Afiya K. Hooker-Young is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Professional Speaker, Mentor and Business Consultant with over 18 years of experience in the mental health field and over 11 years of experience as a psychotherapist. At a young pre-teen age, Afiya knew she wanted to help others regulate their emotions, process thoughts and create positive change to ensure their own mental wellness stability.

Afiya began working in the mental health field at 19 years old, interning as a teacher's assistant at a preschool for autisitc children. She went on to create her own tutoring company while college, along with many other job positions and business creations, but she still longed to be a psychotherapist. In 2014, her dream came true, graduating from a CACREP accredited program with her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Since then, Afiya has worked with both children and adults, in community mental health, psychiatric hopsitals, in-home and more. She also opened 2 psychotherapy practices, one of which has a contract with the state of Alabama to provide in-home therapy and other interventions to children with autism.

Her longterm passion for mental and emotional wellness, child development and positive change is what helped birth Sunshine's Therapeutic Playhouse. With 3 children of her own, Afiya recalled her desire to help young children regulate their emotions and understand their feelings when she was a young child herself.