From Struggle to Strength

On February 23 at 11:00 a.m., UCalgary Social Work’s Edmonton campus welcomes Latoya Reid, MSW, RSW, Dip. Ed., founder of ReiDefine Wellness, for a special Black History Month event titled From Struggle to Strength: The Journey Continues.

Reid’s work sits at the intersection of racism, mental health, advocacy, and healing , not as abstract concepts, but as lived realities. Her journey into social work and psychotherapy was not something she mapped out in advance. As she puts it plainly, “I didn’t choose therapy. It called me.”

How racism becomes a mental health issue

Originally from Jamaica, Reid moved to Saskatchewan in 2015 to study social work. As a graduate student and research assistant, she listened closely to the experiences of international, racialized, and student-parent communities and heard stories marked by isolation, discrimination, and untreated mental health challenges. What she heard mirrored her own life.

At the same time, Reid was advocating for her son, who was experiencing racism within the school system. The emotional and bureaucratic toll of that fight was devastating. 

“My mental health collapsed completely,” she says. That moment crystallized something for her: systems designed to help were often failing the very people who needed them most. 

Answering a call from the community

Reid never imagined herself becoming a therapist, but the need was unmistakable, instead of stepping away, she stepped in.

“When there is a need in the community and there is a call, somebody has to respond,” she says. “And I responded.”

In 2020, she began offering therapy to Black residents in Saskatchewan, many of whom had never worked with a therapist who shared or deeply understood their cultural experiences. At the time, there were no Black therapists in private practice in the province, so Reid became one.

What started with virtual sessions, walking appointments, and coffee-shop conversations quickly grew into something larger. Her practice evolved into ReiDefine Wellness: a Black-owned, culturally responsive psychotherapy clinic now serving clients across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.

Creating spaces of belonging for clients and clinicians

During her Black History Month presentation, Reid will have a message for Black social work students, pointing out her vision for ReiDefine Wellness was never about exclusivity, it was about access, dignity, and belonging. She speaks openly about how difficult it can be for Black and racialized clinicians to enter private practice, often facing additional scrutiny and barriers.

Today, ReiDefine Wellness includes practitioners from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to inclusive care. “It’s not just about identity,” Reid explains. “It’s about making space, for clients and for clinicians, where people don’t have to over-explain themselves just to be taken seriously.”

Healing is collective

The heart of Reid’s work is relational. She often shares stories of families who begin therapy one person at a time, only to discover how powerful collective healing can be. “We heal better together,” she says. “Whether it’s kin folk, skin folk, or just like-minded folks.”

That philosophy will be at the centre of her Edmonton talk, where she will reflect on how racism, systemic barriers, and mental health intersect, and how strength is often forged not despite struggle, but through it. As Reid reminds those she mentors and serves,“Look at how far you’ve come,” she says. “Would your past self be proud of who you are today?”