Damalie Namale is the Founder and Lead Counselor at Forerunner Counseling LLC. A near-death experience left her questioning her purpose in life. This close brush with mortality ignited a profound desire within her to make every moment count and to help others navigate the complexities of life. Following her recovery, Damalie decided to pursue a career in counseling, driven by a newfound appreciation for the fragility of life and a deep empathy for those facing challenges. During her academic journey, Damalie discovered a passion for trauma counseling and resilience-building. Drawing from her own experiences, she developed a unique perspective that resonates with clients who face adversity and want to find meaning.
Damalie Namale, Licensed Clinical Counselor and Coach
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I would sure like to introduce myself. My name is Damalie Namale the founder and lead Counselor of Forerunner Counseling LLC. It’s been a very interesting journey considering I come from a background that doesn’t see the need for mental health. I was born In Uganda which is in East Africa and when I would tell people that I was pursuing a Master’s program in counseling, not only were people not sure what it entailed but they were confused as to why I would do something like that.
I love people and have always been curious to understand them, so I decided to become fully equipped to professionally work with them. Now I am a licensed clinical Counselor and Temperament Coach and have been working in Private Practice for over 16 years here in New Jersey.
I do enjoy meeting new people, travelling, reading, learning new things and swimming. I am the eldest child with 6 brothers and believe it or not, I am not spoilt. Can you provide a brief overview of Forerunner Counseling and the services it offers? What motivated you to start this counseling service?
Thank you for inquiring about Forerunner Counseling Services. I appreciate the opportunity to share an overview of services I offer.
At Forerunner Counseling, my philosophy centers around honoring the heart of the client and creating a safe place for them to feel heard, validated and understood.
My mission is to empower people to be who they are meant to be and live meaningfully.
I believe in person-centered solution focused therapy that includes, temperament therapy, DBT, CBT, Inner healing, and Emotionally Focused Therapy. I do respect what people believe and also Integrate spiritual values as needed.
I specialize in addressing a wide range of concerns including but not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship issues.
I have experience working with diverse populations, including individuals and couples from young adults to adults.
And I do understand that seeking help can be daunting to many, so I have structured my services in such a way that you can meet for 2-3 days In a row as opposed to the weekly or biweekly sessions.
The comprehensive services we offer include:
Individual counseling: Tailored sessions to address personal challenges and foster growth.
Couples Therapy: Support for strengthening relationships and improving communication.
Family counseling: Guidance for families navigating complex dynamics and life transitions.
Group sessions: These are tailored for deep Inner healing in a 12-week live group setting.
Temperament Therapy: This is a highly-recommended assessment for those that are new to therapy and curious to understand themselves and desire personal, spiritual and emotional growth.
Intensives: For those that want to address issues within a short period of time.
We adhere to the highest standards of confidentiality and privacy, respecting the sensitive nature of the therapeutic process.
We are a Private Pay Practice however, we do offer a sliding scale or payment options to accommodate various financial situations.
From a professional standpoint, starting my private practice represents a significant step in my career. It allows me to continually grow as a Counselor, stay updated on the latest therapeutic approaches, and refine my skills to better serve my clients.
What motivated me to start this Counseling Service is that I have always had a strong passion for supporting individuals in their journey towards mental and emotional well-being and to live a meaningful life. Being able to witness the positive impact counseling can have on a person’s life has been a driving force for me.
I remember when I needed someone to guide me through my own struggles, I was very appreciative of my counselor at the time that helped change my perceptions of what seemed to be impossible circumstances and as a result, I wanted to extend hope to others facing life’s struggles.
In a competitive field like counseling, what sets Forerunner Counseling apart? What unique approach or value proposition do you believe distinguishes your services from others?
At Forerunner Counseling, we strongly believe in the power of spirituality. We respect and incorporate our client's faith and spiritual beliefs into the therapy process. This spiritual dimension adds a layer of depth to the counseling, allowing us to address issues not just at a psychological level, but also at a spiritual one. It's an approach that helps our clients find meaning, purpose, and direction in their lives.
Even If the field can be competitive, we are all in this service to offer hope and healing. Our differences are what makes us stronger because they allow us to meet a broader population since no one has all the answers. This diversity allows us to connect with people that may relate to us because of our uniqueness. That could be race, ethnicity, spiritual beliefs, gender among many.
How do you ensure a positive and supportive experience for your clients? Can you share any success stories or testimonials from individuals who have benefited from Forerunner Counseling?
The most Important thing I offer to my clients is to not only understand their problem and why it exists but to make sure they feel heard and understood without any judgement or bias.
Validation has and will always be very key in my services because it takes a lot of courage for someone to reach out for help.
Here are some of my success stories among the many:
Anthony
My partner and I were looking for clarity in our relationship, for tools to cope with and manage our emotions, so we decided to explore therapy. We called around until we spoke with Damalie. During the initial call, she was warm and intelligent. From the beginning, Damalie backed her therapy up with research. My partner and I each took a temperament assessment. I have been learning a lot about myself, and my partner, from her fun facts she sprinkles into sessions to her personalized approach. We have read everything she has recommended and we are asking for more. She has helped me to understand my needs and how to effectively communicate with my partner. She listens objectively, without judgment. And I can navigate the relationship better, more empathetically. We are much better prepared for twists and turns in our relationship. Damalie is a rare find, and my partner and I both look forward to having chats with her in the future. Thank you, Damalie,
Yasmine
Damalie is amazing and a God-send! She is insightful and honest and seriously one of the best counsellors I have been to! She is excellent on helping couples reconnect and repair their relationships. Although it is not always easy to take a good look at yourself and evaluate yourself, it is such a benefit to unpack all those pent-up feelings to release them and actually heal from the trauma. I recommend Forerunner Counseling 1000%!
Madel
Damalie is really intelligent, genuinely caring, and knows her stuff to help you well. She goes out of her way to make sure you are doing well mentally and emotionally. I saw her on Jan. 7th, 2023 and I was able to address my issue immediately. I plan on seeing her more consistently. I highly recommend her.
The website is often the first point of contact for potential clients. How do you utilize your website to connect with and provide information to individuals seeking counseling services?
My clients have access to a portal where they can communicate with me, self-book appointments and pay online. I also write weekly blogs to keep clients informed and educated on common topics that improve their mental health and relationships. For more details, please check me out here.
What is Forerunner Counseling's approach to mental health and well-being? How do you tailor your counseling services to meet the diverse needs of your clients?
I start with the temperament assessment that helps me and the client
Understand their natural tendencies
Identify what their unmet emotional needs are and,
Identify how they are attempting to meet those needs in healthy and unhealthy ways.
This assessment helps the person know what they need to feel included in social settings and to express and receive affection. With these results, we are able to identify what modality or trauma treatment is needed to support them.
If it’s a couple, we assess their relationship through a couples’ assessment that helps us identify areas of strengths and areas of growth. This helps a couple create dialogue on very important subjects about their relationship. Then we can work on cultivating skills that will strengthen the emotional connection of the couple.
I would like to add before we do any trauma work to this sentence to say before I do any trauma work, I interview my clients to understand their styles of attachment plus their trauma wounds and attachment needs.
What are your future goals for Forerunner Counseling? Are there any upcoming initiatives, expansions, or enhancements to your services that you're excited about?
I am excited that we are using more of intensive packages that manifest results in a short period of time.
These can take 2, 3 or 4 days to attain the goals a client needs especially when they don’t have the time to commit to weekly or biweekly sessions.
Online counseling platforms: Recognizing the importance of accessibility, I am investing in technology to enhance online counseling platforms. This includes online communities and coaching programs that collaborate with others like local organizations, schools and businesses to bring mental health education and resources to a wider audience.
Here at Forerunner Counseling I have 2 online classes available. The Heart Healing Class will take place online on January 20th. This class is for those that would like to address deep emotional pain while integrating spirituality in the process. It addresses emotional patterns that may be rooted from childhood caregivers, and helps clients identify issues preventing them from seeing the results they are looking for in therapy.
The other course is a coaching program called My Path to Purpose. This course is for professionals that want to live up to their full potential, but feel lost or stuck with no sense of direction, or at a crossroads in their career.
Both of these courses are available via online registration at www.forerunnercounseling.com/events Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
Reflecting on my life’s journey, a pivotal moment that significantly influenced the trajectory of my path occurred when I was 22 years old. At that point, I was very ill for a year without a diagnosis. I remember being bed ridden and couldn’t talk or eat and basically waiting for the last breath.
This moment was transformative because it made me realize that I hadn’t lived meaningfully, it forced me to re-evaluate my priorities, relationships, beliefs, values and aspirations. I realized that life is too short, and I have to live in alignment with my beliefs and values and be authentic; something that has guided my decisions and actions moving forward in life.
In the aftermath of this pivotal moment, I experienced a profound shift in perspective. It ignited a passion within me for living with intention and living a life of purpose, which eventually led me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Counseling and continuing education. The challenges faced during this time cultivated resilience, determination, and a deep appreciation for the importance of living with integrity.
This experience has been instrumental in shaping my character, influencing my professional choices, and fostering a commitment to helping others live a meaningful life. It serves as a constant reminder of post traumatic growth, the strength that can emerge from adversity and the capacity for growth that exists within each of us.
As I navigate my current path of collaborating with other organizations, I carry the lessons learned from that pivotal moment with gratitude. It continues to be the source of inspiration, reminding me of the resilience that resided within and propelled me forward on my journey.
Above all of this, my relationship with God has become very important and vital in my life-decisions and relationships; something that has given me much peace and contentment in life.
