Dr. Bethany Lackey, 33 / Director, A Tree Planted Collective
Dr. Bethany Lackey co-founded A Tree Planted Counseling as a collaborative mental health practice with a mission to address mental health barriers in the community through inclusive partnership. She helped start the Roanoke Refugee Partnership in 2017, of which she is director, and is an adjunct professor in the Counselor Education department at Virginia Tech. Lackey has contributed to numerous panel discussions highlighting refugee and immigrant rights and has helped organize fundraisers to serve hundreds of displaced individuals across Roanoke. She is a member of the Roanoke Refugee Mental Health Council, Blue Ridge Newcomer Research Coalition and Roanoke Refugee Dialogue group, and serves on the Roanoke City Human Services Advisory Board as well as the Virginia Counselors Association as a board member. “I work within systems alongside those who face unjust barriers to push for change so those systems work better for all,” she says. “I want to always be a driver in difference-making, whether that happens through counseling, teaching, community building, volunteering or pulling up a chair at the table for someone who can do it better than me.”
- Earned a Master’s degree (2013) and Ph.D. (2020) from Virginia Tech
- Named a Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision “Emerging Leader” (2019)
- Leadership for Bus Riders of Roanoke Advocacy Group
- United Way of the Roanoke Valley Emerging Leaders Steering Committee (2019)
- Volunteers on steering committees for local organizations such as the Roanoke’s Women’s March chapter and Humble Hustle to plan events that will help raise funds and uplift their causes
- Aspire Award for Embracing Ut Prosim as a Way of Life – Student Affairs, Virginia Tech, February 2018
- Community School Local Hero of the Year Nomination for Roanoke Refugee Partnership, January 2018
From the Nomination: “Dr. Bethany Lackey co-founded A Tree Planted Counseling, a collaborative mental health practice … providing professional and compassionate support for all those along life’s journey. With a focus on historically marginalized clients, we empower others to reclaim their story. We create a space to heal, grow, and thrive by providing affordable counseling and eliminating barriers in the community. Our mission extends beyond those we serve to include all members of our team. At our core, we believe quality counseling requires quality counselors. We are committed to developing counselors into leaders in their field so they are highly skilled in working with a diverse clientele. Lackey approaches each client with an open heart and has a deep understanding of how their personal history and identity impact their journey toward wellness. She is a fierce advocate for marginalized populations and commits to honoring and celebrating each person’s lived experience. Lackey is understanding, knowledgeable, and patient. Her compassionate and individualized approach to supervision has helped our resident counselors build security and confidence in my skills as a new counselor. Overall, Lackey’s intense commitment to improving the lives of all in the Roanoke community translates into everything she does. She is a fierce advocate for transportation, language, and mental health equity and constantly goes the extra mile to fight for change in our community. As her business partner, I am constantly inspired by her servant leadership and egalitarian style of supervision. Lackey started A Tree Planted after witnessing the multitude of barriers in place for people who need access to mental healthcare. Her affinity for creating sustainable systematic solutions to approach the biggest problems that face us led her to find a creative solution to address those barriers. She began from the ground up to create equitable access first through her own counseling practice and then through directing the non-profit branch to further this cause. A true community advocate, she helped start the Roanoke Refugee Partnership to connect the dozens of resources in Roanoke with hundreds of volunteers who stepped up to support the hundreds of people resettled here under refugee status. She consistently advocates at different tables from the ground up, always looking for innovative ways to amplify the voice of underrepresented communities and offering her seat at the table. …”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Lackey: “There are countless things that make this city a beautiful place to thrive: hiking, kayaking, floating, attending festivals and seeing local musicians… My list goes on and on. However, those are not the first things that come to mind. When I think about why I love Roanoke, my first thought is always about the people. This is truly a special community. We are incredibly diverse, and with that comes the gift to learn from the different perspectives that shape us. I feel very fortunate to have met so many inspiring people motivated to create change. They have been catalysts in my own process and stoked my passion for community building. It has been easy to jump in and contribute to make our city better because of the numerous local, grassroots organizations created by Roanokers for Roanokers. When there is a need, there are always people ready to rally and give.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Lackey: “My intention with A Tree Planted is the same as my personal passion; I want to help people see that wellness is so much more than just good therapy. Building community through a lens of mutuality and belonging creates healing. Chanelle Henderson and I created ATP because we wanted to build a different model of mental health services. I work within systems alongside those who face unjust barriers to push for change so those systems work better for all. I want to always be a driver in difference-making, whether that happens through counseling, teaching, community building, volunteering, or pulling up a chair at the table for someone who can do it better than me.”
