Dr. Shay Speaks LLC

08/29/2026

Honored to contribute "Thought Leadership, Visibility, and Influence Pathways" as a part of this American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy project!

Beyond Solo Practice: Advanced Growth Pathways for MFTs

Mid-to-late career MFTs and experienced clinicians, learn more about this self-paced, 9-CE certificate program here:
https://aamft.org/web/Professional-Development/Systemic-Therapy-Certificates/Beyond-Solo-Practice-Advanced-Growth-Pathways-for-MFTs.aspx

Be sure to check out the other wonderful modules, presenters, and certificate options!

Image credit: AAMFT

07/20/2026

It's my birthday month, and I feel like giving back!

I would like to invite a graduate student in counseling, SW, or MFT to sit in on my upcoming virtual ethics workshop (7/31, 9am-3pm) at no charge. Please ONLY respond if:

1. You are an active student in a mental health program geared towards attaining licensure.
2. You can attend the entire workshop.
3. You have taken ethics, as this workshop builds on foundational ethical principles.

Feel free to email your interest ([email protected]) and/or tag (or forward this post to) a grad student. I cherish my training at Georgia State/GSU and Nova/NSU and my time as faculty/staff at Mercer, Richmont, and Northcentral/National. So, I'd love to welcome a student from either of those programs.

05/29/2026

Thanks again for those who attended the "Framily Matters" webinar on hosted by The Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale on 4/17. Here is the link, for those who missed it:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=Awn8SqgBsP2J5F-9&v=ghMGV3vXcYA&feature=youtu.be

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Framily Matters: How girlfriends give us roots and wings Although t...

05/27/2026

Honored and excited to be a part of this impact session during .

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Creating space for honest conversations around resilience, growth, and mental health. 🧠✨

Social Xurrency is proud to collaborate with Hollywood & Mind at NAMICON 2026 for a conversation centered around resilience, growth, and navigating life through the lens of culture and lived experience.

Special guest Young Dro joins Cathy Applefeld Olson and Dr. Shay Thomas for an impactful discussion on vulnerability, pressure, and mental health in communities where these conversations are often overlooked. 🖤🪙✨

To attend, visit www.nami.org/namicon

05/05/2026

Hey, caregivers -- check out this no-cost workshop offered by CBWW!

You Still Have Time To Register! Are You a Caregiver! If So, This Event is For You!

Join CBWW for a virtual event for an in depth discussion about the mental health of caretakers and people in caretaker roles. Whether you are caring for others at work or at home (or both!) Join fellow caretakers to build community, build resilience, and share resources.

🗓Wednesday, May 6th-Zoom at Noon! Register-https://form.jotform.com/261095045750152

05/05/2026

If you missed the 3/27 workshop and still need hours, there is another opportunity to earn credits on 7/31. Register today!
https://www.drshayspeaks.org/store

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Register here: https://www.drshayspeaks.org/events

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04/17/2026

Thank you, She Soars, for this wellness opportunity during Women's History Month! I enjoyed introducing the students to mindfulness meditation and beginner mat Pilates principles.
Learn more about the organization here: https://www.gosoar.org/.

For mat Pilates info, visit: https://brand.page/matpilateswithshay. For mindfulness meditation, visit: https://insighttimer.com/shaythomas.

04/08/2026

I am honored and excited to present "Framily Matters: How girlfriends give us roots and wings" on Friday, 4/17 @ 4pm. Grab your girls and join us for this fun, enlightening virtual conversation on the power of female friendships. Visit The Women's Mental Health Conference at Yale for more info; be sure to check out all the other wonderful presenters/topics!

Register here: https://event.fourwaves.com/thewmhc2026/registration

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Although the US Surgeon General officially labeled loneliness as an epidemic in 2023, UCLA identified female friendships as keys to adaptive stress response and longevity (Taylor et al., 2000). When women gather, some say magic happens and others profess that the world heals. When friends are like family, we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, and we feel seen, validated, and supported. This workshop highlights how supportive female friendships, sometimes referred to as “girlfriends” and “sisterhood/sister circles”, positively impact mental health, coping, and resilience.

03/31/2026

Consulting with the media on current events is something I take great pride and responsibility in as a systemically trained mental health and wellness professional. While I considered bypassing to avoid the "smoke" of this polarizing issue (and because you never know how a story will spin), I reframed this as an opportunity to demonstrate ways to educate, empower, and express empathy. Perfection and consensus are seldom the objective or outcome. Rather, I hope this helps us wrestle with important topics from a position of curiosity, compassion, personal accountability, and collective responsibility.

Thanks to Kiana Fitzgerald and Consequence for the feature!

https://consequence.net/2026/03/kanye-west-apology-mental-health-experts/3/

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Kanye West's apology for his past behavior — attributed to bipolar disorder type 1 — has ignited debate among mental health experts.