As a healer within this population, Chinaka provided services to dual diagnosed estranged veterans who were also struggling with reintegration. Upon moving to Dallas, Chinaka’s mental health expertise expanded to crisis intervention counseling and more comprehensive risk assessments. This experience allowed Chinaka to learn more about the Dallas metro area and collaborate with other providers in the city in aiding and support to families, and individuals in crisis therefore determining level of care options to best meet Texans needs. Chinaka also later served as a therapist for individuals and their families suffering from addiction in a rehab facility. In the work that she has done with military veterans, families and individuals in crisis, families and individuals dealing with addiction and other mood disorders, Chinaka has come to believe in the importance of helping people identify their strengths. Chinaka has especially seen how trauma and psychological pain can severely impact the self-concept of the person in pain. By helping the individual recognize that they are not defined by their trauma or psychological pain, the individual is encouraged to recognize and separate their own shame, guilt, pain from the shame, pain, and guilt of their family of origin. From this process of separating “what’s mine from what’s theirs”, the individual can feel more at peace and improve their self-concept and further heal. This is even more apparent in Chinaka’s own personal life and her process of cultural identity.