount of time—three months or more, and it significantly impacts a person or their quality of life, a person needs to seek treatment. Mental health exists on a continuum from excellent to poor. I want people to know that it’s normal to seek treatment when we are not feeling like ourselves. It is not something to be ashamed of, but a necessary part of the healing process. There are also other diagnoses such as bipolar disorder and personality disorders. Particularly in underserved communities, I want to stress that it is okay to not be okay.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self to keep doing what you’re doing. There’s nothing that I regret about any of my choices when I was young. I left my hometown around 17 or 18 to come to Maryland to get an education. I ended up staying here, getting married, having children, and buying a home. And although I work hard, I also have a good time. I like to laugh a lot, play a lot, and travel. I like to mix, mingle, and meet people. And so, I would just tell my younger self to keep doing what you’re doing, girl because you’re doing good.
Can you tell us about your nonprofit, Holistic Opportunities Propelling Everyone (HOPE), and its impact on underserved communities?
The Hope Center is a 501c3 organization housed inside Carmody Hills Baptist Church in Maryland. I met the church’s pastor around 2016, and we discussed his vision for the church, to have a nonprofit organization providing the mental health needs of the congregation. He knew that I had private practice and that I helped others start their own. I identified the necessary steps to bring his vision to life. He enlisted my help, which I was more than happy to give. With the church’s support, we were able to make it happen. We created a private, inviting space that looks more like a living room than a traditional therapy office, allowing people from the community to come and seek help in an environment they consider safe.
We are able to use it as a training site as well, where students from many different colleges, Bowie State University, Northwestern, George Mason University, and Capella can come and get their internship as well as practicum experience.
How do you integrate “Bibliopsychoeducation” into your counseling approach, and what has been the response from clients?
Bibliopsychoeducation is a word that I created and trademarked, meaning using biblical or religious texts to do psychoeducation with individuals. “Biblio” means “small book” in Latin and psychoeducation refers to educating people on something psychology-related. When we first created the Hope Center, I would select a mental health topic and collaborate with clergy to share it with the congregation. For example, let’s say we wanted to teach a Christian congregation about suicide, a topic that is not talked about in church, especially in a Black church, the pastor would preach on it usually referencing the Bible, and even people from the Bible who struggled with it. We do this one Sunday a month. I felt like this technique needed a name, so I created and trademarked the term, Bibliopsychoeducation.
I also created another term, Copeology which is the name of the anthology in which my co-authors and I wrote personal stories on how to cope. “Ology” we know is the study of and coping is how we deal with life’s issues as they come up. My belief is that if we could learn and study how to cope with life challenges when they arise, we would know how to effectively navigate those challenges.
Bibliopsychoeducation and copeology go hand in hand. When I am working with my clients, I educate them, give them the definition and some even purchase the book to gain a better understanding. An example would be many clients are struggling with exercising spirituality in their daily lives. Whether they want to go to church more often, the synagogue, or the mosque—I bring that into session. I give them homework assignments that relate to their faith and spirituality; thus, I’m integrating faith and mental health into the counseling session. We all have some form of faith. Although we practice different things, we all nurture our spirituality. And while our faith may be different, it’s a topic that I don’t shy away from. And the clients love and appreciate it.
How do you think the conversation around mental health has evolved, and where do you see it heading in the future?
The conversation around mental health has definitely evolved. There was a severe stigma surrounding talking about mental health concerns or seeking help. The unspoken rule was not to talk about it. Don’t talk about your family history of mental illness, if you’re seeking help, or taking medication, just don’t talk about it. I’ve seen that change over the years, now people will talk about it. People are talking about their mental health journey. People will say, “My therapist told me…,” “Or yeah, I’m taking medication.” Even today, I went to a workshop, and the person who was moderating jokingly shared multiple times about his therapist. And for me, it was really refreshing.
I often say that the only way we can erase this stigma and have people understand is for us to share our stories. If you have a therapist, talk about it. Normalize it. If you take medication for mental health, talk about it. And if you do both, it’s okay. Share your story. Where do I see it heading in the future? I’m hoping that more of that happens. In the near future. I feel like more people are going to need mental health services. Right now, so many people are experiencing a great deal of loss, and many are losing their jobs. People are experiencing a lot of health issues. Due to everything that’s happening, we are heading in a direction where people will need more services, more people will need treatment, and we will need more therapists. We need more copeology. We need more assistance to get through the times that we are living in.
What are some upcoming projects or initiatives you’re excited about?
The opportunity I am most excited about right now is being a contestant for 2025 Ms. Corporate America, Maryland where I am representing Prince George’s County, Maryland. To even be considered as a contestant for something of this magnitude, I had to show leadership skills within the community. I am passionate about serving the community. I am a leader in the mental health field, and that’s what it’s all about—making a difference, in every way. Every contestant comes from a different industry, and we are given the opportunity to showcase who we are and advocate for our industry. This initiative matters so much to me because I get to advocate the importance of mental health and I get to teach the world,
This is really exciting. If I had to sum it up, I would say it captures brains and beauty. The brains is the academic side of me, the logical side of me. But then the beauty showing on the outside is how you feel on the inside. It’s the hair, the nails, the gown—the opportunity to get dressed up and let your outward beauty shine as bright as your inner beauty. This means a lot to me, having grown up in a beauty salon. It’s a huge honor. It’s a big competition. March 22nd in Baltimore, Maryland, 7 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel. Being able to put all of this together, all of the aspects of Joanne, as in who I am, it’s exciting to see and be a part of.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind in the field of mental health and community empowerment?
The legacy I want to leave behind—there are a couple of things. If you want to be a school counselor or clinical mental health counselor, you can do it. And if you want to do it because you’ve had some experiences, but you survived or someone in the mental health field was helpful for you, so now you’re attracted to the field, you can do it. If you want to do it because you believe in people, you know people are good, hope is alive. Hope is still there. You can do it. That’s one of the legacies that I would like to leave. But the other thing is that it works, mental health care works. Another is to keep hope alive! Sometimes people feel discouraged and I’m sure as we’re writing this, someone feels like giving up, but I’m here to share you are valued, you are loved, and you are needed. Do not give up. We are resilient. And that’s the legacy that I hope to leave behind.
Regarding community empowerment, I truly believe we have to serve the community. So, what that means is whatever we do, whether you are a hair stylist or therapist, we should also be doing it within our community. When I say we do it in our community, I am referring to pro bono work. It’s okay to do nails or hair free of charge in a homeless shelter. It’s okay to offer counseling services, free of charge, within an organization. If you’re an author, it’s okay to write an article for a person, free of charge. That’s the community service that I am referring to. Whatever your gift and your talent is, we should also be helping other people. I truly believe that is why I am so successful—because I am a true servant. I love giving back and serving others. In my experience, it’s through serving others that I am blessed in other ways.
