As part of our ongoing Wellness Champion Spotlight Series, we are diving deep into the vital role of mental health in our daily lives. Sometimes, mental health is like electricity: invisible, often taken for granted, yet essential. When it flows freely, life feels bright and functional, when it’s disrupted, everything around us seems harder to navigate. Those disruptions can be silent, personal, and often hidden just like the struggles many people face in their mental health journey.
In this edition of the Wellness Champion Spotlight Series, we speak with Chente, also known as the Emotions Doctor whose work spans therapy rooms, hospitals, communities, schools, churches, and public spaces. Through counseling, psycho-education, and emotional support, Chente has dedicated his life to helping people reconnect with themselves and reclaim spaces where their feelings are valid and safe.
Table of Contents: 5 Insights from this Interview
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2. Wellness Champion Spotlight: The Inspiration Behind the Journey
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3. Wellness Champion Spotlight: Debunking Common Misconceptions
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4. Wellness Champion Spotlight: Practicing Self-Compassion and Care
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5. Wellness Champion Spotlight: Final Thoughts on Mental Well-being
1. Wellness Champion Spotlight: Meet the Emotions Doctor
Can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Chente, Emotions Doctor. I’m a therapist, mental health advocate, and Founder of the Safe Space Initiative for Mental Wellbeing.
Suggested read: How to book for a couple’s therapy session on Mytherapist.ng
Over the years, I’ve worked in therapy rooms, hospitals, communities, schools, churches, and public spaces, offering counseling, psycho-education, and emotional support. Beyond titles, I see myself as someone who holds space for human stories.The messy parts, the quiet struggles, and the healing that comes when people are finally allowed to feel without shame.
Mental health, for me, is not just a profession. It is a responsibility, a calling, and a lifelong commitment to helping people reconnect with themselves. My work is basically centered on helping people feel seen, heard, and understood.
2.Wellness Champion Spotlight: The Inspiration Behind the Journey
What inspired your journey in mental health?
In Nigeria, mental health is still heavily misunderstood and stigmatized. People are scared to talk about how they feel because they don’t want to be judged, labeled, or called weak. Many people have died in silence simply because they didn’t feel safe enough to ask for help.
That broke something in me. I became passionate about mental health because I want people to know that it is okay to struggle. Struggling does not mean you are weak, broken, or failing. It only means you are human. Help exists, support exists, and no one deserves to carry their pain alone, especially in silence.
3.Wellness Champion Spotlight: Debunking Common Misconceptions
What is a common misconception about mental health that you wish people understood?
- Many people think therapy is only for people who are “mad” or completely broken. That is not true. Therapy is for everyday people who are trying to survive life, manage stress, heal from pain, and understand themselves better.
- Another big misconception is that seeking help means you have failed. The truth is, asking for help is one of the bravest things a person can do, especially in a society that teaches men to hide their pain through toxic masculinity.
You don’t have to wait until things completely fall apart before you reach out. Your feelings matter, and you deserve support simply because you are human.
4.Wellness Champion Spotlight: Practicing Self-Compassion and Care
How do you take care of yourself outside of work?
Self-compassion. I remind myself often that I am human and I will make mistakes. When I do, I don’t beat myself up; I pause, learn, pick myself up, and keep moving.
Spending time with friends and family grounds me, and sometimes, I just sit alone in silence and reflect. Those moments help me reset and remember that before I am a therapist, I am a human being who also deserves care, compassion, and support.
5.Wellness Champion Spotlight: Final Thoughts on Mental Well-being
As we wrap up this Wellness Champion Spotlight, Chente reminds us that mental well-being is a journey, not a destination. By creating safe spaces whether in our homes, schools, or workplaces we allow for the “electricity” of our emotional lives to flow safely again. If you are struggling today, remember: reaching out is your greatest strength.
