Dr. Karena J. Heyward is a Counselor Educator, licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, and an approved clinical supervisor with over 13 years of experience in mental health. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and brings anti-racist, anti-oppressive, somatic, and liberation psychology frameworks into everything she does. In her faculty role at the University of Western States, she trains graduate students in clinical mental health counseling, bringing the same liberatory lens to the classroom that she brings to the therapy room. As an active qualitative researcher, she hears and catalogs people's stories, keeping oral histories alive. She also owns Head to Heart, LLC, a private consulting practice rooted in heart-centered, liberation-focused care. As the Director of Mental Health Services at the Virginia Telemental Health Institute, she is engaged in clinical supervision, quality improvement, and organizational strategy, working to ensure that telehealth is not just functional but equitable. Dr. Heyward is known for keeping it real, and yes, that sometimes includes an f-bomb or two.