Dr. La Shawn M. Paul, DSW, LCSW-R is the founder and lead clinician of Social Work Diva. She is a New York State licensed clinical social worker and recognized by the National Association of Social Workers as an accredited social worker. Dr. Paul has a B.A. in Social Work and Political Science from Herbert H. Lehman College (City University of New York) and her M.S. from Columbia University in Social Work with a clinical specialization in School-Based, School-Linked Services. Her Doctorate in Social Work is from the University of Southern California with a focus on social innovation and change.
Dr. Paul has provided consulting for an array of public and private healthcare and academic institutions in the NYC metropolitan area and remote locations throughout the United States. She is an Ambassador for the National Association on Mental Illness-NYC Metro Chapter and For(bes) for the Culture, where she advocates for improved funding and services for people living with mental illness and their families. Through Social Work Diva, she centers her mental health advocacy on eliminating mental health disparities in Black Women’s mental health by encouraging increased access and awareness. She also works with local politicians to shape and create mental health policy and initiatives to eliminate mental illness stigma and encourage support for mental health funding, particularly within communities of color.
Throughout her academic and professional career, La Shawn has received a multitude of awards and honors including a NYS Proclamation from both the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate and the Emerging Leadership Award from the National Association of Social Workers- NYC Chapter. Her work in mental health has landed her on the HuffPost's list of "10 Black Female Therapists to Know" and she has been featured on various media outlets including Buzzfeed, Bustle, Fox5, Hot97, and USA Today. La Shawn is a catalyst of change and Social Work Diva is her vision realized. To find out more about Dr. Paul’s work and join her efforts, visit SocialWorkDiva.com
She can be found on social media at the following: Twitter: @theswdiva IG: @socialworkdiva
