Engagement Insider
You talk to Terrie Williams for just a brief time, on the telephone not even in person, and you’re inspired by her words, the way she comes across to a stranger, the inflection in her voice.
It’s no wonder Williams, who went to school to become a social worker, became a clinical psychologist, has written four books and now runs The Terrie Williams Agency, which represents some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports is so successful.
“One of my clients from the NBA asked me once, what do I do,’’ Williams said. “I think my reason, my calling is to help people, to inspire and heal people. I do that in a myriad of ways. God knows I’m far from perfect myself. But I feel I have a gift.’’
Williams’ gift has touched many.
She’s been named one of Ebony magazine’s “Power 150” for Activism and Woman’s Day magazine “50 Women On A Mission To Change The World.” She’s been the featured speaker on mental health for World Mental Health Day, United Nations, NGO Committee on Mental Health; and at the 9th Annual Leon H. Sullivan Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. She also received the 2012 National Association of Social Work-NYC Image Award for her mental health work.
It all began after she graduated cum laude from Brandeis University with degrees in psychology and sociology and then received her master’s degree in social work from Columbia University.
“I knew I wanted to help people,’’ she said. “And social work was the field I chose to do that.’’
Williams used her knowledge and talent from the social work field to author her first book, “Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens.”
“That book came out 20 years ago and still today people will come up to me and quote from it, or tell me how much that book helped them,’’ Williams said.
Her latest book, “Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting’’ tells her story of battling depression and the impact mental illness has, particularly on the African-American community.
“People wear masks,’’ Williams says. “I wore one for years. There were two sides to me. There was the one that I let everyone see and then the other side was like out of the Exorcist. I’m still a work in process.
“I’ve always cared about helping people and if I can use my own experiences. Most of us are broken in some way. We all carry scars from our parents and then we pass them on to our children. Men, especially men in sports, or just men carry thing inside and hold them in. Girls will talk to girlfriends, men don’t talk as much. They have to play that macho thing. If you can just talk it out, you can get that out of your system.’’
Her work has helped many and now as the head of an agency that represents a who’s who in entertainment she continues to help.
She works with many celebrity clients ranging from the music, movies and sports industries.
“The reason I got into public relations was no accident,’’ she says of going from social work to public relations. “I wanted to make money and that was going to happen in social work. I still use some of those same skills, but I’ve been blessed to work with the best of the best in what they do.’’
Her clients can say the same thing.