Meet Dr Gabby Carey-Johnson | Psychotherapist
We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr Gabby Carey-Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr Gabby, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
At Gabby Cares of South Florida social impact is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is centered on helping individuals and families heal, grow, and thrive through compassionate, culturally responsive mental health care. We support clients navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, grief, parenting concerns, and life transitions through evidence-based talk therapy and trauma-focused interventions.
We understand that unresolved trauma can impact entire family systems and communities, which is why our work focuses not only on the individual, but also on strengthening relationships, improving communication, and helping families break generational cycles. By creating safe spaces for healing, we are helping people develop healthier coping skills, emotional resilience, and stronger support systems.
Our impact also extends beyond direct clinical care. We are passionate about mentoring and training future mental health professionals through our internship and supervision programs. We intentionally support both student interns and licensed interns because each serves an important role in expanding access to care.
Student interns are graduate-level clinicians completing supervised training as part of their educational journey. They help provide affordable, reduced-fee therapy services to the community while gaining valuable hands-on experience. Licensed interns, on the other hand, have completed their graduate degrees and are working toward full licensure while continuing advanced clinical training under supervision.
By investing in developing up-and-coming therapists, we are helping strengthen the future of the mental health field while increasing accessibility to quality care for underserved populations. This model allows us to create a meaningful ripple effect supporting healing today while preparing compassionate clinicians who will continue serving communities for years to come.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Gabby Cares was created from both passion and purpose. As a Caribbean-American woman born and raised in Miami, I saw firsthand how mental health was often misunderstood, stigmatized, or simply inaccessible within minority communities. I knew I wanted to help create spaces where people felt safe enough to heal, be vulnerable, and feel seen without judgment.
What sets Gabby Cares apart is that we focus on treating the whole person while honoring culture, family dynamics, and community. Our work goes beyond traditional talk therapy. We provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive care for individuals, couples, children, and families navigating anxiety, depression, grief, relationship challenges, maternal mental health concerns, and major life transitions. We also integrate community wellness initiatives, mindfulness, movement, and outreach because healing does not only happen inside the therapy room.
One of the things I am most proud of is the safe space we have created for both clients and future clinicians. In addition to serving the community, we intentionally mentor student interns and licensed interns who are entering the mental health field. Being able to train and support the next generation of therapists while also increasing access to affordable care has become one of the most meaningful parts of this journey.
Getting to where I am today definitely was not easy. Like many entrepreneurs, especially women of color in healthcare and wellness spaces, there were moments filled with uncertainty, financial challenges, burnout, self-doubt, and the pressure of balancing business ownership, motherhood, leadership, and service. I started this practice during the pandemic, a time when so many people were struggling emotionally and mentally. What could have been seen as an impossible time to build actually reminded me why this work mattered so deeply.
I overcame many of those challenges through faith, consistency, community support, mentorship, and staying connected to the mission. I learned that growth requires flexibility, patience, and the willingness to ask for help. I also learned that you cannot pour into others without learning to care for yourself too. That lesson continues to shape both my leadership and the culture within our practice.
What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that Gabby Cares was built with heart. This is more than a business, it is a community-centered movement focused on healing, representation, advocacy, and breaking generational cycles. I want people to know that therapy can look like connection, culture, laughter, movement, vulnerability, accountability, and hope. I want people, especially within underserved communities, to know that healing is possible and that they deserve support, softness, and spaces where they can truly thrive.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting South Florida for a week, I would absolutely make it a mix of wellness, culture, good food, beautiful scenery, and experiences that truly capture the energy of Miami. I’d want them to leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected to the culture here.
We would definitely spend a day in Wynwood exploring the art walls, grabbing gelato, listening to music, and soaking in the creative atmosphere. Wynwood has such a vibrant energy; between the murals, live music, cafes, and nightlife, there’s always something exciting happening.
For food, I would take them to Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen because it perfectly blends Caribbean culture, music, amazing food, and great drinks. The vibe feels like a celebration of the islands, and as a Caribbean-American woman, that connection to culture is important to me. The music, flavors, and atmosphere always make for a memorable night out.
For relaxation and self-care, we would spend a spa day at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort. Their spa and wellness experience is one of my favorite; it’s peaceful, luxurious, and the perfect reset from the busyness of life. After the spa, we’d probably spend time by the beach just unwinding and enjoying the ocean.
I’d also make sure we had a slower, grounding day walking through Key Biscayne. There’s something so calming about the water, the scenery, and the overall pace there. It’s one of my favorite places to clear my mind, reflect, and reconnect with peace and stillness.
Of course, no Miami itinerary is complete without experiencing the diversity of the city from Caribbean food spots and hidden gems to beach sunsets, wellness events, music, dancing, and community-centered spaces. What I love most about South Florida is that it’s full of culture, resilience, creativity, and people from so many different backgrounds all bringing their own flavor and energy to the city.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a special shoutout to my village, the incredible people and community partners who continue to support the vision behind [Gabby Cares of South Florida] and the work we do within the community.
First, I want to recognize my amazing marketing team, Christina and Sunny, for helping bring our message of healing, wellness, and mental health awareness to life in such a creative and impactful way. Their support has helped us expand our reach and connect with more individuals and families in need of support.
I also want to acknowledge our community liaison, Dr. Kendra, whose passion for community engagement and wellness continues to help bridge meaningful partnerships and opportunities for outreach.
A huge thank you as well to the City of Miami Gardens for supporting our wellness initiatives and allowing us to host events like Trap Yoga in collaboration with Black Yogis of South Florida. Being able to put a culturally relevant and uplifting spin on wellness while creating safe spaces for community connection has been incredibly meaningful. These events help normalize conversations around mental health, movement, mindfulness, and self-care in ways that feel accessible and empowering to our community.
I also want to recognize our interns, both student interns and licensed interns, who play such an important role within our practice. Watching them grow in confidence, develop their clinical skills, and pour into clients with compassion and intentionality has been incredibly rewarding. Their dedication reminds me why mentorship and education matter so much in this field. By supporting and training future therapists, we are not only helping develop strong clinicians, but also increasing access to affordable and quality mental health care within our communities.
It truly takes a village, and I am grateful for every person and organization that continues to pour into this mission alongside us.
Website: https://Www.gabbycares.com
Instagram: Gabbycaressfl
Twitter: https://x.com/gabbycaressfl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14bJmQWKbrm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
