The Therapist with Style: Meet Jewel Weah, Founder of Cornerstone Mental Health & The Style Optimist

By Emily Merrell

What does a lifestyle blogger and a therapist have in common? They both have Dallas based Jewel Weah. Jewel was able to use and leverage her lifestyle blog into becoming a sought after influencer in the beauty and wellness industry. Jewel is changing lives behind closed doors and helping people work through their greatest challenges. Learn more about Jewel and her tips on approaching therapy and all the amazing projects she’s working on.  

SDS: What inspired you to become a therapist? 

JEWEL WEAH: I went to college not really knowing exactly what I wanted to do. In my second year, I joined an on-campus mentoring program, where I served in the capacity as a mentor to high school students in underserved communities. It was through that program that I discovered the field of counseling and therapy – I think it sparked something in me.

SDS: In addition to creating your therapy practice, Cornerstone Mental Health, you’re also a blogger and founder of The Style Optimist. Tell us more about how your blogging career got started.  

JW: I started my blog in my second year of grad school. I was in school full-time, not working and needed a fun and creative outlet where I could explore my love for fashion and photography. What started out as just a fashion blog has evolved to more of a lifestyle blog where I cover things that I am passionate about, such as travel, skincare and mental wellness.

SDS: How have networking communities played a role in your personal and professional life? 

JW: I had not done much networking prior to connecting with Six Degrees Society this year and attending digital events. Meeting other entrepreneurs from different fields and parts of the country has really encouraged me to make networking an active part of my personal and professional life. I’m inspired by others’ stories and learn so much at the same time. 

SDS: What advice do you have for individuals seeking therapy for the first time? 

JW: One of the questions I hear from people is “How do I know if a therapist is a good fit?” Reading a prospective therapist’s website to learn more about their education/experience, as well as the types of issues/clients they work with, can be helpful. Also, doing a consultation call can help you get a feel for your prospective therapist. Try asking, “Have you worked with people who struggle with X before?” “How will we measure progress?” “Will there be homework between sessions?” These can be helpful questions to ask during a consultation call. 

SDS: What are some of the biggest problems that people bring to therapy? 

JW: What I see frequently is that people want to work on and improve the relationship they have with others and themselves. They want to learn how to communicate better, advocate for themselves, learn how to express their emotions, increase confidence and self-worth, and set better boundaries – which also helps with improving healthy coping skills and mood.

SDS: What else are you working on and what more can we expect from Jewel Weah? 

JW: At the moment, I am working on maintaining clinical and ethical standards within my practice to allow me to grow, and possibly expand, within the next year. I have recently released an affirmation card deck and a guided journal, and a lot of my energy/time is spent on the business aspect. I’m making it a point to show up for my audience consistently on Instagram and the blog, so you can find me there brainstorming and creating helpful content for my audience.