Symone’ Miller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in adult psychotherapy, specifically with the geriatric population. Symone’ completed her Bachelor of Social Work at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a concentration in Children, Family, and Youth. She received her Masters of Social Service from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research with focuses in Adult Development and Aging along with Children and Adolescents. Symone’ then went on to obtain a postgraduate certificate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 2014 and successfully completed Temple University’s Clinical Certificate Program in 2019.
Symone’ is a member of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Workers (PSCSW) and the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW). As a clinical social worker, Symone’ is able to provide a unique perspective into psycho-social stressors while having a commitment to social change and equity. She is dedicated to incorporating families into treatment to begin a lifelong recovery process. Symoné is employed by a managed care insurance company which provides mental health and substance abuse services. She is also the owner and founder of Expanding Your Horizons, LLC which specializes in therapy and clinical supervision. Symone’ is the author of The Life & Legacy of Lear Green – a memoir about her Godmother that gives a chronological account of her Godmother’s life and legacy which has been featured in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and has been nominated for Divine Legacy Publishing’s 2020 Best Memoir and Reader’s Choice awards as well as TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Award. In her spare time, Symone’ enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her family.
I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the passion and hustle behind Author Symone’ Miller and her brand:
LR: Symone’ you specialize in working with the geriatric population. What prompted you to move your practice in this direction as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
SM: As a child I have spent countless hours with my now 97 year old Godmother and her friends. Based on my experience with them I noticed that society has a misconception of older adults. Society paints older adults as frail people who are dependent upon others. Although that is the case for some older adults there are several who are living independently with active lives and my Godmother is the epitome of this. I enjoy working with the geriatric population because they are overlooked and oftentimes misunderstood. As a society I don’t believe we value the wisdom and strength of older adults so it is an honor to work with them.
LR: Your book The Life & Legacy of Lear Green is a memoir in the honor of your Godmother. Tell us a little bit about the backstory as it pertains to writing her memoir.
SM: When my Godmother was 95 years old it was discovered that she needed to have surgery due to her heart failure. Initially she was conflicted due to the medical complications associated with having surgery at her age. To be honest, I was scared at the idea of an unsuccessful surgery so I wanted to honor her while she was still here with me. I wanted her to be able to tell her story through me so that her legacy could always live on.
LR: “The Life & Legacy of Lear Green” has been nominated for Divine Legacy Publishing’s 2020 Best Memoir and Reader’s Choice awards as well as TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Award. The one word that comes to mind if I was nominated is surreal. How does it feel to have those nominations? What does it mean to you?
SM: It is surreal to be nominated for these awards and I am still in awe that someone thought enough of The Life & Legacy of Lear Green to nominate it as it was written as a labor of life. I am grateful to be able to use my platform to honor my Godmother and shed light on the older adult population. The nominations also remind me that the world is still interested in our elderly and learning about their life story.
LR: What attributes of your Godmother do you feel has had the greatest impact on you as a person, professional and author?
SM: Being raised during the Great Depression my Godmother has also shown me the value of money and how to be resourceful. Along with my mother, my Godmother has taught me to have a strong work ethic. I remember calling my Godmother while I was away at college complaining about the difficulties I was experiencing and she always told me was that good things don’t come easy. Throughout my life I have learned about my Godmother’s resiliency so I carry that with me as a person, professional and author.
LR: You are also the CEO of Expanding Your Horizons, LLC. Congratulations on this! What does Expanding Horizons, LLC offer to the community? What was your passion behind it?
SM: Expanding Your Horizons, LLC was developed to offer therapy services and clinical supervision to the community in general but specifically to the Black community. Representation in our community can be slim when it comes to mental health services so I wanted to offer quality therapy services at a reasonable rate. It can be difficult finding a clinical supervisor who can relate to your experience in the field and help prepare you to be a clinician practicing independently while being black in sometimes predominantly white agencies. I am passionate about creating a safe space for people to manage their mental health and look forward to offering support groups and wellness opportunities in the future.
LR: Finally, as a LCSW specializing in psychotherapy, you can hold on to a lot of other people’s energy. In your spare time you talk about traveling with your family. What is one place that you’ve traveled to that gave you the most tranquility and why?
SM: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was one of my most relaxing vacations. Being in another country I was able to disconnect, watch the sunrise and sunset and lay on the beach for hours with no agenda and eat until my heart was content. I like to take these kinds of vacations at least once a year for a minimum of a week so that I can reset and refuel my body to continue working to serving my community since I’ve learned that you cannot pour from an empty cup.
LR: Bonus: What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustle’s?
SM: A Pretty Woman Who Hustles is a woman who carries herself with class, has the courage to take risks, creates business and networking opportunities, who supports other women and helps them reach their highest potential.
Connect with Symone Miller online www.authorsymonemiller.com
