by Peaches Chung
Walking into Women of Color Therapy (WOC Therapy), you feel a sense of peace, as if you’ve arrived somewhere that knows you. The living spaces, infused with color, texture and life, mirror the holistic approach Tamika Lewis MSW ’05 brings to her work: healing that honors both mind and soul, culture and community.
Walk up the brick pathway and into a charming home, where a spacious living room centers around a grand fireplace. Colorful artwork adorns the walls, paying homage to ancestral heritage and healing. In the backyard, the garden serves as a gathering place for yoga retreats and healing workshops.
This is WOC Therapy, the intentional, communal wellness center founded by Tamika Lewis.
As the founder and clinical director, Lewis leads a holistic practice dedicated to providing culturally competent mental health care for women and teens of color. Her approach blends evidence-based modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR and Somatic Therapy with ancestral healing, storytelling and movement. For Lewis, the mission of WOC Therapy is deeply personal.
“The inspiration for WOC Therapy came from my own personal struggles with mental health,” Lewis says. “In college, two of my closest friends died by suicide. One of those students was Jennifer Paek, a fellow MSW student at UCLA. The grief of losing her made me ask hard questions.”
That moment of loss became a catalyst for Lewis’ work. What was an experience of profound grief transformed into a calling.
“I felt driven to create a space where women of color could put down the facade of perfection and show up authentically,” she says. “How can I be honest with myself about the mental health challenges I battled in secret? Why aren’t we talking about mental health in our communities?”
Those questions became the framework for her work at WOC Therapy, located in the San Fernando Valley. “WOC Therapy was my answer to that gap — a space rooted in clinical excellence, as well as cultural wisdom, community and joy.”
The wellness center feels more like a home than a clinic, where each room has been thoughtfully transformed into a space for conversation and community. Gone are the sterile walls of a traditional counseling office; in their place is a setting that feels familiar, inviting and safe.
“Imagine being able to heal and release trauma that no longer belongs to you,” says Lewis — a guiding vision that shapes every corner of her practice.
Lewis’ path to social work began at Westmont College, where she studied English and sociology, and continued through her master’s in social work at UCLA. At UCLA Luskin, she was recognized with the National Association of Social Workers Student Award and the UCLA MSW Excellence Award, honors that highlighted both her academic dedication and her commitment to social equity.
“My experience as an MSW student at UCLA shaped so much of who I am today,” she says. “I felt at home among my peers and professors, who welcomed my ambitious ideas and desire to drive change in my community. It was an empowering experience.”
Launching her own wellness center, however, was not without challenges. Stepping away from a stable job as a school counselor, Lewis navigated the uncertainties of entrepreneurship while being a single mom. She credits the “Tiny Moves” approach — the focus of her upcoming book “Tiny Moves: The Defining Moments that Change Us” — for helping her make small, consistent steps toward her goals. “Success isn’t always about big leaps. It’s about staying true to your vision and action, even when fear is present.”
To current social work students at Luskin dreaming of creating community-centered practices, she advises: “Trust your body wisdom. Those quiet nudges you feel are often the beginnings of your most powerful work. Don’t wait until everything feels perfect — take tiny moves in the direction of your vision.”
For Lewis, social work is not just a career but a responsibility — to her community and to the future of mental health equity. Through WOC Therapy, she has turned personal pain into a powerful purpose, proving that even in the wake of incredible loss, healing and hope are possible.
