Sankofa Counseling, LLC

What Sankofa Counseling, LLC does

Sankofa Counseling, LLC is a culturally specific mental health group practice founded on June 1, 2017 in Portland, Oregon by Vanessa Washington, LPC. The practice serves Black, Brown, Trans/Nonbinary, and LGBQAI individuals and families, with a clinical team that is 75% Black and 100% BIPOC, delivering care grounded in trauma-informed, antiracist, and liberation psychology frameworks rather than traditional diagnostic models. Its service portfolio spans individual counseling, parent/family counseling, school-based counseling, clinical supervision, NBCC-approved CEU training (e.g., Golden Thread Series, Clinician Survival Series, Pillars of Practice), and a suite of group programs including My Brother's Keeper, Sisters of the Yam, Black Men Rising, and AfroFusion Yoga.

Sankofa operates without proprietary technology platforms; client scheduling is handled through a third-party platform (TherapyPortal) and marketing/community touchpoints are managed via Instagram, Eventbrite, Linktree, and a quarterly newsletter. The group practice scaled from a solo operation to 13 clinicians by January 2024 (17 total employees per firmographic data), and runs a parallel subsidiary, Village Resiliency (spun off in November 2019), which provides consultation, education, and workforce development services centered on trauma-informed care.

The business model is multi-stream: (1) fee-for-service clinical sessions billed to insurance or paid out-of-pocket at $234–$382 per 45–60 minute session with sliding-scale options; (2) multi-year government contracts with Multnomah County (five-year BIPOC mental health services contract, June 2021), Oregon Health Authority (clinical supervision contract, February 2021), and Portland Public Schools (school-based counseling expanded to 8 schools for the 2024-25 school year); (3) CEU/training revenue from continuing education programs; and (4) donations through the Sankofa Action Fund underwriting reduced-cost therapy for ~25 individuals annually. Sankofa is bootstrapped with no disclosed external institutional investment, and ownership remains concentrated with the founder.

Name

Sankofa Counseling, LLC

Legal name

Sankofa Counseling, LLC

Website

https://sankofacounseling.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sankofa Counseling, LLC is a Portland-based culturally specific mental health group practice founded in 2017 that delivers trauma-informed, antiracist therapy, school-based counseling, clinical supervision, and CEU training to Black, Brown, and QTBIPOC individuals, families, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culturally Specific Mental Health Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health Counseling & Therapy Services (K–12) (EDAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

School Counseling Services (Individual & Group) (EDAKAMAB), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Culturally specific counseling
• Mental health services
• School based counseling
• Clinical supervision programs
• Community wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Clinical Counseling Services: Individual, family, and group therapy sessions billed to insurance or paid out-of-pocket. Sessions range from 45-60 minutes at rates from $234-$382 depending on session type.
2. CEU/Credit Training Programs: Continuing education workshops for mental health professionals including Pillars of Practice (8 hours, NBCC-approved), Golden Thread Series, and Clinician Survival Series. Revenue from professional development training fees.
3. School-Based Counseling Contracts: Contracted services with Portland Public Schools (expanded to full capacity June 2024) and Multnomah County (5-year contract awarded June 2021) for culturally specific mental health services.
4. Clinical Supervision Services: In February 2021, awarded Oregon Health Authority contract to provide clinical supervision for BIPOC therapists, generating revenue through supervision fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sankofa Counseling is a culturally specific mental health practice that delivers individual, family, and group counseling to BIPOC and QTBIPOC communities, alongside school-based counseling at Portland Public Schools. The practice also offers professional development through NBCC-approved continuing education (CEUs But Make It Black) and a clinical supervision apprenticeship (Grow Your Own) for aspiring BIPOC clinicians. Community programming includes therapeutic groups, yoga, sound healing, running clubs, and a donation-funded action fund that subsidizes reduced-cost therapy.

Product overview

Sankofa Counseling, LLC is a culturally specific mental health practice offering a comprehensive suite of services centered on serving Black, Brown, Trans/Nonbinary, and LGBQAI individuals and families. The organization operates as a group practice with multiple interconnected programs: core clinical services (Individual Counseling, Parent & Family Based Counseling, School-Based Counseling, and Community Education & Training); therapeutic groups (My Brother's Keeper, Sisters of the Yam, On Being a Girl, Intro to Somatic, In Remembrance: Grief, We Are Nature, Radical Hope, Let's Talk About It, and Black Men Rising); professional development programs (Grow Your Own supervision program and CEUs But Make It Black continuing education); community wellness initiatives (Village Resiliency consultation services, Sankofa Action Fund for accessible care, Sankofa Flow State co-working, AfroFusion Yoga, and community events); and a BIPOC Community Resource List. The practice serves clients ages 14 and up, offers bilingual Spanish services, and accepts multiple insurance plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Village Resiliency: Consultation, education, and workforce development services offering workshops on trauma informed care, preventing burnout, responding to vicarious trauma, and supporting communities that youth and families interact with.

Products and services

• Individual Counseling Insight and action-oriented therapeutic approach supporting self-understanding and empathy while implementing realistic life changes, designed for BIPOC and QTBIPOC individuals seeking culturally specific mental health care.
• Parent & Family Based Counseling Coaching addressing the interplay between relationship, environment, and biology; includes education and support for parents/caregivers and children within BIPOC and QTBIPOC families.
• School-Based Counseling On-site counseling services delivered at Portland Public middle and high schools serving BIPOC and QTBIPOC students, funded through the PPS Racial Equity and Social Justice department.
• Community Education & Training Multi-systemic wellness model addressing the intersection of communities through consultation and training partnerships with schools, social services, healthcare providers, and first responders.
• Grow Your Own (GYO) Professional development program nurturing Black, Brown, and QTBIPOC mental health leaders through an apprenticeship model providing mentorship, training, and career support over two to three years.
• CEUs But Make It Black NBCC-approved continuing education provider offering culturally specific CEU trainings for mental health professionals, including the Pillars of Practice (8 hours, NBCC-approved), Golden Thread Series, Clinician Survival Series, and customized organizational training.
• Village Resiliency Consultation and training services for communities and stakeholders addressing trauma-informed care, vicarious trauma response, and workforce development, with workshops on preventing burnout, responding to vicarious trauma, and supporting communities that youth and families interact with.
• Clinical Supervision Program Formal clinical supervision program building on the February 2021 Oregon Health Authority contract to provide clinical supervision for BIPOC therapists, supporting the practice's Grow Your Own apprenticeship pipeline.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of clients identify as B/I/POC, 38% as LGBTQIA+, 80% in trauma recovery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• George Fox UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Emergency placement partnership for BIPOC practicum students with infrastructure built for Fall 2024 launch.
• Portland Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023School-based counseling department launched August 2023 at Jefferson and Franklin High Schools; expanded to 8 schools for 2024-25 school year. Funding through PPS Racial Equity and Social Justice department.
• Multnomah CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Five-year contract awarded June 2021 to provide culturally specific mental health services to BIPOC families with emphasis on Black and African American communities.
• Oregon Health AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Awarded contract in February 2021 to provide clinical supervision for BIPOC therapists. OHA invested in CEU program launch.
• Black Pearl WellnesscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts Black Wellness Sunday events combining mental health practitioners with wellness services like acupressure, sound healing, and guided rest circles.
• Uplift LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts Winter Workouts free circuit training classes for BIPOC community members.
• Prismid SanctuaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts Andean Sound Healing ceremonies rooted in South American traditions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Alma: Alma is a mental health practice infrastructure platform providing insurance billing, credentialing, and a directory of vetted therapists. Comparable to Sankofa as a structural player in the therapist-services ecosystem, but broader in scope and culturally neutral — an incumbent that touches Sankofa's operational layer rather than competing for the same niche.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp is one of the largest online therapy platforms, offering subscription-based access to licensed therapists. Comparable as a scaled, telehealth-first therapy incumbent, though serving a general audience with a marketplace model rather than the culturally specific, community-anchored practice model that defines Sankofa.
• Headspace: Headspace is a large-scale digital mental health platform offering therapy, coaching, and self-guided content. Comparable as an incumbent in mental health services with overlapping B2B and consumer offerings, though operating at massive scale with a culturally agnostic, product-led model rather than culturally specific clinical practice.

Direct peers

• Therapy for Black Girls: Founded by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Therapy for Black Girls is a national platform providing culturally specific mental health resources and a directory of therapists serving Black women and girls. Directly comparable to Sankofa in mission, target audience (BIPOC women), and emphasis on culturally affirming care, though it operates primarily as a directory/community rather than a clinical practice.
• BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective): BEAM is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the emotional and mental health of Black communities, providing education, resources, and community-based support. Comparable to Sankofa in mission (mental health for Black communities), culturally specific lens, and emphasis on community education alongside clinical access.
• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network: NQTTCN is a collective of mental health practitioners who specifically serve QTBIPOC communities. Directly comparable to Sankofa's QTBIPOC focus, providing culturally affirming mental health access for the exact intersectional population Sankofa targets, though organized as a network rather than a single clinical practice.
• Ayana Therapy: Ayana Therapy is a mental health matching platform that connects users with culturally responsive therapists, with explicit emphasis on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ providers and clients. Highly comparable to Sankofa in target segment (BIPOC/QTBIPOC) and culturally specific positioning, though it is a marketplace/matching platform rather than a clinical group practice.
• Open Path Psychotherapy Collective: Open Path is a nonprofit network of therapists offering reduced-fee mental health sessions ($30–$80) to make therapy accessible. Comparable to Sankofa in mission-aligned affordable care and sliding-scale access, though culturally agnostic in provider matching versus Sankofa's explicit cultural specificity.
• Hurdle Health: Hurdle Health is a teletherapy company focused on culturally competent mental health care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Directly comparable to Sankofa in BIPOC-focused, culturally affirming clinical delivery, with a stronger telehealth and national footprint versus Sankofa's Oregon-anchored, school-anchored model.

Regional players

• Portland Therapy Center: Portland Therapy Center is a Portland-based therapy practice and directory serving the local community. Most directly comparable geographically, overlapping with Sankofa in the same Portland market and serving similar general adult therapy demand, though without Sankofa's explicit BIPOC/QTBIPOC cultural specificity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sankofacounseling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sankofa-counseling-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sankofa Counseling, LLC