Spotlight Dr. Helen Ofosu
Meet Helen Ofosu, a truly versatile woman. Happily married and a proud boy mom, she is a proficient boss lady who wears many hats. With over 20 years of expertise in Work and Business Psychology, Helen excels as a Career Coach, Executive Coach, Consultant, Speaker, Podcaster, Adjunct Professor of Psychology, and Executive Contributor at Brainz Magazine. She also provides strategic HR consulting across various sectors, including legal, advertising, logistics, and real estate.
Helen’s journey began with six years of service in the federal government before transitioning to entrepreneurship, a path she has pursued for the past 12 years without regret. Reflecting on her decision, she shares, “It wasn’t cool to be a Black entrepreneur; in some people’s eyes, I had taken a step back or a step down.” She adds, “Had I not left, there is no way that I would have accomplished most of the things I’ve done in these past several years. I wouldn’t have published 250 blog articles, written a book, supported such a wide range of clients, or received the Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (CSIOP) award.”
Helen’s entrepreneurial journey has been marked by both successes and setbacks. As a big dreamer, she was determined to see her goals and aspirations come true. Reflecting on the challenges, she explains, “In the earliest days of my entrepreneurial journey, even if someone had good wishes for me, they thought the odds of failure were higher than the odds of success.” Although she had the ability and expertise, this journey required a lot of self-confidence and strategy. A stark reality she encountered is the lack of diversity in her field. “In [Canadian] psychology, there are so few Black people,” she notes. This scarcity can make it challenging to build a strong, supportive community among minorities. Helen puts it plainly: “Entrepreneurship has a lot of roadkill, and Black entrepreneurship is a whole different thing.” Black healthcare professionals, as a collective, fully understand the gravity of this statement.
Recognizing the need for culturally competent support, Dr. Helen became increasingly aware of its importance as she honed her craft. In December 2022, she and four colleagues established a section within the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) focused on Black Psychology. This group of five founding officers—three Black psychologists and two allies—highlights the scarcity of Black professionals in the field. Despite having nearly 100 members, allies likely still outnumber Black professionals. Nevertheless, this initiative connected her with other Black healthcare professionals, and the community she found among her Black colleagues has greatly supported her journey. Helen emphasizes, “Yes, you can go at it alone, but given that we work in a predominantly white environment, the support you can get from like-minded Black colleagues is quite different from what you can get from non-Black colleagues.” Community is vital. She proudly states, “It’s really important. I’ve really grown to count on my friends and colleagues within the Black Psychology Section of the CPA.”
Later in her journey, she discovered BHPN and what it had to offer. She shared that she had a great experience with the Black Psychology section and thought that if such a small, specialized group could provide such value, then a more diverse group of Black healthcare professionals across various industries could be even more beneficial. Unifying Black healthcare professionals across different industries allows them to support each other in achieving individual or collaborative goals.
At BHPN, we offer an online directory for Black healthcare professionals to join, so they can “be found” by their niche patients and clients. Dr. Helen joined our directory and shared, “I think this could be an amazing resource once we have a critical mass of people who are registered across the country; it should make it easier for Black people to find healthcare services provided by Black professionals who have relevant lived experience above and beyond their formal education.” BHPN aims to bridge the gap, ensuring that Black patients and clients find services that are sensitive to their needs.
Putting yourself out there as a Black healthcare professional is valuable in today’s entrepreneurial climate. Helen recalls that 2012 was very different from today. She contemplated whether to include her picture on her website and ultimately decided to display it so potential clients would immediately know she is a Black healthcare professional. This way, those unwilling to work with her because of her race would not waste their time or hers. Even today, she observes, many Black healthcare professionals’ websites do not clearly indicate that they are Black. “I would rather someone choose to work with me knowing a bit about who I am, instead of them calling and later realizing it’s not a good fit, even though I know I can support anyone who comes through the door,” she explains.
Helen has learned countless lessons on her road to success, and she advises, “For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned—and thank goodness I’ve done this from the beginning—is that we should be ourselves online. That way, if someone likes what they see online—whether it’s your website content, social media feed, podcast interviews, whatever—when they meet you, so long as you have been yourself, you’re just going to continue to strengthen that relationship. But if you are one way online and very different when the person meets you, there’s a good chance that any goodwill you built up is going to get broken. So, consistency is very important. I’m so glad that I’ve consistently been myself.” Black healthcare professionals, take it from Dr. Helen—show up, show your face, be authentic (on and offline), and stay consistent!
Currently based in Ottawa, Dr. Helen provides services to clients around the globe. She hopes that through BHPN, she can secure a seat on a corporate board. She shares, “I don’t know if this is possible, but I would love for them to help me get a seat on a corporate board.” She has served on countless nonprofit boards, which have been great experiences, but as a Work and Business Psychologist and an entrepreneur at heart, there’s excellent alignment. Joining a corporate board would be a dream come true.
We at BHPN want to give you your flowers, Dr. Helen. Thank you for your sacrifice, authenticity, advice, and for being yourself all these years.
All things Dr. Helen Ofosu Below.
Dr. Helen Ofosu | BHPN directory: https://bhpn.ca/directory/professionals/helen-ofosu/
Helen’s Full List of services: https://ioadvisory.com/
Book: https://theresilientcareer.com/
Make an appointment with Helen here: https://ioadvisory.com/appointments-career-coaching-counselling-dr-helen-ofosu/
Media/Publications (Scroll Down): https://ioadvisory.com/articles-hr-careers-dr-helen-ofosu/
Podcast: https://theresilientcareer.com/guest-podcast-episodes/
Have any questions? Contact Dr.Helen: https://ioadvisory.com/contact-dr-helen-ofosu/
Featured Quote:
Can black healthcare professionals go at it alone?
“Yes, you can go it alone, but given that we work in a predominantly white environment, I think the support you can get from like-minded black colleagues is quite different from what you can get from non-black colleagues.”
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