a space to breathe: a podcast for black men

In this episode, Diallo Smith and Brennan Steele open up an honest conversation around grief in all its forms, not just bereavement, but also the grief that comes with life transitions, identity shifts, strained friendships, and unspoken losses. Together, they explore how grief can show up quietly in our everyday lives and how we can begin to process it with compassion, faith, and intentionality.Tune in for reflections, personal stories, and practical insights that will help you name your grief and move through it, one moment at a time.Follow us on Instagram:

Welcome to a special crossover series from In This Moment and A Space to BreatheIn this first episode, we're diving into spiritual bypassing—what it is, how it shows up in faith spaces, and why it's important to name and navigate it. Listeners can expect real talk, personal stories, and practical insights on how to move from surface-level spirituality to deeper healing and honest faith.Let's breathe, reflect, and be fully present—in this moment

We're officially pausing from the pod. Check out this update from Brennan to find out why, what's next, and hear reflections from creating space for Black men. Thank you so much for your engagement with this content. This is not goodbye - just see you later ! Keep up with Brennan on IG @iambrennansteele. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

This week, we have another new guest, LG Collier, who shares Brennan's experience of being a father while also a full-time student. We talk about our experiences as showing up in ways that aren't necessarily common according to societal standards and how we navigate the pressures we feel in that. We have a fruitful conversation about presence, masculinity, and prioritizing family. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode, Brennan welcomes a new guest, Ray Henderson, the founder of the nonprofit, Helping Inspire Men, here in Memphis. We discuss the journey of following your purpose and the realities of loneliness that come along with it. We talk about what it means to be true and authentic to who you know you're becoming and how to navigate the external and internal changes that you may face as well. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

In this episode, Sir G comes back to the show and we discuss the impact of societal expectations of gender and relationships on the way we show up as men for our families. We discuss the ways in which our views and expectations were challenged, and how we attempt to show up as healthily for our spouses and children. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode, Matt joins us and we discuss our thought processes as it comes to balancing the many roles we hold as men. We talk about priorities, core values, and important considerations we should have as men. We also talk about whether we always have to be tired, or if there is another way. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

It can often feel like we as Black men don't have space or permission to grieve. Between feeling like we have to stay strong for those around us and feeling like we are less "manly" if we show anything but anger, it can feel like we have to just silence our emotions even in the face of loss. Rico comes on the show and we talk about how we can allow ourselves to grieve as black men. We also talk about the different types of grief that extend beyond losing a loved one. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

Do you find your worth in what you do? Are you allowing work to take over to the point where you aren't taking care of yourself? Do you give yourself space to rest, brotha? These and other questions were tackled with our guy Trey on this episode of the pod. We discuss our respective journeys with worth and work and the impact of prioritizing our wellness on those around us. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

And we back! We're officially starting back up with Season 4 and jumping back into real conversations about the Black male experience. Matt joins us for the first episode of the season and we discuss the nuance of friendship amongst Black men. We discuss levels of friendship, the need for vulnerability and trust, the difference between consistency and depth, and how we navigate friendship hurt. We're diving into topic in hopes that we see you and also challenge you, brotha. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG at his NEW handle @iambrennansteele Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On the season finale of the Heal, Brotha series, Brennan shares his story of healing from the shame around the way he shows up in his own masculinity. He talks about some of his childhood wounds, how has worked on healing in this area, as well as how he navigates masculinity as a husband and father. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode of the Heal, Brotha Series, we talk with Terence Gray about his experiences with anxiety and depression. We discussed how finding identity in work led to these outcomes and the steps he took to start to heal from a toxic work environment. Additionally, discuss how men can show up in their work more healthy and whole. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

For this week's episode, we still down with one of the OG supporters of Breathe Brotha, Randall Thomas. We talk about what is like to start to heal from our fear of failure, and the ways in which the preoccupation with not being failure leads us to show up inauthentically in our relationships and overcompensate in unhealthy ways. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode, we sit down with Jevon Wooden, and he shares lessons learned from his own healing journey. We talk about healing the inner child, taking ownership of your own healing, and the various obstacles that Jevon faced in his own healing journey that required a decision to be choose differently. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

In this episode of the Heal, Brotha series, our special guest, Charles Evans, talks about his healing journey as he reckoned with a stark difference between his expectations and realities. We talk about admission of hurt, grieving, and learning how to trust again after being wronged. As always, we hope you feel seen, brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

This week for our Heal, Brotha Series, Devin Smith shares his healing journey after being incarcerated for a DWI that killed the other driver. We talk about how he navigated incarceration, the circumstances in his own life that he feels contributed to the incident, and the importance of grieving and journaling as part of one's healing journey. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

As we continue our Heal, Brotha. Series, Brennan talked with licensed therapist Charles Robinson-Snead about his healing journey that included healing from abuse of various forms. We talk about his story, his process of disconnecting from trauma-informed identities, and his process of deconstructing and reconstructing his faith in the context of his story. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. You can follow Charles on IG @madeprodigy_ You can follow his brand pages at @colourmymindco and @brownbrothers.cmm --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

Tap in as we continue our Heal, Brotha Series and hear real stories of healing from Black men. In this episode, therapist and author Kevin Overton-Hadnot joins and discusses how a part of his healing process has been developing a deeper understanding of his authentic self and being willing to show up with vulnerability. We talk about what it means to be vulnerable and how it influences the healing process. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode, we're continuing our "Heal, Brotha" series and talking with Shammarie Brown (@servantbrown) about the hard decisions he had to make for his mental health and healing. We discuss what it's like to step away from what appears good in order to prioritize yourself. Shammarie lets us into his journey with grief, anxiety, and learning to be kind to his mind. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

Welcome to Season 3! For the first of this season, we will be talking to a few different brothas as a part of series called "Heal, Brotha." In this series, Brennan will be talking to brothas about their real stories of healing and what it looks like for them to heal in different areas of their lives. Our first guest is Artez Henderson, and he shares about his journey in healing from the wounds from his father's absence. He talks about the real impacts of this wound on him and those around him, what it practically looks like to heal, and the steps he is taking to not only be better for himself but show up as a better father for his family. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

On this episode, we close out Season 2 after a long break as Brennan adjusted to life as a father. We flipped the script as Matt interviewed Brennan about his experience. We talk about the bright spots and challenges, as well as the lessons that Brennan has learned so far on his fatherhood journey. We are BACK! We're kicking off Season 3 with an exciting miniseries hearing real stories of Black men healing. You won't want to miss this! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

What does success mean? What does failure mean? How do we navigate each of them as Black men? On this episode, SirG comes back to the pod and we discuss the answers to these questions and our experiences with success and failure as Black men. As always, we hope you feel seen, brotha! This episode will serve as the last episode before we pause for a bit while Brennan adjusts to fatherhood. We hope to be back in a few weeks! Stay tuned. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

For our BHM episode, Matt comes on the show to talk about what it means to leave a legacy. We talk about how legacy can extend beyond financial matters, the importance of black men leaving legacies, how it relates to our history as Black people, as well as a little bit about the legacies we are creating for our families and future generations. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

It often seems easier, safer, and even smarter for Black men to show up as versions of ourselves that are not authentic and to remain guarded with those around us. So many things in our daily lives tell us that authenticity and vulnerability render us weak. In this episode, Rico stops by the pod and we discuss the ways in which authenticity is actually power and vulnerability is truly courageous for Black men. As always, we hope you feel seen, brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

Joy may seem like an inaccessible emotion for many black men. Between the realities of black manhood and the pressures we may find in our every day lives, it can be hard to experience true joy. In this episode, Matt and Brennan talk about their experiences with joy and why it is important for black men to experience it. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

This has been a tough few weeks in Memphis. We're learning more and more about the death of a Black man named Tyre Nichols as a result of bodily harm inflicted by five local police officers. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the first time we've seen this, and it is almost guaranteed not to be the last. Trey popped on the show to create space to process how these instances of Black death and racial trauma impact us as Black men. To the family of Tyre - we are with you and we stand by you. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

Finding purpose and why is all the buzz, especially at the top of a new year. Yet, what does this look like for black men? Does it even feel accessible in the same way as seems for mainstream culture? Justin comes back through the pod and he and Brennan dive into this topic and encourage black men to dream! As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspacetobreathe/support

And we back! On this first episode of the season, Matt jumps back on the pod and we talk about what we've been up to since Season 1 ended, Brennan's reflections as fatherhood swiftly arrives, lessons from 2022, and how we're approaching 2023. We hope you enjoy this episode as we warm-up for the next season! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

For our final episode of season 1, Brennan talks to his dad, Allan. They have a candid conversation about the ups and downs of their relationship, Allan offers advice to Brennan as the father-to-be, and they take another important step in healing their relationship. We hope this gives you the courage to talk to the loved ones in your life and that you seek healing in your own relationships! We'll be back in 2023 for Season 2! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

We have seen a wide range of images of black masculinity this year in the media. From Will Smith's slap heard round the world to Kanye's anti-semitic comments and John Wall's vulnerability about his mental health struggles, there's been a wide range of depictions of black manhood in popular culture. This week, Brennan sits down with his brotha Mario and attempts to make sense of each of these men's portrayals as well as the implications for how we show up as everyday black men. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

As men, we're not taught how to deal with emotions like fear and anxiety, even though we all feel them at certain points. Instead of working to understand and process them, we stuff them and they come out in other less healthy or effective ways. On this week's episode, we brought Matt back on to start to talk about the difference between fear and anxiety, the things we are fearful of and anxious about, and how we navigate these emotions. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

If you don't know by now, Brennan is going to be a father soon! This is exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time, so we brought our brotha, SirG back on the pod to help him process through the beauty, responsibility, and fears of being a dad - a #GirlDad in particular. We also talked about being a father even in spite of our varied relationships with our fathers, and why Black fatherhood is so important, specifically. If you're a father, or you're anticipating fatherhood, join in on this process session as we all breathe together. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

On this episode, Rico joins us again and we discuss boundaries and self-care. More specifically, we discuss what it means to set boundaries, how they serve as a form of self-care, our own journeys with setting boundaries, and how they impact us in our manhood. If you're struggling to set and maintain your own boundaries, we hope this gives you a good starting point. As always, we hope you've feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

On this episode, Justin jumped back on the show, and we had an authentic conversation about the pressures we feel as men. We talk about external and internalized pressure, the impacts of unhealthy levels of pressure, and how we can start to release some of the pressure we feel as men. As always, we hope you feel seen and can resonate with some of what was said! Follow and subscribe if you like the content we're putting out! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

So many men we know (including us!) have struggled with loneliness. I brought Matt back on the show to talk about our experiences with loneliness, why we think men experience it, and its impacts on us as men. We also talk about how to get connected to others to start building your community. As always, we hope this episode sees you and helps you a little bit a long the way. Follow and subscribe if you like the content we're putting out! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

Faith and the church are major influencers in the ways we show up as people, and they can definitely be a part of how we understand what it means to be a man. On today's episode, I sit down with two of the pastors from my church and my friends, Mike and SirG. We talked about formations of manhood in the church, how Jesus and the Word actually give us space to identify with our emotions as men, and the importance of therapy as a complement to our faith. Tap in! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

Men struggle with body image, too! So why don't we really talk about it? On this episode, I sit down with my brotha Rico and we dive into our own journeys and struggles with body image, why we think men don't talk about it, and share some advice and encouragement from what we've learned as black men who struggle with body image. As always, we hope you feel seen by this episode wherever you find yourself in relationship to your body. Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

The answer to the question of what it means to be a man is still pretty elusive. On this episode, I sit down with my brotha, Trey Willis, and we attempt to parse through some aspects of manhood. We discuss the formation of masculinity, the impacts of our relationship, or lack thereof, with our fathers, and the sacrifice that comes as men show up for their families and in the world. We hope you feel seen in this episode, as we offer one perspective of the implications of manhood for black men. Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and colleague, Matt, and we talk about expressing emotions as black men. Specifically, we talk about the guidance, or lack thereof, we received in learning how to express emotions, why it is not acceptable in society for men to express their emotions, and the implications for us as men when we don't have a means to release and emote. We're all about knowing how you feel and learning how to express it, so I hope this encourages you to start to lean in more and be honest with yourself about where you really are. Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @breathebrotha Find "breathe: a guided healing journal for black men" on Amazon or any online bookstore.

In this episode, I sit down with my best friend, best man, and brotha, Justin and talk black men and community. We talk about the importance of having deep friendships and brotherhood with other black men, how friendships mirror other relationships, and navigating the seasonality of friendship. We spend a lot of time talking about the story and nature of our friendship, so I hope you take something from the episode to apply to your brothas!

Check out our trailer for a new podcast with author, educator, and mental wellness advocate Brennan Allan Steele as the host. On this podcast, we hold and create space for black men to breathe. By breathing we mean being whole, fully ourselves, as well as open and vulnerable without the pressures we feel as black men in our personal lives, professional lives, and society in general.