Mandatory Reporting for Mental Health Professionals

Sharea Farmer is the Founder and CEO of RS Counseling & Wellness with over 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker. Her training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Theory, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Racial Trauma. Her expertise in both clinical and administration has allowed her to work in the private and public sectors as an advocate for employee wellness, Diversity & Inclusion, Race Equity, and Trauma-Informed Practices. Her unique practice that focuses on empowerment and education creates transformative wellness for her clients that range from executive leadership teams to supervisors to staff. RS Wellness has developed employee resilience plans and trauma-informed care programs for state and public health agencies, as well as educational groups, both locally and nationally. The workshops and courses created by RS Wellness are the keys to a healthy trauma-informed workplace where everyone can thrive. Courses fall under four categories: DEI, Social Work Continuing Education, Trauma-Focused, and Wellness. Although each course is tailored to its specific subject matter, the courses provide curriculum, assignments, video, and affirming activities. In recent projects, Sharea led the development of Racial Equity training, committees, DEI, and trauma-informed supervision in both Philadelphia and New Jersey-based government, public health, and nonprofit agencies including the City of Philadelphia Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction, Access Matters, Philadelphia Futures, The Ladipo Group, National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, NJ National Association of Social Work and more. This led to assisting those agencies with the development of their trauma-informed and diversity and inclusion strategies. Sharea lives in New Jersey with her husband. She enjoys all things basketball, live NBA games, traveling, coloring, and spending time with family and friends.

Faith E. Iloka (she/her) is a Nigerian Mental Health Counselor who employs a collaborative and client-centered approach in her work with clients. Faith utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, art therapy, feminist-therapy, multicultural, and trauma-informed interventions to support and empower clients towards increased self-awareness and healthy coping skills. Faith’s interests lie at the intersections of mental health and wellness, creative arts, and race. Faith also incorporates spirituality as it relates to clients’ unique backgrounds and experiences. Faith works with clients to design an individualized treatment plan to help clients feel heard and held, and support clients as they transition from “surviving” to “thriving”.   Faith received her BA in African American Studies from Princeton University and her Master of Education and Master of Arts degrees in Mental Health/Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Faith completed her Masters Externship at Baruch College Counseling Center. Faith’s areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, grief, multicultural issues, romantic/interpersonal relationship issues, self-esteem, stress/anger management, and trauma/racial trauma.  Faith enjoys afro beats, playwriting, traveling, thrifting/fashion, and trying new foods.