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Shareevolution, a growing business at 107 N. Martin Luther King Jr. St. owned by Alicia Norris, offers an array of holistic services all under one roof, from psychotherapy to yoga and massage. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

Bear, a bonafide therapy dog, greets anyone who enters the clinic. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

Alicia Norris, Shareevolution owner. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

Affinity Yoga studio at its new home inside Shareevolution. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

Nathan Hinkle's massage table at Shareevolution. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

Children's play area at Shareevolution. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — A still growing business on Martin Luther King Jr. Street aims to break down the stigmas surrounding mental health care by providing a vast array of holistic services all in one convenient location.

With over 30 years of experience in the mental health field, native Natchezian Alicia Norris was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Dr. David Timm’s Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic before becoming the owner and CEO of her own clinic, Shareevolution.

She also was the Director of Behavioral Health at Merit Health and a former CASA volunteer.

The clinic first opened in 2022 at 701 Franklin St. However, as her vision for the clinic and clientele grew, so did her need for space, Norris said.

The new location at the former Sportscenter building 107 N. Martin Luther King Jr. St. has room to grow. It opened in February 2023 and houses a broad spectrum of therapeutic services including children’s play therapy with its in-clinic playroom, parent-child interactive therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, music therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and even animal therapy with the clinic’s certified therapy dog, named Bear.

Additionally, the clinic houses educational tutoring with Cherylyn Hatten, a massage clinic in a room leased by licensed massage therapist Nathan Hinkle and Affinity Yoga studio — previously located in the Morgantown area.

The massage clinic was the most recent addition to Shareevolution.

Future plans include the opening of Backstage Dance Studio led by Norris’ daughters Brook Patterson and Brianna Hanson, Norris said.

Her daughters, raised in Utah, were trained in dance at the Center Stage Performing Arts with renowned artistic director Darryl Yeager.

“We’re looking into doing other things — some holistic spa stuff. I’d been looking at a cold plunge and we’d like to put a sauna in. Mary with Affinity Yoga and I would like to do more intensive retreats — not just an hour in the therapy office or in the yoga studio but perhaps some day-longs or overnights.”

Norris said the idea behind Shareevolution is to “break down barriers.”

“The ‘share’ in Shareevolution is an acronym that stands for support, heal, advocate, reduce barriers and educate and evolution is slow and steady growth,” she said. “If we can bring more parts into one place, I feel like more people would be more likely to come and get help, whether it’s for a massage, psychotherapy, medication management, yoga or whatever they need.”

Norris said the downtown location was ideal, even though it is not the medical part of town near Merit Health.

“I wanted people to feel natural and comfortable in pulling up to take care of their mental health. You go to your hairdresser or to get your nails done and nobody ever says ‘I don’t want people to see my car out front. They’ll think I’m crazy.’ It’s called self-care. This is as natural as getting your hair done. People share all kinds of things in the hair salon but don’t think about who else can hear it. … I want to normalize mental health and break down that stigma.”

Norris said when she started Shareevolution, she made a list of all the services she wished she could provide and started going after those services. When she met Mary Katherine Frasier with Affinity Yoga she said, “If I build it, will you come?”

“As my journey goes, if I hit a wall I can’t get past, I just keep going,” Norris said.

Shareevolution’s therapeutic clinic accepts health insurance and has the capability of diagnosing behavioral and mental health disorders in children and adults, Norris said.

“Insurance does not cover massage, yoga or educational tutoring but it does cover psychotherapy and testing. That specialized testing for 504 and IEP plans is not offered anywhere else here (that accepts insurance). You’d have to drive to Jackson or Baton Rouge.”

Separate from the business, Norris has a nonprofit of the same name, Shareevolution, that she aims to use to help her community with events such as a mental health fair. Shareevolution offers a Cancer Support Group that meets at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday each month and is launching a Dementia Support Group, which I free to the public and takes place at 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the clinic, 107 N. Martin Luther King Jr. St.

Teen Voices, 14 to 18 years old, on the last Monday of each month, is a support group catered to adolescents, providing them a safe space to talk about their troubles.

Learn more about Shareevolution at www.shareevolution.org.

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