Edwin Swaray '05
Co-Owner and CFO
BA ’05 (College of Liberal Arts)
Alumni Association Member
About VEEMAH Consulting
VEEMAH is a community mental health organization that was founded in 2018. VEEMAH staff includes a licensed psychologist (LP), a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC), licensed social workers, and mental health therapists. VEEMAH offers accessible, compassionate, culturally responsive, and evidence-based mental health services to individuals and families. VEEMAH specializes in providing culturally specific treatment to BIPOC clients, including African immigrants and refugee populations. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 88 percent of its mental health workforce is white, and less than 3 percent is Black. This positions VEEMAH, co-owned by Black immigrants from Africa, to help alleviate the acute needs by providing culturally responsive mental health services for immigrants and people of color. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Therefore, in addition to providing mental health services to BIPOC clients, VEEMAH is also intentional in offering training to students, particularly BIPOC students, to confront the critical shortage of providers of color.
VEEMAH co-owners are married and University of Minnesota alumni. Edwin N. Swaray is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor and Dr. Vivian Ballah-Swaray is a Licensed Psychologist. VEEMAH staff also includes 12 full-time employees, 4 independent contractors, and a mental health intern.
Address
7070 Brooklyn Blvd
Brooklyn Center, MN 55429
Contact
About Edwin
Edwin Nyumah Swaray, MA, LADC, is the co-owner, CFO, and consultant at VEEMAH Consulting. Prior to working in behavioral health, Edwin attained a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota. At the university, he worked at the Minnesota Daily, the student-run newspaper, covering stories about international students and their activities on campus. After graduation, Edwin worked for various newspapers and online publications before publishing his own magazine: Afro Magazine (now defunct).
Edwin has a master’s degree in health and human services administration and a graduate certificate in addiction studies. He is a Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT) approved supervisor for LADC professionals. Edwin is also an adjunct faculty in the graduate studies program at a local university and is a member of the Racial Justice and Healing Commission of the Episcopal Church of Minnesota (ECMN). Edwin has worked in the field of behavioral health for more than 12 years. His interest in the fields of human services and substance use disorder comes from his strong belief that when empowered and given the right support and encouragement, individuals can overcome adversities to change their circumstances.
Edwin draws from his experiences living as a refugee in West Africa and as an immigrant living in the United States. Those experiences cultivated his belief that the ability of the human spirit to achieve a life of peace and serenity must begin in an environment that nurtures and develops confidence and hope. Edwin’s approach to treatment is holistic, focusing on the mind-body-spirit. He is a constant force in helping others recognize the needs of diverse populations in the field of behavioral health. Exploring opportunities and thinking outside the box are continual motivators for Edwin in his practice, and he nurtures these strengths in other people.
