Meet Dr. Shaakira Ford, a licensed clinical social worker with over 18 years of clinical practice experience. She has worked in diverse contexts, including the criminal justice system, integrated care, and private practice. Dr. Ford currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Ford has also led instruction as an adjunct lecturer at Loyola University Chicago and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Dr. Ford completed a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, a Master of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago, and a doctorate in Clinical Social Work at Aurora University. Dr. Ford has held positions in professional social work organizations, including the Association of Black Social Workers-Atlanta Chapter, and became the first BIPOC elected to the position of both Vice President and President of the Georgia Society of Clinical Social Work. Dr. Ford also has a private practice, Bloom Coaching Solutions, LLC., where she enjoys collaborating with her clients as they cultivate a sense of purpose that leads to a life that blooms.