Wellness for Black Girls

In Ep 16 of the podcast we talked about healing from the effects of internalized racism and inferiority. In this episode we're going to continue the conversation by diving into the healing process by uncovering the concepts of self-love and self-acceptance. These terms, especially self-love, are the sort of terms we commonly hear thrown around within the wellness space, but it can be hard to know what they mean in a tangible way. So in this episode we'll  discuss the meaning behind these terms and tease out ways that we can tangibly incorporate these concepts into our lives.  Plus journal prompts!Be sure to download your FREE Vision Casting workbook which I designed  to help guide you through a personal vision casting and goal-setting journey. We'll start by doing some decluttering to make way for a refreshed vision and clearer goals. Then we'll focus on your top priority goals for the next 6 months. This workbook is sure to encourage you on your self-love journey.Download your FREE Vision Casting Workbook HERE!

Have you ever found yourself taking an unplanned, but much needed, break from something? What about a break from something you genuinely enjoy?Well, that's exactly what happened with me and podcasting. Life happened (i.e. recovering from a toxic workplace) and my mind and body forced me to rest.In this episode, I share: What influenced the break in detailSome of the events and my reflections during the break plus a fun announcementTips and words of encouragement to inspire you to allow yourself, your goals and the vision for your life to expandA FREE workbook designed to guide you through your vision casting journeyDownload it HERE.

Join TaReon as she shares what she's been learning about internalized racism and the steps she's taking towards healing from the effects of it.Show Notes

We're back! It’s officially Black History Month 2021 in the US and Canada, and recently President Biden signed executive actions to help work towards racial equity in our nation. These recent "happenings", as well as, my recent exploration of the film series, Small Axe by Steve McQueen, got me thinking about racial justice issues and generational trauma and healing. So in this episode we'll discuss generational trauma and explore generational healing with journal prompts to help us on our journeys.Show Notes

In this month's episode, you'll hear some words of encouragement and journal prompts to help you reflect on the past year in a way that builds up your resilience and hope for the future.I'll be taking some time to implement some changes I have in mind for the podcast, so the next episode will go live on February 4th, 2021! Show Notes

Tune in to our second interview on the podcast with Public School Educator and Curriculum Writer, Melissa Nikohl. Melissa Nikohl has been an educator for 10 years. She currently teaches in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On her blog, www.melissanikohl.com, she writes about education by sharing tips and resources for educators. In this episode, we talk about…Overcoming mental barriers while pursuing new career opportunitiesSelf-care practices to use after leaving a toxic workplaceBuilding healthy relationships with students and parentsDiscussing diversity and inclusion with kidsWebsite: melissanikohl.comInstagram: @melissanikohlYouTube: Melissa NikohlPinterest: Melissa NikohlSHOW NOTESSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

October is the first full month of fall (in the northern hemisphere!) and the start of quarter 4. It’s the home stretch of the year just before the excitement of the holiday season sets in.Listen in to the episode to hear eight self-reflection journal prompts designed to help you capture the mood of the fall season.Grab your own FREE copy of the 8 Self-Reflection Journal Prompts from the episode. HERENew episodes go live on the first Thursday of each month!Show NotesSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

September is Self-Care Awareness Month. Oftentimes when we hear the word self care it’s used as a buzzword. In this episode we'll talk about what self care really means by briefly reflecting on the history of the term and eight suggestions to help us on our self-care journeys.References and Resources MentionedSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

In this episode we have our very first guest on the show, Mr. Tyrone Beverly. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Im’Unique, a non-profit organization based out of Denver, Colorado that is dedicated to uniting the community and fostering healthy lifestyles within those communities. Listen in as we discuss Tyrone’s upbringing and how it led him to begin his mind-body journey and the creation of Im’Unique. We also get a chance to hear Tyrone recite and break down the Poetic Flow and hear about the free, upcoming online event, What Happens Next, which will take place August 22nd, 2020.Links and Resources Mentioned In The EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

In this episode we’re jumping back into the dimensions of wellness to talk about financial wellness. For a lot of us talking about finances can be touchy, but our financial wellness impacts our health, especially our mental health, profoundly. So we’re going to talk about it and reflect on what financial wellness means and what it means for Black women.Complete the survey for a chance to win a $50 gift card to BLK & GRN. Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

In this episode we'll talk about the prevalence of mental illness, the types of mental health stigma and its impact, as well as tips on how we can work to end mental health stigma. Complete the Getting to Know You Survey for a chance to win a $50 gift card to BLK & GRN. Click HEREResources from the episodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

July is National Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, so, in keeping with the theme for this month, I share a bit about my mental health journey. I share this with the hopes that, by me opening up, it will help normalize the conversations we have about mental health in the Black community. I also hope that it will encourage others who are battling mental illness to reach out for help when they need it.I’ll also share:Information on the complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, mind- body medicine.The science behind different mind-body practices.Seven of the best holistic lifestyle practices for optimal well-being, especially as it relates to mental health. Resources from the episodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

I want to start out by giving a shout out to my Mom. At the time this episode is published on June 25 2020, my Mom will be a few days away from being officially retired! Can I take a moment to talk about my mom for a minute? Some of my earliest memories of her are of her dressed up in her military uniform and headed to work. She was a nurse in the Air Force at the time, so she would be in her white nurses uniform or, on special occasions, in her dress uniform. I remember how she styled her hair and makeup, as wells as, how she wore her jewelry. It was so subtle, classy, stylish, and, of course, within regulation. I loved her sassy bob hairstyle, berry colored lipstick, and chic stud earrings. I loved seeing her all dressed up, making her own money, and doing her thing in her career. When I was a little girl I pictured myself doing exactly the same, because most, if not all, of the Black women in my life, like my mom, worked full time outside of the home. This wasn’t a coincidence...Black women have always been expected to work and according to data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics Black women have had the highest labor force participation among all women for years. So for me growing up I assumed that I’d be doing the same, because it just was what it was. Our mothers certainly paved the way for us within the workforce, and they found ways to care for themselves and everyone else in the process. How do we, as millennial Black women, carry the torch? How do we preserve our health and wellness while navigating our career journeys in a way that honors the generations before us while holding true to our values? In this episode we'll:Define occupational wellness Hear five tips to help us practice self-care at workShow NotesSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

How are you doing? That’s the question we’ve been hearing a lot of lately. And we’ve been letting people know that, “We are not okay.” There’s so much going on in the world right now. Tensions are high, and we’re all feeling the weight of it in one way or another. For me, as a Black woman, in the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” I know there are many others who feel the same. What do we do when we feel like this? What can we do to take care of ourselves while also taking action? For many of us we practice self-care which includes leaning on our faith. Research has found that Black women rely on religion and spirituality to cope with many if not all aspects of their lives including navigating issues of race, class and gender oppression. And by doing so we tend to our spiritual wellness. In this episode we’ll: define spiritual wellness, hear some facts about the health benefits of tending to our spiritual wellness, and learn six ways to care for our spirits during difficult times.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

Have you been watching this season of Insecure on HBO? *No spoilers. I promise. If you’re not familiar with the show, then let me share a brief bit about it. It’s an HBO show which was created by Issa Rae who stars as Issa Dee. Throughout the show we watch Issa’s journey as she navigates both her professional and personal life while living in L.A. One of the things I love about the show is that we get to see her experiences with her girls/sister-friends/sister circle. We also get to see how those experiences impact her in so many ways. The show is currently about midway through season 4, and we’re seeing conflict between Issa and her best friend, Molly. This has had me thinking about social support networks and their impact on our overall health and wellness. I’ve also been thinking about how we can strengthen, create, and, in Issa and Molly’s case, work towards healing our social support relationships. So in this episode we’re going to learn about social wellness and how we can nurture it in our lives through the use of sister friendships. In this episode, we'll talk about:What social wellness is.Different types of social support.Health benefits of social support.Brief history of sister circles within the Black community.Tips on how to strengthen, create, and mend broken friendships.Resources Mentioned In This EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

In this episode we’re going to talk about intellectual wellness and learn a bit about misogynoir. This is inspired by an episode of the Carefree and Black Diaries which is hosted by Shaakira White. In October of 2019 she did a series during the month of October which she called Blacktober. During that time she highlighted various topics that affect the Black community and one of the topics she covered was misogynoir. When I heard Shaakira introduce this topic I was instantly intrigued. Since that time I've been reading about the topic itself, as well as, some of the conversations and discussions that have taken place since the term was first introduced. Right now some of us are still under Stay-At-Home orders and practicing social distancing. However, we know that as humans we are hardwired for connection. Many of us are meeting that need for connection by having regular phone calls or video chats with our friends and family members. Engaging in discussions and conversations, as well as, learning new topics are an integral part of enhancing our intellectual wellness. In this episode we’ll discuss:Intellectual wellnessMisogynoirExamples of misogynoirWays to heal from the effects of misogynoirResources Mentioned In this EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

At the time this episode is released it is Spring 2020. If you’re anything like me, you love spring! In the spirit of the new season and the warmer temperatures that come with it we’re going to talk about environmental wellness and getting outdoors.In light of the current pandemic, we want to use good judgement, and decide if we can safely leave the house or not. If we live in a place where we can safely get to an outdoor space while maintaining the recommended social distance of six feet away from others, then we can engage in the outdoor activity. But if we live in a place where we cannot safely do so, then we will need to hold off on being outside. This podcast episode will be available to return to for ideas when we get through this pandemic.In this episode we’ll discuss:Environmental wellnessBenefits of getting outdoorsChallenges to getting outdoors and ways to overcome themResources Mentioned In the EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

In today's episode we’re going to discuss emotional wellness and self-care tips for those within the essential workforce. I want to dedicate this episode to all of those within the essential workforce especially our healthcare workers. I want to also encourage all of those who have been negatively impacted by the effects of SARS-CoV-2, which we know as Covid-19. I know a lot of people are finding themselves navigating career transitions and feeling a sense of job insecurity right now. I want to always be sensitive to what my listeners are going through. Please know that you have my prayers and thoughts throughout this time. I know it’s been said many times before, but we will get through this. In this episode we'll discuss:My experience working in an essential industry during the Covid-19 pandemicEmotional wellnessThe burden on Black Americans within the essential workforceSelf-care tips for essential workers Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)

Welcome to the first episode of the Wellness for Black Girls Podcast! In this episode I share:A bit about myself A brief message explaining why I decided to launch now in light of the COVID-19 pandemicThe inspiration for the podcast The eight dimensions of wellness and what they mean for Black WomenResources From Today’s EpisodeSupport the show (https://www.ko-fi.com/wellnessforblackgirls)