Akilah J. Pierre, LMFT

Are you the daughter who learned to love everyone but yourself? If you grew up as the responsible one—the family caregiver, the emotional glue—you know how exhausting it is to feel unseen and unable to put yourself first. You're incredibly good at caring for others, but your own needs feel selfish or unimportant. You struggle with boundaries and crushing guilt when you prioritize yourself. You know intellectually you matter, but you don't feel it—and that gap is exhausting. I specialize in helping women from complex families break these generational patterns and develop authentic self-love. YOU MIGHT BE MY CLIENT IF YOU: - Struggle with self-criticism and guilt when prioritizing yourself - Were the family caregiver and don't know how to care for yourself - Want to break generational patterns but feel overwhelmed by where to start - Feel responsible for everyone's emotions - Know you "should" love yourself but have no idea what that looks like WHAT WE'LL WORK ON: Through generational growth therapy—integrating family systems therapy, attachment theory, ACT, and self-compassion practices—we'll work together to: - Understand how your family system shaped your sense of worth - Break free from the "caregiver" or "responsible one" role - Set boundaries without crushing guilt - Turn toward yourself with the care you've always shown others - Interrupt patterns before they're passed to the next generation MY APPROACH: I'm direct, warm, and empowering. I won't sugarcoat things, but I'll hold space for your pain with genuine compassion. I give you practical tools, not just insight—because understanding patterns is only half the work. The other half is changing them. WHO I AM: I'm a Black woman and daughter of Trinidadian immigrants, so I deeply understand the cultural pressures women of color face around family and duty. But my practice welcomes all women from complex families ready to reclaim their lives. I've practiced since 2015 with 4,000+ supervised hours. I hold a Master's in Family Therapy and specialized training in family systems, ACT, attachment theory, and narrative therapy. DETAILS: - States Served: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. (online only) - Insurance: Aetna, Horizon BCBS, Highmark, Quest - Private Pay: $130/session | Sliding Scale: $90-115 - Free Consultation: 20 minutes to see if we're a good fit You've been everyone's person. Now you get to be your own. Visit www.therapywithakilah.com to book your free consultation.