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SPRING 2026 • VOLUME 16
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: DR. L K. WINLEY (WINLEY K.), PSYD, LP, HSP-P
LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (USE WINLEY - NO GENDERED PRONOUNS)
If you'd like to share, please tell us about any work you do in the areas of advocacy, social justice, or working with underserved populations. My work has always lived at the intersection of clinical care, advocacy, and systems awareness. As a licensed clinical psychologist and the Founder of WaterYourFire Wellness Collective, I focus on creating spaces, both therapeutic and professional, that actively protect dignity, honor identity, and reduce harm for people who are often underserved or marginalized within healthcare systems. Much of my clinical and consultation work centers Black, Indigenous, and people of color; LGBTQIA+ and gender- diverse individuals; and those navigating trauma related to race, class, sexuality, and gender identity. Growth-Promoting Conversations™ centers nervous-system safety, dignity as non-negotiable, and an explicit awareness of power and identity. Over the past year, I have begun sharing this framework more broadly through writing, teaching, and professional dialogue, including its integration into my work at WaterYourFire Wellness Collective. Seeing this framework resonate with clinicians, leaders, and community members, especially those who have felt unseen or unsafe in traditional spaces, has been deeply affirming and meaningful. What has been the most rewarding part of your career thus far? The most rewarding part of my career has been witnessing people reconnect with themselves in ways that feel sustainable and self-honoring. Whether I am working with an individual client, supervising a trainee, or consulting with an organization, the moment that stands out most is when someone realizes they no longer have to shrink, perform, or abandon themselves to belong. I have also found deep meaning in mentoring and supervision, especially in supporting emerging clinicians as they develop their professional identities while navigating systems that are not always designed to support them fully. Being able to model that it is possible to practice psychology with integrity, boundaries, and humanity has been one of the quiet joys of my work.
More about Dr. Winley K
Founder and Clinical Director of WaterYourFire Wellness Collective Creator of Growth- Promoting Conversations™ Dr. Winley K is also an independent contractor and
consultant for the LGBTQ Center of
Durham, Therapy for Queer People of Color, HEART Crisis Response Program, and New Direction YFS.
(312) 261-3036
www.nl.edu
Chicago, IL
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