LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP. An interview with Dr. Sherlonda Adkins by the WLI Team.
- WLI
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
WLI: Dr. Adkins, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to speak with us. Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your work?
Dr. Adkins: Absolutely. I’m a national board-certified psychiatric physician assistant and the founder of South Carolina’s first PA-owned telemedicine practice. I treat a wide range of mental health conditions, from depression and anxiety to ADHD. But I also see myself as a strategist—I help people get unstuck and create lives they don’t need to escape from.
WLI: That’s such a powerful mission. What do you do for fun? What brings you joy?
Dr. Adkins: I love to travel, but not just to resorts and for relaxation, but travel that allows me to meet people and connect with their culture. Some of my closest friends are people I met on vacation, with my children now adults—my son lives in New York, my daughter in Dallas, I get to travel a lot.
WLI: How did you find your way into psychiatry?
Dr. Adkins: I always say psychiatry chose me. Even as a child, I found myself drawn to people in emotional distress, wanting to include them, support them. In PA school, I thought I wanted to go into family medicine, but when I started my behavioral health rotation, I felt an immediate connection. It was natural, fulfilling. Eventually, I asked the psychiatrist I was working with if he’d consider hiring a PA, and that’s how it all began.
WLI: And eventually, you launched your own practice?
Dr. Adkins: Yes, but it wasn’t straightforward. There weren’t many models for a PA-led psychiatric practice, especially in telemedicine. I ended up creating the blueprint myself—writing my own contract, doing the legal research, and figuring out the compensation model. I launched in January 2020, just before the pandemic hit, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
WLI: Was it difficult attracting Black patients to mental health services?
Dr. Adkins: Yes—and it still is. Mental health stigma in the Black community is real. Many believe faith alone should be enough, and unfortunately, some church leaders reinforce that. But I believe God put healers here for a reason. We wouldn’t hesitate to see a cardiologist for our hearts, so why not a psychiatrist for our minds?
WLI: And when you worked in the US Virgin Islands?
Dr. Adkins: That was different. On St. Croix, most of my patients were Black, and there was greater openness. But in the U.S., only about 5% of my patients are Black. That’s why representation matters so much—we need Black mental health providers who understand our experiences.
WLI: What gave you the courage to move from board-certified PA to founder?
Dr. Adkins: Honestly, it was advocacy more than ambition. I’m more afraid of what happens if I don’t do something than if I try and fail. When I act, I feel led by God. It’s like a physical push, a knowing that I must move forward.
WLI: What advice would you give someone approaching a new season of leadership?
Dr. Adkins: I use the acronym UNSTUCK:
U – Unlearn society’s definition of success. What does success look like for you?
N – Nurture your soul. True self-care isn’t a bubble bath; it’s replenishing what energizes you.
S – State what you want—clearly and boldly.
T – Take steps toward your vision. Action is essential.
U – Understand your emotions. Unprocessed trauma impacts how we lead.
C – Collaborate. You can do more with others than alone.
K – Kreativity is key. No matter how saturated the market is, no one else will do it like you.
WLI: And how can leaders’ recharge and show up better for themselves and their communities?
Dr. Adkins: First, recognize that you need to recharge. Rest is more than sleep. Discover what truly fills your cup—whether it’s movement, solitude, social connection, or creativity. Try new things. Take breaks. You can’t pour from an empty vessel.
WLI: That was incredibly insightful. Thank you, Dr. Atkins. Any final words for emerging women leaders?
Dr. Adkins: Keep showing up for yourself. Don’t let society’s expectations define your life. Your journey is uniquely yours. Trust that you have something the world needs.
This article is part of the Women Leadership Institute’s "Lessons in Leadership" series, spotlighting the journeys of exceptional women across the globe.
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