Today we’d like to introduce you to Anansia Leslie-Bailey.
Hi Anansia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I Do Therapy began as an idea in March 2024.
At the time, I was several months away from completing my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Nova Southeastern University, while simultaneously planning a larger-scale wedding. My husband and I had eloped in 2018 and were finally ready to celebrate with a full wedding.
As the planning process unfolded, I found myself increasingly agitated, stressed, and overwhelmed, largely due to the financial strain and emotional pressures that often accompany wedding planning. I recognized that I needed support to navigate my emotions, so I began searching for therapists who specifically supported brides during the wedding planning process. To my surprise, I found none.
I expanded my search across Canada and the United States and quickly realized that this was an untapped area. At the time, there were no mental health professionals intentionally working at the intersection of therapy and the wedding industry.
That realization sparked something. I sat down at my computer, wrote out a business and action plan, and the vision for I Do Therapy was born.
I learned everything from scratch, how to start a business, navigate tax implications across both the U.S. and Canada, and build a practice that could serve clients in Florida, Toronto and the Northwest Territories. I relied on YouTube, my professional network, research, and a lot of trial and error. To fund the startup, I worked two jobs: one full-time role and a part-time therapy position at another practice.
In February 2025, I Do Therapy officially launched.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a turbulent but rewarding journey. Mental health training is slowly being adopted within the wedding industry. While many wedding professionals focus on burnout affecting themselves and their teams, there has been limited to no training centered on recognizing mental health concerns in couples during the wedding planning process.
One of the ongoing challenges has been hesitancy from wedding professionals to invest in this type of training. Because the concept is still new and innovative, many are questioning whether mental health training is truly necessary within the wedding industry.
My response to that has always been simple: there is no downside to learning how to support couples who are in distress.
We have already seen this model work in other industries. For example, mental health training for hairstylists, referred to as psychohairapy, has equipped professionals with the skills to better support their clients emotionally. I believe the wedding industry can do the same.
Couples are navigating complex challenges: family dynamics, boundary-setting, financial stressors, social media comparison, body image concerns during dress fittings, and much more. Why not equip ourselves with the language and skills to support couples through these moments, offering them a truly luxurious experience that goes beyond aesthetics and is rooted in compassion, care, and emotional safety?
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I Do Therapy is rooted in changing how we support relationships during major life transitions, especially engagement, wedding planning, and early marriage. Weddings are often framed as nothing but joy, but the reality is that they can bring up stress, conflict, financial pressure, family dynamics, body image concerns, and comparison. I believe couples deserve support through these moments, not just when things fall apart.
At the core of my work is Imago Relationship Therapy, which focuses on communication struggles between partners. I use structured dialogue, mirroring, validation, and empathy to help couples slow down, really hear each other, and feel understood. This approach strengthens communication and deepens connection, particularly during emotionally charged seasons.
What makes my work different is the focus on prevention. I don’t see therapy as a last resort. I support couples before issues escalate, and I also work closely with wedding professionals who are often holding space for couples during some of their most vulnerable moments. Through training, workshops, and consultations, I help wedding professionals recognize emotional distress, communicate with care, and better support the couples they serve, while also addressing burnout and high stress within their own roles.
In addition to therapy, I offer intimate destination pre-marital and post-marital couples retreats in Jamaica and Southeast Florida. These retreats are intentionally designed to slow couples down, remove them from everyday pressures, and create space for reconnection, reflection, and healing grounded in warmth, culture, and intentional presence.
I also provide virtual therapy services to clients across Florida, allowing couples to access support wherever they are, while maintaining the same depth of care and connection.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that I Do Therapy brings mental health into spaces where it hasn’t always been welcomed or prioritized, particularly within the wedding industry. The brand is honest, approachable, and grounded in real experiences.
What I want readers to know is this: a truly luxurious experience isn’t just about how something looks, it’s about how safe, supported, and understood people feel. That belief guides every offering, service, and collaboration within I Do Therapy.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’m less influenced by specific apps or podcasts and more by the relationships and conversations around me. My work is rooted in listening, both professionally and personally, and I find that real insight comes from slowing down, reflecting, and staying connected to people. That intentional presence helps me stay grounded and do my best work.
Pricing:
- Couples Therapy 55 mins $145 USD
- Individual Therapy $130 USD
- Family Therapy $160 USD
- Mental Health Training for Wedding Professionals Custom workshops, consultations, and trainings. Pricing varies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ido-therapy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anansia_bailey/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571725927070
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anansialeslie-bailey
- Other: https://linktr.ee/anansialesliebailey
Image Credits
Amanda Shear Photography
