Farah Harris, MA, LCPC

Farah Harris, MA, LCPC CEO of WorkingWell Daily® Farah Harris' mission is to help individuals find and own their voice.

As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), she works to connect people to their stories to bring truth, freedom and self-actualization. Farah takes a pragmatic approach, coupled with humor, to help clients by highlighting growth areas and taking real steps to achieving their goals.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to open ’s 2026 learning series with a session grounded in my bestselling book, The Col...
01/21/2026

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to open ’s 2026 learning series with a session grounded in my bestselling book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence.

What stayed with me most wasn’t the numbers (though the early feedback has been strong)—it was the engagement. The chat was more active than they’d previously experienced, which always tells me people felt safe enough to reflect, ask, and share in real time.

And another blessing: after initially requesting 30 books, they’re now requesting 70 more because so many attendees asked for a copy.

A few comments that meant a lot:
“Clear and actionable insights…”
“Amazing and insightful presentation…”
“Very informative and relevant… relatable… it makes you look at yourself…”

But the one that hit me most was from an attendee who wrote:
“I feel this conversation on emotional intelligence is so needed. As a Black woman with neurodivergent disorder I would appreciate if more organizations would address these concerns.”

That’s why I do this work. Not for perfect scores, but for the moment when someone sees themselves in the conversation and knows they’re not alone in wanting workplaces that actually work for everyone.

Thank you to the Seyfarth Shaw team for creating space for this dialogue. Here’s to organizations willing to move beyond performance and toward genuine transformation.

Two years ago, I told CNBC that emotional intelligence and self-awareness were “strength skills.” Since then, I’ve watch...
12/03/2025

Two years ago, I told CNBC that emotional intelligence and self-awareness were “strength skills.” Since then, I’ve watched even more leaders burn out by ignoring this truth.

The reality is: You can have all the technical expertise and charisma in the world — but if you’re unaware of yourself, your impact on others, and your emotional patterns, leadership quickly crumbles.

Strong relationships require strong self-awareness.

And 2026 will make the difference clear.

Leaders who actually practice these skills will stand out.
Leaders who only list them on their LinkedIn bio will not.

If you haven’t read the full piece, I invite you to — not as a “soft-skills” reminder, but as a blueprint.

Because pausing to feel your feelings isn’t fluffy. It’s a leadership survival skill.




⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺
💡 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the most overhyped, underutilized, and misused skill. I partner with leaders and teams to do the deeper work that elevates their EQ to create psychological safety and agency. Because every day we’re peopling—and we can people better.

So I’m trying something new.Starting December, I’m launching “Your Candid Corporate Clinician Corner” (still playing wit...
11/30/2025

So I’m trying something new.

Starting December, I’m launching “Your Candid Corporate Clinician Corner” (still playing with the name)—a monthly Q&A exclusively for newsletter subscribers.

Here’s how it works:

Once a month, you can send me a question about anything related to:

👉🏽 Leadership and emotional intelligence

👉🏽 Navigating workplace culture

👉🏽 Authenticity and psychological safety

👉🏽 Building or rebuilding your career/business

Or honestly, anything I write about that you want to dig deeper on

I’ll answer 3-5 questions in a mid-month email—separate from the regular newsletter. Think of it as a mini Q&A column: real questions, real answers, no fluff.

Here’s what I need from you:

Submit your question by commenting below with your question.

I’ll do my best to get to as many questions as I can over time.

This is new for me, so we’ll figure it out together. But I’m excited to create more direct conversation with the people who are here for the deeper work.

So—what do you want to know?

For us to fully be aware of who are requires feedback.It won't always be pleasant. But we need to be aware of how others...
11/24/2025

For us to fully be aware of who are requires feedback.

It won't always be pleasant. But we need to be aware of how others are experiencing us.

Now, let me be clear, this doesn't mean that the external narratives that are given to us by others' experiences of us are necessarily true. Often, people are perceiving us through their own presuppositions.

However, if the external narratives are consistent, and come from sources we can trust, it is up to us to take that data and make sense of it—and adjust accordingly.

Thank you Thomas M. Miller, LICSW for this conversation. I truly hope that what we discussed can help parents and leaders in their daily lives and relationships.

I’ve completed 2 exit interviews. Here’s what I’m learning.A week ago, I started interviewing people who left their jobs...
11/04/2025

I’ve completed 2 exit interviews. Here’s what I’m learning.

A week ago, I started interviewing people who left their jobs to understand what REALLY drives turnover.

I thought these would be 30-45 minute conversations.

Turns out, when people finally get the exit interview they deserved—or never got—they have a lot to say.

Here’s what’s emerging:

Early patterns:
🔴 The decision to leave wasn’t sudden. The decision to leave was made months (before they gave notice. By the time they resigned? Already gone.

🔴 Money wasn’t the problem. BOne person was underpaid by $20K+ despite managing the largest team. Another took on 40% more work with zero title or pay bump. But neither left because of compensation. They left because they felt invisible.

🔴 They tried to advocate for themselves. They raised concerns. They asked for what they needed. Leadership either ignored them or gave hollow responses. Eventually, they stopped asking.

🔴 Exit interviews are often performative—or don’t happen at all. One person got to have the honest conversation she deserved (rare). The other never got an exit interview. And even when they happen, most people don’t tell the truth because they don’t feel safe.

Here’s what’s becoming clear:
Retention isn’t about perks, it’s about whether people feel seen, valued, and heard.

And most leaders don’t realize they’re losing good people until it’s too late.
-————————————
If you left a job in the past 1-2 years and never got to share your real story—I want to talk.

Confidential. Anonymous if you want. And honestly? It might feel good to finally say it out loud.

Plan for 60-90 minutes. These run deep.

Comment “ME” below and I’ll send you the link.

Let’s help leaders stop losing good people.

I almost forgot that it was !If you haven’t grabbed a copy of my book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence: Elevating O...
11/02/2025

I almost forgot that it was !

If you haven’t grabbed a copy of my book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence: Elevating Our Self and Social Awareness to Address Inequities, I encourage you to get a copy wherever books are sold.

If you prefer , check out mine! And yes, I narrate my words to your listening ear.

If you’ve enjoyed my book, but haven’t written a review, today would be the perfect day to do so! (These really do help authors out)

Also, recommend or get a copy for a family member, friend, or colleague.

If you are curious about getting a bulk order (20 or more) for your team or book club? Let me know in the comments or shoot me a DM.

Grateful for all of you who have shared this book with your network, used it for personal and professional development, and even added it to your required reading list for your courses. Shout out to NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Claremont Graduate University.

My book baby is 2.5 years old and still growing me and others.

Five years ago, I gave a presentation that would change everything.It was 2020. The world was reeling from COVID-19 and ...
10/27/2025

Five years ago, I gave a presentation that would change everything.

It was 2020. The world was reeling from COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd. An executive reached out asking me to speak to their Black employees. They’d already held healing sessions, listening circles, and brought in other speakers and clinicians.

I asked a simple question: “What do you want me to share that’s different?”

Then I learned something critical: profits were down, furloughs were happening with possible layoffs loomed. But there had been no training on emotional intelligence—a skill essential during times of change and uncertainty.

I made my case: Black employees use EQ differently. For many, it’s not just a professional skill—it’s a survival skill. The social awareness required to navigate predominantly white institutions while processing ongoing injustice creates a specific kind of emotional labor.

The exec was intrigued.

Then I advocated for something else: “This session shouldn’t be just for Black employees. It should be for everyone.”

Because how could we expect understanding without shared learning?

How could we address code-switching and mental labor if the people who most needed to understand it weren’t in the room?

She still wanted it just for the Black employees. And despite the minimal budget, I agreed—because honestly, I too was intrigued by the concept.

I was curious about what this talk could become.

The day came. It landed beautifully.

Black employees felt seen. They said I gave language to their experiences. And you know what filled the chat during that virtual session?

“I wish our white colleagues were here to listen to this.”

Exactly what I knew would happen.

Because while I provided affirmation and tools, it wasn’t enough to address the root cause: the lack of psychological safety. The inability to be fully authentic at work.

Here’s what I’ve learned: EQ training that excludes majority groups misses the systemic change needed. You can’t build psychological safety in a vacuum. You can’t address code-switching if only one group knows it’s happening. You can’t create inclusive cultures by having separate conversations.

How many leaders are losing good people without ever understanding why?Too many companies skip exit interviews entirely....
10/27/2025

How many leaders are losing good people without ever understanding why?

Too many companies skip exit interviews entirely. And the ones that do them? Often performative at best.

The real reasons people leave rarely make it to leadership.

So I’m doing something about it.

I’m conducting 10-15 confidential exit interviews with people who left organizations—especially those who never got the chance to share their real story.

This isn’t therapy. It’s research. And it’s anonymous (unless you want to be credited).

I want to understand:
- What actually drives talented people to leave
- What role emotional intelligence (or the lack of it) played
- What leaders could have done differently
- How psychological safety (or the absence of it) impacted your decision

If you’ve left a job in the past 1-2 years and want to finally have the exit interview you deserved—or want to help other leaders stop making the same mistakes—I’d love to talk to you.

30-45 minutes. Your story. Your truth.

Link to participate in comments

Help me help leaders stop losing good people.

Two awareness months. One powerful truth: Workplaces win when people don’t have to hide.This month marks both Emotional ...
10/02/2025

Two awareness months. One powerful truth:

Workplaces win when people don’t have to hide.

This month marks both Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month and ADHD Awareness Month. For me, these aren’t just awareness campaigns—they’re deeply personal.

At the age of 42, I received my ADHD diagnosis.

These past three years have taught me more about my “neurospicy” self (yes, I use this term because it fits my Haitian and neurodivergent aspects of my identity), empathy, and what truly inclusive workplaces look like than the previous four decades combined.

Here’s what I know now: When people have to mask who they are at work, everyone loses. When team members hide their authentic selves because they don’t feel seen, heard, or respected, organizations miss out on their full potential, creativity, and brilliance.

Emotional intelligence isn’t just about understanding feelings—it’s about creating environments where people can show up fully—neurodivergence and all. It’s about building workplaces where differences aren’t just tolerated, but valued.

As the author of “The Color of Emotional Intelligence” and someone who lives at the intersection of EQ expertise and neurodivergent experience, I help organizations move beyond surface-level initiatives to create authentic cultures of belonging.

If your organization is ready to: 
→ Build genuine psychological safety 
→ Support neurodivergent employees effectively 
→ Develop emotionally intelligent leadership 
→ Create spaces where people thrive, not just survive

Let’s talk.

Whether you need a speaker for your next event or a partner to facilitate deeper transformational work, I’m here to help you build workplaces where everyone can be their authentic selves.

📧 visit: workingwelldaily.com

An executive I worked with once told me:“We’ve rolled out several new culture initiatives in the past year… but my team ...
08/29/2025

An executive I worked with once told me:
“We’ve rolled out several new culture initiatives in the past year… but my team still doesn’t trust leadership.”

They aren’t alone.

Many organizations pour energy into programs, trainings, and policies, trying to increase performance and engagement.

And on paper, it looks impressive. But in practice? Employees still feel unheard, unseen, and unsupported.

Here’s why: initiatives don’t change culture—leaders do.

And the leaders who change culture do it through emotional intelligence.

When this leader shifted gears—pausing, listening, acknowledging mistakes—the team’s dynamic changed.

Trust grew.

Safety followed.

No new program required.

Because leaders who practice high emotional intelligence get the best out of themselves and others.

Emotional intelligence is what transforms a performative culture into an authentic one.

I’m curious:
When have you seen a leader’s presence and actions matter more than any initiative?


————
💡 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the most overhyped, underutilized, and misused skill. I work with leaders and teams to do the deeper work that elevates their EQ to create psychological safety and agency. Because every day we’re peopling—and we can people better.

I did something that I’ve never done before.At the end of July, I taught a week-long course for the , based on my book, ...
08/25/2025

I did something that I’ve never done before.

At the end of July, I taught a week-long course for the , based on my book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence.

The focus?

Leveraging Self-Awareness to Address Inequities in Clinical and Organizational Practice.

15 hours of content to be presented and learned in a hybrid format.

I’m not gonna front.

I was holding my breath waiting to see the results of my evaluation.

Did I think I sucked?

Absolutely not!

But I did wonder if I made an impact.

I wondered if folks walked out on Friday better than when they came in on Monday.

I tell my clients all the time that I don’t like wasting their time—and money.

When I share space with you, whether it be a prospect call, facilitating a group, providing insights on a panel, or keynoting to an audience, my hope is that you leave, thinking, feeling, or doing something different.

AND that difference makes a difference in both your personal and professional lives.

Well, y’all, the reviews are in and…

Course Content/Material: 4.9 out of 5 for both in-person and online!

Faculty/Instruction (aka ME): 5 out of 5 for both in-person and online!

Course Objectives: 5 out of 5 for in-person and 4.9 out of 5 for online participants!

My heart is full!

I served well!

I look forward to sharing more about this experience.

In the meantime, I will leave you with what one in-person and one online person shared:

“Farah was simply amazing.”

———————————————
📧 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the most overhyped, underutilized, and misused skill. I work with leaders and teams do the deeper work that elevates their EQ to create psychological safety and agency. Because every day we’re peopling—and we can people better.

My heart sank.I couldn’t believe that she sent me a 7-page resignation letter, filled with screenshots and character ass...
06/30/2025

My heart sank.

I couldn’t believe that she sent me a 7-page resignation letter, filled with screenshots and character assassination.

Written with half-truths. Full lies. With a side of sarcasm.

I was hot!

My anger, disappointment, shock, and hurt spilled from my eyes, so that the words in front of me blurred.

I needed someone else who could see more clearly.

I shared the PDF with my husband and a couple of close friends.

Their response?

Equal shock.

Then one friend responded, saying, “She learned just enough to weaponize your work against you.”

And there it was.

That’s what stung the most.

It’s been a couple of years since this incident, and I think it’s time to share more about my own experience with psychological safety and emotional intelligence as a small business owner.

We often discuss toxic leaders, but what about the toxic hires who adversely impact their leaders and teams?

Address

Flossmoor, IL
60422

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

Website

https://farahharrislcpc.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Farah Harris, MA, LCPC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Farah Harris, MA, LCPC:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram