Today we’d like to introduce you to Grissel Lloyd.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I can recall expressing an interest in becoming a psychologist as early as elementary school, although I cannot pinpoint the exact moment that sparked it. A longstanding fascination with human behavior shaped that early curiosity. I became intrigued by the ways individuals with similar backgrounds can interpret and respond to the same experience so differently. The idea that one person may be deeply affected by an event while another moves through it with little disruption always stood out to me.
Undergraduate studies strengthened that curiosity, especially as I learned how much we understand about the mind and how much remains unclear. The unanswered questions drew me in even further. A brief period in corporate America followed graduation as I explored other career options, yet the disconnect was immediate. The pull toward behavioral health had always been strong, and returning to the field brought an immediate sense of alignment.
My early professional years provided experience with children, adolescents, and adults navigating a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and life challenges. Those roles required careful listening, thoughtful assessment, and an ability to understand what people were experiencing beneath the surface. That period also marked the beginning of my professional credentials. I became licensed first as a mental health counselor, then as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and later as a psychologist, each step expanding my ability to understand behavior, emotion, and human resilience from different angles .
Graduate training strengthened that foundation through supervised work in outpatient settings, medical environments, forensic programs, and residential facilities. These experiences broadened my clinical perspective and deepened my understanding of how people cope with stress, transitions, trauma, and uncertainty. I also served as an adjunct professor, teaching and mentoring future clinicians, which reinforced my belief in the importance of clear communication, cultural awareness, and sound clinical reasoning.
My current areas of focus include severe anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, mental health changes related to perimenopause and menopause, and the emotional impact of major life transitions. These transitions often involve shifts in identity, relationships, career direction, family dynamics, or the aftermath of loss. I am especially drawn to working with high achievers who appear accomplished on the outside yet privately struggle with pressure, self-doubt, or unexpected changes in their internal world.
Healthy Mind Specialists grew out of the desire to bring clarity, compassion, and depth to the people we serve. The practice provides comprehensive psychological evaluations and evidence-based therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Our work includes supporting individuals through anxiety, mood challenges, relationship changes, identity questions, trauma histories, and life transitions. The practice also serves as a training site for diagnostic practicum students. I supervise and mentor trainees as they develop their skills in evaluation, case formulation, and ethical care, which allows me to contribute to the field in a meaningful way.
My career continues to reflect the same curiosity that began in childhood. The mind’s complexity and resilience continue to inspire me, and supporting individuals through the experiences that shape their lives remains both an honor and a calling.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not always been smooth. There was a period of uncertainty early on when I felt pressure to choose a more lucrative or predictable path, especially because I also had an interest in information technology. As a Black woman and an immigrant without field-specific role models, much of my journey required creating my own path and financing it myself. Life also brings its own challenges, including loss and major transitions, which can shape how you move forward. Even with these challenges, every step contributed to the perspective I bring to my clients and the students I train. The journey affirmed that meaningful work often requires persistence, courage, and a willingness to trust your own direction, even when the path is not clearly laid out.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Healthy Mind Specialists?
Healthy Mind Specialists is a private practice centered on helping individuals understand and move through the challenges that fuel anxiety, overwhelm, and emotional strain. We identify as an anxiety clinic because a significant portion of our work involves supporting people who struggle with excessive worry, intrusive thoughts, OCD-related concerns, phobias, and the internal pressure that often accompanies high achievement and major life transitions.
Our practice offers comprehensive psychological evaluations and therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. We also have a diverse team of clinicians who bring their own areas of expertise. Some of our therapists specialize in EMDR for trauma recovery. Others focus on children and adolescents, relationship and attachment concerns, high-risk populations, or the unique emotional challenges that arise during different phases of life. We also offer life coaching for individuals seeking support with mindfulness, personal development, and the broader challenges that come with navigating major life shifts or pursuing long-term goals.
What sets us apart is our commitment to clarity and depth. We take time to understand the full picture rather than relying on quick labels or surface-level explanations. That approach strengthens our diagnostic work and ensures that our treatment recommendations truly fit the person sitting in front of us. We also serve as a training site for diagnostic practicum students, which allows us to help shape future clinicians and uphold a standard of thoughtful, ethical, and patient-centered care.
Brand-wise, we are most proud of cultivating a space where individuals can explore the parts of themselves they often keep hidden. Many of our clients appear stable and successful on the outside while quietly struggling internally. We want readers to know that our practice is designed for exactly that population. We offer compassion, evidence-based care, and a supportive environment where people can understand their experiences, build resilience, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is that the path does not need to be perfect or predictable in order to be meaningful. My journey has shown me the value of trusting my own direction even when the road feels uncertain or when others recommend a different path. I learned that growth often happens in the moments that feel unclear, and that resilience is built by continuing to move forward anyway.
I also learned the importance of representation and creating space where none existed. As a Black woman and an immigrant without field-specific role models, I had to build my own path and find the courage to stay committed to work that felt aligned with who I am. That experience shaped how I support my clients, my students, and my team.
Another lesson is that life will create interruptions through loss, transition, and change, and those seasons can offer clarity if you allow them to. They push you to slow down, reassess, and return to what truly matters.
Overall, the journey taught me that purpose becomes clearer over time, and that staying grounded in your values allows everything else to fall into place.
Pricing:
- We currently accept Aetna, United Healthcare, Oscar Health, and Oxford. If you have another insurance provider or an employee benefit plan, it is still possible for services to be covered in full or in part.
- We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards as forms of payment.
- Individual therapy rates vary from $175-$225 per session. Life Coaching varies from $80 – $125 per session.
- Psychological Evaluations : $400 – $4000 (Costs vary depending on the complexity of testing. Considerations include the number of assessment measures used and the time it takes to administer, score, and complete the write-up of the report.)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://healthymindspecialists.com/
- Instagram: @healthymindspecialists
- Facebook: Personal Instagram: @hellodrlloyd
Image Credits
For headshots: @betoramosphotography
The photos of the office weren’t professional.
