Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jesmond Akeem Fair, named after Jessie Jackson, Desmond Tutu, and Hakeem Olajuwon. I was born and raised in rural Alabama and later became an alumnus of THE University of Alabama (ROLL TIDE)! UGA is where I completed all my graduate training, and Atlanta is where I call home. I could give you my zodiac sign, MBTI, or many other personality indicators; however, those snapshots would not capture who I am. You can find me at the intersection of being gay, Black, cis-gender, male, and Christian. My personality is big, but my heart is bigger. For most moments of the day, I have a random song on repeat in my head. This can be attributed to my background in vocal and instrumental music. I love anime, gaming (PS4), movies, watching tv, and a good nature trail. I often use movies, tv shows, and analogies to express myself in therapy. Additionally, I believe in being real, so clients can expect facial reactions, slang, occasional profanity, laughter, and even tears.

A common theme throughout my professional development has been holistic authenticity. I have grounded my clinical work within the context of my identities and view intersectionality as foundational for therapeutic exploration. I have actively decolonized the way I practice starting with my theoretical orientation. My theoretical orientation is Relational-Cultural Theory which blends a relational approach to therapy with social justice, diversity, and multicultural considerations found in feminist theory. In practice, I work to understand a person’s identities which shape their lived experiences, examine their relationships and support systems, and utilize this understanding to co-create interventions that help foster healing and growth towards one’s ideal self.

My clients can expect a collaborative approach to our work together. This means I will always center my client’s needs and wants, and the focus and goals of our work will be co-constructed. I welcome the client(s) to create a space in therapy that will be conducive to the work they desire to do. I view the therapeutic space that we co-create as dynamic. As such, I elicit feedback to ensure that the space evolves with the client as they grow and change. When working with a client, I invite authenticity by modeling authenticity. I show up as my authentic self and foster a non-judgmental therapeutic relationship.