Today we’d like to introduce you to Darryn Robinson.
Hi Darryn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Officially, my story started when I took my very first breath on my birthday – January 26, 1988. As a child, I remember feeling extremely disconnected from everyone around me, so I’ve always been most comfortable in the seat of the observer. My parents often reminded me that it took me much longer to speak than most kids, concerned that I wasn’t hitting the same developmental milestones as my peers. I felt so different from everyone so instead of participating in whatever was going on, I remember taking in everything happening around me. I remember one night staring at a full moon for what felt like hours and running to my mother with such conviction telling her with full certainty, “A full moon can change your life.” As an adult, I couldn’t agree more with this statement and love that my inner child knew the power of Mother Earth and lunar energy.
In 2019, I was finishing up my last year of my master’s program which was very rigorous and also psychologically tolling since I was studying to become a licensed therapist majoring in mental health counseling. My last year of grad school consisted of my usual course load, plus an intense 9-month-long internship while also working full time. 2019 was one of the hardest years of my life, yet also the most affirming points of my life – I knew this is work I had been training for my whole life, but I was burned out, overworked, and underpaid. Naturally, I added one more thing on my plate and was invited to a Reiki Level 1 training course during the summer. Something important to know about me is that I have always been fascinated by the nuances and subtleties that don’t have a logical explanation, and I approach every aspect of my life with intention, spiritual rituals, and the concept of energy. I had been going to someone for years for Reiki but never imagined that I had the same gift and skillset to be able to become a Reiki practitioner. After becoming certified in Level 1, I signed up for Level 2 and my business really took off almost by accident. I was working on friends and family for fun, but actually healing them from serious illnesses. One friend at the time encouraged me to make business cards, and my Reiki business birthed in the summer of 2019, while I had also been invited to study under two Reiki Masters to begin my Master training journey.
When the pandemic happened, my whole life turned upside down and I had to pivot my therapy work into full-on Telehealth but was also very active in my Reiki business offering free sessions to people across the world during such a painful time. My business thrived with the ability for me to work with clients all over. At this time, I also became passionate about combining all of my passions and then began my journey to become a certified yoga instructor. As a therapist, I couldn’t help but notice the intersectionality of energy work and somatic healing that overlapped in my work doing Reiki. When I’m in the role of the energy healer, I surrender to a part of me where there’s no room for ego and being in my head. Instead, I allow my intuition to guide me as I interact with the energy of the person I am working with. There is something so potent and magical that happens when I’m doing Reiki but to this day, I have no idea what is actually happening that enables someone with insomnia to get the best sleep of their life, or for ovarian cysts to suddenly disappear, or for hysterectomy procedures to be canceled after a session with me. The coincidences couldn’t be overlooked, and in this magical, intuitive space, I’m able to heal beyond the physical body. As a therapist, I operate from a very different place where my intuition is closed off, but I hope the same magic pours out in the sense of the client being able to search the depths of their shadows and stuck points to find their inner light and move towards healing. Whether I’m holding space doing reiki, yoga or therapy, my saying is, “We came here to heal. So, let’s heal.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think anyone who is on a conscious road of being true to themselves, their authenticity, and their passions barely has an easy road. I’m neuro-diverse myself and have built a career around holding space for others who are also neurodivergent, so I tend to always need an extra level of self-care to invest back into myself since my work is very intimate and can be emotionally tolling. Being a healer, I’m never quite sure what I’ll be supporting a client with, but most people seek out energy healing or therapy because of trauma, and as a healer, I sometimes literally and physically feel that trauma in my own body. I feel I’ve gotten so much better at grounding and protecting my own energy over the years, but humans are complex which makes all of my roles in the people-healing business also incredibly complex!
On a global scale, it’s been interesting to ride this wave of racial divide, social injustice, financial injustice, and complete imbalance in our government. As an individual who feels deeply, I’ve had to have more difficult conversations with colleagues, strangers, friends, and family about what it means to be Black in America. In the field of psychology and mental health, I make up 4% of BIPOC clinicians – this was one of the most disturbing facts I learned in 2020, but even so, it empowers and inspires me to show up and shine my light in this field doing therapy, Reiki and yoga in fields that are primarily dominated by non-BIPOC folks.
As you know, we’re big fans of Wild Heart Wellness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I show up my in community in a few distinct ways. I am a small business owner and run Wild Heart Wellness, where I’ve created a thriving Reiki clientele and primarily do energy healing whether it’s in person, or distance since I’m able to do energy work remotely, actually without needing to know a whole lot about the person or what they’re seeking. When I have the time, I love leading people through nourishing and grounding yoga sessions and truly believe in the power of healing through movement and breath.
I’ve also been in the healthcare field for almost a decade where I support young adults with developmental disabilities as a case manager. I started this work doing one-on-one mentoring with adults with autism spectrum disorder back in 2013 and quickly worked my way up to management where I’ve been overseeing clients as well as awesome clinicians who support clients in that one-on-one capacity that I used to do. I find this work extremely rewarding and also bring this experience into my work as a clinical therapist.
Since 2019, I’ve been gaining clinical experience as a Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, and will be sitting for my national exam later in 2022 where I’ll soon be a licensed therapist! In March, I was presented with an amazing opportunity to join a group practice with my incredible mentor and supervisor, Dr. Lopez, so am currently working at Sage Psychological Wellness in the San Diego area as a psychotherapist. I have years of experience working with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan but have thoroughly enjoyed the ability to reach even more clients since joining Sage Psychological Wellness.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My energy has been my superpower to support me in my success and has also been a great indicator of measuring my success. I am someone who brings a high level of enthusiasm and passion to everything I do and rooting that energy from a loving, supporting, and positive place has always been transformative for me. As a kid, I was sometimes criticized for having too much energy, but as an adult, I recognize how special it is to tune into your energy and whether you’re transmuting something low vibrational or needing to access a higher vibration of energy – it can be done!
I’m also no stranger to adversity and am sensitive to the times where my life force is almost impossible to find, meaning my energy is depleted and it’s difficult to show up for my community let alone myself. However, I still find those moments valuable when reflecting on my success because my moments of depletion always inspired a need to reset so I could properly heal and rest. I am grateful for leaning into this superpower of mine, and for helping others build a better relationship with their energetic selves to support them in their aspirations and goals, as well.
Pricing:
- Reiki – Sliding fee sessions $100-150
- Psychotherapy Sessions – Variable dependent on insurance*
- Psychotherapy Sessions Private Pay – $150 a session
Contact Info:
- Email: darryn@darrynkrobinson.com
- Website: https://darrynkrobinson.com/
- Instagram: @darrynkrobinson
- Twitter: @darrynkrobinson
- Other: www.sagepsych.com
Image Credits
Vince Wolagmott
