Hi, i’m exie adams
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with nearly a decade of experience working in the mental health field. I earned my master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in community mental health and have had the privilege of working across a wide range of clinical settings from schools, hospitals, nonprofits, shelters, and more. These diverse settings have allowed me to learn how to support clients from many walks of life and with varied experiences and needs.
My passion for trauma work and social justice-centered mental health began during my undergraduate studies, when I was first introduced to the concept of trauma as it relates to the Black American experience. What began as a single classroom conversation evolved into a deeper understanding of how historical, generational, and environmental trauma impacts not only Black communities but many marginalized groups. Through my studies in African American Studies and Human Development, as well as my involvement in campus activism, I came to see healing, liberation, and mental health care as deeply interconnected. This understanding continues to inform my work today, grounding my clinical practice in compassion, context, and a commitment to caring for those on the margins.
Curated workshops presentations, & Trainings
Woman of Color Panel . Invited Panelist for high school students on the topic of diversity and social justice in mental health as a woman of color.
Black Lives Matter Movement, Engaging in the Movement at All Levels. Invited speaker for a presentation for master’s level counseling students at St. Mary’s College,
Sabbath a Spiritual Practice of Liberation. Invited speaker for a lecture for 200 undergraduate students at the University of California Davis,
Multicultural Counseling. Invited Speaker as a special guest for a master’s level counseling students class at Sonoma State University
Social Justice as a Theological Core. Invited speaker for a lecture for 200 undergraduate students at the University of California Davis
When Empathy Isn’t Enough: Deepening Our Understanding of The Therapeutic Relationship. Graduate thesis presentation at the California Institute of Integral Studies Integrated Seminar Symposium.
Learning in the context of community: Peer educators engage in social action and restorative justice work. Structured discussion presented at national conference of Association for Women in Psychology
Gender-Affirming Care Certificate Program: On going Accredited training for mental health practitioners to provide gender affirming care
Emotional Attunement & Regulation: Workshop curated for a women’s retreat
Self-Care As an Act of Resistance. Workshop presented at Black Campus Ministries Conference for student activists.
A Restorative Justice Framework for Punitive Society. Workshop given to a group of student activists.
Caring for Black & Brown Students. Workshop given to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Staff.
Fan the Flame: A Woman of Color Retreat for Reflection, Healing, and Support. Two day retreat consisted of twenty women of color.
Urban Dip: Leading out in Social Justice: Cultivating a Space for Growth. A two day conference that focused on the topic of how to be a social justice leader and community organizer. Consisted of 30 undergraduate students for across the Pacific Region.
Surviving a Broken World. One hour interactive simulation experience with 30 participating undergraduate students. Students engaged with the topic of systemic and institutional oppression by actively participating and going through the simulation.
Urban Dip: Restorative Justice. A two-day conference that focused on the topic of restorative Justice and mass incarceration. Consisted of 50 undergraduate students for across the Pacific Region.
Urban Dip: Dismantling the Idea of the Illegal Alien. A two-day conference that focused on the topic of immigration and undocumentation. Consisted of 30 undergraduate students for across the Pacific Region.
My Approach
At the heart of my approach is a simple desire, I want to work myself out of a job. I strives to equip clients with the tools, insight, and support needed to navigate stress, heal from trauma, and live meaningful, self-directed lives. I have a client-centered approach that recognizes that struggles do not exist in a vacuum but are shaped by lived experiences, relationships, culture, and identity. Creating a therapeutic space that is culturally aware and politically informed is central to my work, allowing clients to feel seen, safe, and supported.
I am trained in EMDR and somatic body work which means that I understand the importance of working with the nervous system to achieve deeper processing which allows for a more embodied healing process. In other words we can’t just talk or think are way out of hard feelings!
Experience , Education & Training
Education & Licensure
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Pennsylvania
Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies
Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies, University of California, Davis
Bachelor of Science in Human Development , University of California, Davis
Work Settings & Experience
Private practice servicing individual, couples, and families
School counselor at a continuation high school
Domestic violence advocate & caseworker for several non profits
Therapist at a drug & alcohol rehabilitation agency
In home family therapist
mental health case worker at an all women’s homeless shelter
Contracted therapist for non profit servicing families dealing with a chronically ill child
letter writing for gender affirming care
letter writing for FMLA or Disability
Trainings
Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR Institute
Somatic Touch Therapy
Bee Brydges
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Bryn Mawr College
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocate and Counselor
Empower Yolo