Dr. Umieca N. Hankton is a proud native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and a 2003 graduate of Dillard University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). She earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi in 2014. Following her graduation, Dr. Hankton completed her postdoctoral residency at the University of Memphis in 2015. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience in mental health treatment across various settings, including university counseling centers, a VA hospital, and private practice. She is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Louisiana and has the necessary permissions to provide telepsychology services to individuals in more than thirty states.
In 2015, Dr. Hankton established UNH Counseling Services, a behavioral health agency dedicated to expanding access to mental health services for individuals who have historically been underserved in terms of trauma-informed and culturally relevant treatment. The services offered at UNH Counseling Services include individual and group therapy, bariatric and psychological evaluations, diagnostic mental health evaluations, as well as mental health and wellness workshops.
Dr. Hankton utilizes evidence-based treatment approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, behavioral activation therapy, and multicultural therapy. Her clinical interests include managing stress, anxiety, and depression; addressing trauma and PTSD symptoms; setting healthy boundaries; purposeful thriving; and self-care.
She is the author of five self-paced healing journals: "Thriving on Purpose: Reflect. Meditate. Plan. Implement," "Thriving UP!: Thriving Unapologetically & Purposefully," "Thriving with G.R.I.T.," "Braving the Grief," and "The Courage to Trust Love Again."
