Priscilla Vivian

Priscilla Vivian is part of the DiNN Advisory Board

I am a qualified and experienced psychotherapist, mental health educator and mindfulness facilitator and holds a BSc in Psychology and Criminology and have completed psychotherapeutic training with the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body. I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I founded Vivify Therapy, an online mental health service, in 2019 to increase accessibility to culturally informed mental health support. Through teletherapy and psycho-educational workshops; I have supported individuals and teams to meet their mental health goals through co-creating safe spaces and trusting relationships. Vivify therapy aims to improve mental health equity for Black and minority groups across the diaspora through holistic and effective mental health interventions and innovative approaches to mental health promotion.

I have lived, studied and worked in some of the most deprived boroughs in London and have witnessed and experienced the impacts of health inequalities first hand, particularly poor mental health. I’m passionate about finding new ways to improve mental health outcomes for under-represented groups. My work is underpinned by ‘Ubuntu’ philosophy, this is a South African Zulu term which translates to “I am because we are”. It is a reminder that the collective is only ever as healthy as the individuals within it, therefore healing in community is just as important as our individual wellbeing. Secondly, it is a reminder to centre the end user when designing services and involve them as much as possible in every step of this process.

Culturally informed mental health solutions must take a holistic approach which encompasses mind, body and spiritual health.

Experience with DiNN

I joined DiNN’s Black and Good programme because I reached a point of burnout in the first year of running my business. As a mental health therapist, I knew I had to make some changes in my business in order to ‘practice what I preach’. I was working all hours and late into the evenings to be able to support those I was working with and I wanted to find a way to evolve from 1-2-1 work, to one to many so I could offer my support in my best way.

The programme helped to gain clarity and confidence around my messaging and feel comfortable in what I know. I’ve since gone on to work with an e-course developer to create my first online course for hard working women who feel defined by their careers and want to discover themselves outside of this and live more mindfully. The vision and mission of Do it Now Now strongly resonates with my personal values and aspirations. Specifically, I acknowledge the pivotal role that entrepreneurship plays in fostering social mobility within Black communities.

Through being a beneficiary of Do it Now Now’s invaluable business development support, I've had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the impact this organisation has already made in this regard and am enthusiastic about the chance to contribute further.

What Impact means to me

Impact to me means seeing someone's vision and walking alongside them to help bring it to fruition. In the therapeutic work I do, this looks like supporting people to: develop better self-care habits, to build better relationships, to overcome shame and regret, and to live authentically in line with their values. As an Advisory Board member, my wish is to be able to support Black communities to create thriving businesses that close the wealth gap, without sacrificing their mental health.