Avenn Benton, LMSW
she/her
Your inner world matters deeply. Let’s talk about it.
I believe meaningful therapy happens when you feel safe enough to be honest and supported enough to grow through the hard parts of life. I bring a calm, relaxed presence to our space together, meeting you where you are while helping you move toward where you want to be.
So many people are told to minimize what they feel. In many communities, including the one I grew up in, conversations about mental health simply weren’t happening. Strength was often defined by endurance. You handled what needed to be handled. You kept moving. You didn’t dwell. Emotions were something you managed privately, if at all. That absence of space to talk openly about emotional experiences shaped how I understand this work. When feelings are pushed aside, they don’t disappear — they just go unaddressed. Over time, that can create confusion, frustration, or a sense that something is “wrong” without knowing why.
I believe your emotions carry meaning. They deserve attention and curiosity, not dismissal. In our work together, we’ll slow down enough to understand what’s happening on the inside. I know what it feels like to move through life without permission to name what’s happening internally. That awareness is part of why I believe so strongly that your emotional life deserves respect. Your reactions make sense in context. Your feelings are not weaknesses. They are signals. And when they are minimized, it can quietly impact relationships, self-worth, decision-making, and how safe you feel being fully seen.
Understanding how deeply unspoken emotions can shape a person’s life is part of what led me to this field. But I didn’t originally set out to become a therapist in the traditional sense. In high school, I imagined opening a homeless shelter or rehabilitation center — a place that would help people rebuild their lives with job support, financial guidance, and consistent therapy. I was drawn to the idea of helping people regain stability and direction. After taking a business class, I realized I wasn’t meant to be the person running the organization. I wanted to be the one sitting across from people, walking with them through the parts of life that felt heavy or interrupted.
That realization eventually led me to earn my Psychology degree and Master’s in Social Work. My approach to therapy is grounded, calm, and deeply relational. I value moving at your own pace. Some people need space to process slowly and build trust over time. Others are ready to dive into patterns quickly. I pay attention to your readiness and adjust accordingly. Therapy works best when you feel ownership over the process rather than feeling led somewhere you didn’t choose to go. Most importantly, building a strong relationship with you is critical to the process. When we trust each other, we will be able to talk about the harder pieces safely, honestly, and without feeling rushed or judged.
I’m here to listen. Let’s take the first step.
EDUCATION
- BA in Psychology, Wayne State University
- Minor in African-American Studies
- MSW, Wayne State University
WORKS WITH
- Young Adults
- Adults
- Older Adults
TYPES OF THERAPY
- Person-Centered Therapy
- Strengths-Based Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
You deserve to experience yourself differently. Through therapy, you may begin noticing shifts that feel subtle at first. Situations that once felt overwhelming may start to feel more manageable. Reactions that used to happen automatically may become moments where you pause and choose a different response. That shift — even when small — can change how you experience your day-to-day life.
Growth often shows up in practical ways. You may begin communicating more clearly about what you need. You might recognize when something no longer aligns with your values. You may find yourself making decisions with more confidence, not because everything feels easy, but because you understand yourself more fully.
Over time, increased awareness can create more stability. Instead of feeling pulled in multiple directions by pressure, expectation, or old patterns, you may begin feeling more grounded in who you are and what matters to you. That doesn’t mean challenges disappear. It means you relate to them differently. You respond with more intention. You trust your judgment more consistently.
Therapy is about becoming more aligned with yourself — your needs, your boundaries, your voice. That process unfolds gradually. It requires reflection, honesty, and a willingness to look at things with clarity. But when you do, your relationships, your decisions, and your sense of direction can begin to feel more intentional and less reactive.
If you are ready to invest in that kind of process, I would be honored to meet you. Supporting others as they build clarity and confidence in themselves is work I take seriously, and I consider it a privilege to approach that responsibility with compassion and commitment.
FAVORITE SELF-CARE
For me, self-care is often found in simple, familiar rituals. I love turning on my favorite playlist, rewatching music videos I’ve seen a million times, settling in with a comfort show, or getting lost in a good book. There’s something grounding about returning to what feels steady and known. I also try to build self-care into my daily routines. My wind-down routine at the end of the day includes screen-free time and a book, which helps my mind slow down and transition into rest.
FUN FACTS
- I am named after my father (so I’m really a junior, but we spell it differently, shoutout to Big A).
- I love to collect Vinyls and Books. It makes me so excited to collect and catalog MY FAVORITES that matter most to me.
- Speaking of books, my library has a random organization system that I came up with as a child and have never been able to shake.
- A random episode of “A Different World” inspired me to volunteer on a local crisis line, which ended up being a haven for me throughout college and my first step into working in the mental health field.
- I am an avid Simmer (Sul Sul!). I play Sims 4 regularly and originally built my PC to get back into the game, but then COVID happened and it became my work computer.
LIFE MOTTOS
“Be the adult you needed as a child” – Mental health wasn’t talked about in depth in the Black community or in my family at all. When I discovered it, a lightbulb flashed in my head and it became one of my passions.
“Never be so busy trying to get through life that you forget to live.”
“PROGRESS ISN’T LINEAR” – sorry (not sorry) to my future clients, but I will say this a million times as a reminder.
“You are the light. It’s not on you, it’s in you.” – St. Chroma, Tyler the Creator
