Our History
The Well was founded in 2017 by Dr. LaDonna Butler and Minister Ulas Demese Butler. During this time, Dr. Butler was working in a Social Justice agency, organizing faith communities and clinical providers of color around mental health, specifically in Black and Brown communities. She was completing her Doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision, finalizing her dissertation around persistence and attrition factors for African American Women of Color in Counselor Education programs. Dr. Butler, also was serving as an adjunct faculty in a Graduate degree program, working with predominantly Black students in a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Through this work, the idea of creating healing spaces took form. With the support of the Pinellas County Urban League and The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, The Well was born.
Initially a solo mental health practice, The Well received a capacity building grant to launch its non-profit arm which required a New Vision for how The Well could grow as a communal healing space. From there, our organization began to organize, equip, and serve communities that are consistently overrepresented in adverse health outcomes and underrepresented in positive health engagement. Today, the Well engages 15 independent contractors serving the St. Petersburg community. We have previously partnered with Success for Kids and Families to employ two full-time Healthy Transitions Care Managers and two Part-Time peer mentors. We maintains three active contracts with a social organization, two local community-based organizations and a National Contract with the Alliance for Safety and Justice.
Dr. LaDonna Butler
Founder/Executive Director of The Well for Life
Dr. LaDonna Butler is a healing professional called and committed to our collective wellbeing and the healing of communities most in need. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor - Qualified Supervisor (LMHC-QS) and a Certified Daring WayTM Facilitator (CDWF). Dr. Butler is also the Founder and Director of The Well, a Healing Space, prioritizing the needs and leveraging the strengths of BIPOC. She also serves as an Associate Program Director at the University of South Florida's Family Study Center, serving as Principal Investigator for the Reckoning with Race project. Dr. Butler previously served as an Organizer and Senior Manager for a national social justice organization, leading public safety narratives centering on survivor experiences.
As a survivor, a healer, and a community leader, she has been featured in Time Magazine, New York Times, Tampa Bay Times, ABC, FOX News, and cited in the work of Deran Young, Tarana Burke, and Brene' Brown. She has curated vital conversations such as Healing While Black & The Equity Summit featuring industry leaders like Dr. Joy DeGruy, Tim Wise, Dr. Marva Lewis, Rhonda McGhee, Dr. Kent Butler, Robert Rooks, Charles Dew, artists Saddi Khali, Brittanie Dial, Eris Eady, and many others.
Dr. Butler is known for her capacity to create healing spaces that influence policies, practices, and budgets. For two decades, she has devoted her efforts to cultivating collective healing, safety, and joy strategies with marginalized populations. Dr. Butler is the mother of 5 of the most beautiful and brilliant children; Imari, Kira, Mason, Oren, and Quinci, and resides in sunny St. Petersburg, FL.