Today we’d like to introduce you to Carline Dumay.
Hi Carline, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in Irvington, New Jersey, Carline Dumay’s life was shaped by experiences that would eventually define her purpose.
At just five years old, Dumay witnessed the devastating impact of untreated mental illness within her own family. She lived in a small apartment with her mother, a Haitian immigrant, and her younger sister. At that age, she didn’t fully understand what mental illness was, but she knew something was deeply wrong.
Her mother struggled with severe mental health challenges that eventually made it impossible for her to care for her children. Dumay’s last memory of seeing her mother was when she was placed in the back of an ambulance.
Following a family meeting at the hospital, and amid limited understanding of mental health within the Haitian community at the time, it was decided that Dumay’s mother would return to Haiti for care.
Dumay and her sister were taken in by their aunt, a single mother already raising five children of her own. Despite the challenges, their aunt welcomed them into her home and raised them as her own.
Eleven years later, Dumay’s mother passed away.
But the story did not end there.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Years later, as a young adult, Dumay found herself facing a painful and familiar reality when her younger sister began experiencing the same mental health challenges as their mother.
Determined to help her sister get the care she needed, Dumay began navigating the mental health system.
What she found was a system filled with obstacles.
“I searched high and low for help,” she recalls. “I contacted organizations, hospitals, psychiatrists, and community programs, but I kept running into barriers.”
Unreturned phone calls. Facilities closed during business hours. Long waiting lists. Limited resources. Premature discharges.
Each roadblock made the journey harder.
“I felt defeated many times,” Dumay says. “But I never let my sister see that defeat. I wanted her to feel hopeful for as long as possible.”
Despite her efforts, Dumay’s sister struggled to cope not only with her mental health challenges but also with the frustrations of navigating a complicated system. Eventually, she passed away, leaving behind her daughter.
For Dumay, the loss was heartbreaking — but it also ignited a mission.
Instead of allowing the system’s failures to define her story, she chose to become part of the solution.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Zen Wellness LLC ?
In 2016, Dumay earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University. Years later, in 2022, she achieved a milestone that held deep personal meaning: becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
She dedicated the accomplishment to the memory of both her mother and her sister.
With a clear vision of the kind of mental health care she wished her family had been able to access, Dumay founded Zen Wellness LLC, a private practice focused on making therapy more accessible, affordable, and welcoming.
Based in New Jersey, Zen Wellness provides therapy services to individuals through telehealth and also offers in-home therapy for older adults who may otherwise struggle to attend appointments.
Dumay’s mission is rooted in breaking down the very barriers she once encountered.
Her practice accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance, ensuring that financial limitations do not prevent individuals from receiving care.
Over time, Zen Wellness has grown, allowing Dumay to expand her team and bring additional clinicians on board to support the growing need for mental health services.
What’s next?
But Dumay believes her work is only one piece of a much larger effort.
“The challenges in the mental health system are bigger than what one private practice can solve,” she says.
She believes real change will require reforms in legislation and policy at both the state and federal levels.
Beyond providing therapy, Dumay plans to continue raising awareness in underserved communities, engaging with public officials, and advocating for those who struggle to have their voices heard.
For Dumay, the work is deeply personal.
Her journey began with loss, but it has evolved into a mission centered on hope, access, and change.
Through Zen Wellness LLC, she is not only providing care — she is working to reshape the mental health system so that fewer families experience the barriers and heartbreak that once defined her own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zenwellnessllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenwellnessllc?igsh=MTRobm11cXpucGt6Mg==
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carline-d-288979118?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android
