Dr. Alaiyia Nicole Williams, DSW, LCSW-BACS (Dr. Lai) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist, and Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor who specializes in working with Transgender and Gender-Diverse individuals. Alaiyia is also a Black Transgender Woman, who has great understanding of the inequities, stress, and emotional health concerns that plague her community. In addition to her passion for Transgender mental health equity and access, Alaiyia is centered in working toward the advancement of disenfranchised people of color and oppressed individuals of all intersections of identity, fuels her intense aspirations and fight for social justice.
 

     Dr. Lai was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. Her down-home upbringing is at the foundation of her strong commitment to family and authenticity. Her educational accolades include a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, Louisiana), a Master of Science in Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, Texas), and a Doctoral Social Work (DSW) degree from Tulane University's School of Social Work (New Orleans, Louisiana). Dr. Lai has been practicing as a Licensed Clinician in the field of social work for over 10 years in a variety of settings and is licensed in various states across the United States. The opportunity to provide services in a variety of jurisdictions has afforded Dr. Lai the opportunity to develop a vivid and extensive knowledge-base as well as an immensely savvy expertise for navigating systems and resources often utilized by the individuals and communities she serves.

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     Dr. Lai also works tirelessly to remain present in community through activism, education, and community initiatives; especially in regard to issues related to Transgender, gender-diverse, and LGBTQIA+ equity and access disparities. She is currently serving on the PFLAG of New Orleans Board of Trustees Member (formerly serving as Chair of the 2022-2023 Scholarship Committee), the Transgender Strategy Center (Los Angeles, California), the Louisiana State Department of Health's RIAB Advisory Board, and on the LGBTQIA+ Task Force of the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. Dr. Lai also partners with several other entities in the community to serve the overall fight against oppression. 
 

    Dr. Lai asserts that it is her ultimate aspiration to support her clients in achieving a state of their own version of inner-peace, a sense of empowerment and self-autonomy, and an overall improvement in self-in their sense of self-worth; thus contributing to an improved quality of life!

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