Hi, I’m Charla
(pronounced SHAR-luh & I use she/her pronouns)
I help professionals, leaders, and therapists create meaningful change in their lives and in their work. As a speaker, trainer, and social work researcher, I design experiences that inspire reflection while offering practical strateigies for growth, resilience, and inclusion. My work centers on helping people and organizations build trust, navigate change, and lead with confidence.
In addition to my professional development and speaking work, I am a licensed psychotherapist in both Indiana and Tennessee, specializing in supporting executive level professionals who are balancing the demands of leadership at work with responsibilities at home. My clinical practices include EMDR and other evidence based approaches to help clients address trauma, stress, and the pressure of high achieving roles.
As a social work researcher, I explore best practices for working with diverse clients, always with an eye toward equity and inclusive practices. I am the Founder of Connected in Community, a shared office space for therapists committed to providing inclusive care, and Our Therapy Lab, a nonprofit that mentors and supports the development of Black therapists in Indianapolis through mentorship and a low cost, student run clinic.
Across all of these roles, clinician, researcher, mentor, and speaker, my focus remains consistent: to move people and communities towards empathy, inclusion, accountability, and transformation.