Meet: Dr. Adair!

Introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about your profession?

I am a Multiple Bestselling Author, Publisher, Speaker, "Empowerologist," and affectionately known as "Dr. Adair.” I am also a leading authority on motivating, inspiring and empowering individuals to move towards positive change, become resilient and to bounce back after hitting rock bottom. I specialize in helping women and teens build their confidence levels to become equipped and empowered to pursue their passion to persevere in their purpose.

Four years ago I decided to leave my six-figure income job after 26 years, so I could follow my next dream of becoming a published author and creating my businesses. I then created The Empowerment House where I coachwomen and teens through life changes. I teach them how to operate and thrive in spite of their circumstances, and I shares techniques that helps them empower themselves to “push through the pain” in their lives and become successful individuals. As the creator of The BELIEVE and GO HARD systems, I impart strategies that focus on leadership skills, creating a healthy balance, fulfilling dreams, and reaching destiny points. Also, I created The Johnson Tribe Publishing House (JTP), a full-service publishing boutique agency that empowers, engages, inspires, motivates, promotes and teaches authors the skills of writing and publishing their books.

As a State University of New York at Buffalo graduate who earned a Ph.D., a Certificate of Advanced Studies and a Master’s degree, I have provided motivational, creative, and unique services for over twenty years. I also created an empowerment and resiliency curriculum for teens. This program is aligned with the National Common Core Standards as well as the American School Counselor Association National Model. I have also collaborated with The Still Standing Foundation to create “Teen Dating Violence, Unhealthy Relationships, and Academic Achievement:  The Power of Connection.” This is a comprehensive and informative counseling/educationalprogram for youth.  As a Professional School Counselor of the Year, Writer of the Year and Women in the Spotlight Visionary Award recipient, I have also been featured in POSE and BOLD magazines, several national and international radio shows and I am the recipient of several academic and civic awards.

As the author of “White Girl Speaks! Powerful Words of Inspiration for Leadership and Success in your Life,”  "How to Get Over It! in 30 Days Parts I, II, and III” “Get Over It! How to Bounce Back After Hitting Rock Bottom” and “Get Over It! How to Bounce Back After Hitting Rock Bottom for Teens,” I focus on teaching women how tobecome empowered, resilient and ready to make positive changes in their lives.
As an international motivational speaker, I have been able to touch the lives of thousands through my teachings, words and motivational messages.
I have been married for twenty-six years, am the proud mother of five children, my life mantra is “I am. I can. I will. I do.” and I seek to share this positive outlook on every person I meet.

What inspired your interest in this pursuit?
 
Oh my, this is a challenging question because there was not just one thing that inspired me.  I think it really was just me finally listening to the words that God had been speaking to me for a very long time.  I knew for a while that I was “done” in my journey as a Professional School Counselor, but I kept holding on because it was convenient, the “money was good,” and it was a comfortable and familiar position to be in.  I struggled within myself about making a change, but it was fear that stagnated my growth and limited my possibilities of making any changes in my life.  I had a persistent “fear of the unknown” and did not allow myself to learn and follow the path that God had already created for me.  I always believed that God orders my steps, but I struggled with accepting my new journey.  But you know what, “life happened.”  A very close cousin of mine suddenly passed away…She was in the “prime” of her life with many more dreams to fulfill.  This knocked the wind out of me but then allowed me to recognize that I had to “trust my own wings” if I were going to soar into my next dream. And that is what I did.  I began to plan, trust and believe and then I was able to pursue my passion.
 
 What do you enjoy most about your work?
 
The feeling I get when my words touch the spirit of someone else and perhaps makes a difference in the choices and changes they will make in their lives.  I love it when I write a motivational message, email or post it and people respond and let me know that they believe that I was writing for them or speaking directly to them.  Words are perhaps the most powerful method of communication and to be able to positively impact or influence someone else because of the words that I use really brings joy to my heart.  I know that my ability to motivationally speak and write are gifts and I absolutely love that I am able to share my gifts to the world!
 
What is next for you in 2017?
 
My next book, “How to Get Over It in 30 Days” Part II, will be released this month and I collaborated with a partner and created a Teen Dating Violence curriculum.  Based on these two projects I will spend a lot of time presenting at professional conferences, working with teens to teach them about healthy relationships, self-esteem, anger management, leaderskills, etc. and motivating and inspiring women.  I plan to accomplish these goals through multiple speaking engagements and coordinated youth programs.
 
What advice do you have to ladies that are feeling stuck in various facets of their life?
 
Oh my! You just have to learn how to “Get Over It!” In order to accomplish this you must embrace the ideology that you must first “Change the way you think before you can change the way you behave.”  This concept was introduced to me by the writings of Carter G. Woodson in his book “The Miseducation of the Negro.”  I studied Mr. Wilson while completing my doctoral studies and this statement (this is the shortened version) illuminated within me because I realize that much of life and choices is about your mindset.  In order to implement real changes in your life, you have to believe that the changes are necessary.  If you make a change in your behavior but not in your mindset you are more likely to return to that previous behavior. 

We see it all the time with addiction. Individuals will attend therapy, go through the motions but never really believe in the concepts so when it gets tough, and they are challenged, it’s easier for them to slide back into the addictive behavior.  It’s like putting band-aids on gunshot wounds…Yes, it may stop the bleeding for a minute, but then it will become infected, and the wound will never heal if surgery is not done.  If we don’t do the surgery on our mindsets then, our behavior will never really change and that’s how we get “stuck.”  I’ve learned over the course of time that a “confused mind does nothing” so if we are confused then we are paralyzed by fear to make change and we become stuck.  I would say to the ladies that first begin with your mindset.  Change that and then create your action plan to make changes and then you will eventurally become “unstuck.”  
 
I created two plans that focus on moving towards positive change and becoming “unstuck.” Through these systems I teach women strategies that focus on overcoming odds, controlling anger, creating healthy balances, forgiving techniques, building dreams and reaching destiny points – many of the needed things to becom unstuck.  

G.O.H.A.R.D. 
G: Getting over yourself 
O: Overcoming your odds 
H: Hesitancy, Heart, Honesty, Hustling and a healthy balance 
A: Anger and Artillery 
R: Remembrance, Resilience, Restoration, Renewal and Righteousness 
D: Dreams, Depth, and Destiny 

 B.E.L.I.E.V.E. 
 B = Birth Control  
 E = Emancipation  
 L = Listening and Leadership  
 I = Inner Integrity  
 E = Evolution of Emotions  
 V = Victory and Victorious  
 E = Ending  
Recognizing, understanding and including all of these concepts will propel women towards changes in their lives and help them to become “unstuck.”

​How can readers connect with you online/social media?
 
Facebook:  Dr. Adair White-johnson
Twitter:  @dr_adair
Instagram: @dradairspeaks
LinkedIn:  Dr. Adair White-johnson
 
www.dradairspeaks.net
info@dradairspeaks.com
888-400-7302