About Latania
We want you to get the care you deserve.
my credentials
Hey! I’m Latania Franklin! I am a Licensed Clinician Social Worker, Professional Educator Licensed School Social Worker, and the owner of The Self Inside LLC.
I truly believe I was brought to this earth to be a social worker/therapist. Do you all know those money gram forms in the currency exchange? I used to take those and make my mama act like she was coming to my “office” to fill out paperwork. I am not sure why paperwork was interesting to a 6 year old but okay, that was my thing.
“I want to be a social worker when I grow up.”
While I was filling out paperwork at the age of 6, my real interest in social work came after coming into contact with a resource case worker who was rude and disrespectful to my mother. Growing up, my family was considered a “low income family.” A few times a month, my mother and I would go to the salvation army in our neighborhood, Uptown, to receive food, clothing and other resources. The salvation army is where we came into contact with this case worker. At the age of 9 or 10, I couldn’t understand why someone who was in charge of helping us could be so mean. As an adult, I now know this lady was probably burnt out and underpaid. So at this tender age, I knew I wanted to at least help others, even if I did not have the language “I want to be a social worker when I grow up.”
my story
“In the midst of me figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up, I experienced trauma such as abandonment both physically and emotionally from my parents and home instability.”
Experiencing these traumas taught me that I was worthless and not good enough. They taught me that money was something to fear, men were no good, that I needed to be independent and that I could not trust myself or the world. These lessons stayed with me throughout my romantic relationships, friendships, all levels of schools and hell even a little now.
Even with my traumas, I did not stop working hard and moving toward my goals. I graduated from Amundsen High School in 2007 and graduated with my bachelors from Northern Illinois University in 2011. Now did I always feel the greatest during my accomplishments, NOPE, but of course no one could see that. I even graduated with my masters from Loyola University Chicago in 2014 with the same heaviness of my traumas. It was in my second year of being a school social worker and working with students that looked like me with parents that acted like mine, is when I decided to attend therapy. This is where my healing journey began.
“This is how I cultivated The Self Inside.”
In therapy, I learned how my past could affect my future because it NEVER leaves the brain and body. I learned how my relationship with my mother and the lack of a relationship with my father impacted my self-esteem and my view of others, especially men. I learned how the voice in my head was not mine but of my mother who needed to deal with her own trauma. Once I got a handle on my past, I was able to understand my present and I began to plan for my future.
The healing I was experiencing in therapy was making me feel better and better and brought me back to myself. It brought me back to the girl who is goofy, loved scary movies and dancing, who used music and Super Mario bros as an outlet and overall just loved to celebrate life. It brought me back to the girl who was outspoken and let people know what was on her mind. I wanted everyone to feel this. I wanted every black woman to feel what I felt. This is how I cultivated The Self Inside. I knew I was not the only black woman who needed to learn how their past was impacting their present and future selves. I knew I was not the only black woman who needed to heal from family relationships and generations full of emotional trauma. I knew teens needed to do this work too. The Self Inside is a space made for black women and teens to heal and get back to the person they were before the world told them they weren't good enough.
my purpose
I believe God put me here to make therapy relatable. He put me here to practice therapy my way and in my voice. Therapy my way looks like jeans, natural hair and tattoos showing. My way looks like discussing how white supremacy and a capitalist society can impact our black bodies. My way is a space where all emotions are welcomed
Are you ready to get back to you? contact me for a free 15 minute consult session.
