Kareem Puranda is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, addiction specialist, and the owner of Self Talk Counseling and Consulting (STCC) where he provides therapeutic services to individuals struggling with trauma, substance abuse, and other mental health issues. He worked as a police officer for several years when he saw a need for counseling and building mutual trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, leading him to serve as a coach, mentor, and volunteer in those very same communities. Puranda is also a published author, public speaker, and the founder of Achieving Success on Purpose (ASOP), a nonprofit offering free counseling services to at-risk youth in the court system to help them get the healing they need to overcome their challenges. Puranda received his master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of North Carolina Charlotte, a master’s degree in public administration from DeVry University, and bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Livingstone College.