Content warning: Mention of sexual trauma and pregnancy loss Today's conversation is about our spiritual evolutions and how that plays into our wellness. Spirituality is individual and for those who grew up in the church, that is often your first and largest spiritual influence. There are also some people who start to approach spirituality differently – people who want to have a hybrid of some of those church practices that they grew up with and some of the spiritual practices they learned about...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 237
Today, we’re having a heartfelt conversation with Zuri Adele. Zuri is an actor, currently known for her portrayal of Malika Williams on Freeform’s “Good Trouble.” She is an alumna of Spelman College, UCLA’s school of theater, film, and television, and the British American Drama Academy, and a former acting teacher at both the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa and UCLA. Before “Good Trouble,” Zuri performed on many stages with Georgia Shakespeare, the SITI Company of New ...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 273
Dr. Sarah L. Webb is currently an Assistant Professor in the department of English and Modern Languages at the University of Illinois Springfield. Dr. Webb first wrote publicly about colorism in the summer of 2011 in a post titled: “Colorism: 5 Reasons I Haven’t Said Much… Yet.” After seeing the interest, positive responses, and negative reactions to her early writing on colorism, Dr. Webb recognized the need for a dynamic platform dedicated entirely to this issue. She also saw the need to focus...
Sep 29, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 279
This bonus episode features a brief guided meditation with inspiring mantras to help you de-stress and return to your center. RESOURCES: For full podcast episodes and show notes, visit balancedblackgirl.com Register for our Self-Care for Stress Management Workshop on September 26, 12:00 pm PDT on Zoom. Follow Balanced Black Girl on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook Follow Balanced Black Girl on Twitter Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackg...
Sep 22, 2020•5 min•Ep. 225
Half healer, half businesswoman Maryam Ajayi is both an Energy Healer who practices the Akashic Records, Breathwork and Reiki, and an Entrepreneur, who is the founder of Dive in Well, which creates space, community, conversations, and change for a more diverse and equitable wellness industry through both on and offline experiences. Based in LA, she is passionate about de-stigmatizing the wellness industry, advocating for inclusive spaces for marginalized communities, and using her voice to empow...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 284
Today we’re talking about nutrition for better health and dismantling food inequality with Akua Woolbright, PhD. Dr. Woolbright is an expert in plant-based nutrition who specializes in teaching people how to harness the healing power of foods to prevent and reverse disease, feel great, look younger, and live longer. In 2009, Dr. Woolbright joined Whole Foods Market to help create and implement the company’s signature healthy eating program, blending science and evidence-based recommendations wit...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 269
Today we’re sharing the second part of our conversation with the BROWN GIRL jane team, sitting down with co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Tai Beauchamp. BROWN GIRL jane is a Black woman-owned and founded company that offers broad-spectrum CBD products created especially for women of color. Named one of the 50 most influential people in the multicultural market by WWD, Tai is an award-winning producer, TV host, and brand consultant, known most for her expertise in marketing to women. Formerly a...
Aug 20, 2020•49 min•Ep. 265
In part one of this two-part conversation, we’re sitting down with Nia Jones Alugbin and Malaika Jones Kebede, sisters and co-founders of BROWN GIRL jane. BROWN GIRL jane is a Black woman-owned and founded company that offers broad spectrum CBD products created especially for women of color. Malaika Jones Kebede is co-founder and CEO and started BROWN GIRL jane after falling in love with the healing power of plants and CBD. After suffering spinal nerve damage during the birth of her third child,...
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 253
Today, we’re discussing ways to heal from and cope with racial trauma with our guest, Jacquelyn Ogorchukwu Iyamah. Jacquelyn is a Nigerian American Storyteller and User Experience Designer in the wellness space. She has a degree in Social welfare, where her focus was on making wellness more accessible to overlooked communities. She also has a degree in UX design, where she spent a year researching what it would take to design a platform that reduced the barriers of therapy for Black, Indigenous ...
Aug 04, 2020•59 min•Ep. 290
In this solo episode, Les will dive into the topic of worthiness. While each of us is born inherently worthy, we receive messages that lead us to believe our worthiness is transactional or something we have to earn back. Les will discuss her own struggles with worthiness, along with a guided meditation and journaling exercise that will help you reclaim your worthiness no matter what life throws your way. In this episode, we talk about… Les’s reflections on questioning her own worthiness. Examini...
Jul 28, 2020•20 min•Ep. 273
Today, we’re talking to Dr. Sara C. Flowers. She became the Vice President of Education at PPFA in 2018. An advocate for evidence-informed practice and emotional intelligence in sex education, Sara’s research focuses on fidelity and adaptation of sex education curricula, dismantling sexual and reproductive health disparities, serving the youth of color, and strengthening reproductive health access. In this role, Sara sets the vision, priorities, and strategy for sex education and training at Pla...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 290
Today, we’re talking to Adunola Adeshola, a career strategist and Forbes contributor. She teaches flourishing and unfulfilled corporate professionals how to secure new positions they love at companies they love. Her clients have landed interviews and job offers at Tiffany & Co., Macy's, CBS, BP and other amazing Fortune 500 companies in their industries. Her expertise has also been featured in Bloomberg, Fast Company, Business Insider and other publications. In this episode, we talk about… H...
Jul 07, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 292
Today’s guest is Dr. Kristamarie Collman, a double board certified family medicine doctor. Leveraging her professional background in medicine paired with a natural flair for beauty and style, Dr. Kristamarie takes a holistic approach in helping women to live healthier lives. She empowers women of all ages with tools and tips to “glow up” and ultimately feel their best. Dr. Kristamarie graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Rutgers University – New Brunswick and continu...
Jun 23, 2020•51 min•Ep. 256
We are now in the middle of a global pandemic and cultural revolution at the same time. It’s a lot (to say the least). In this solo episode, Les is discussing the importance of setting boundaries and protecting your energy so you can channel it into the areas of life that make most sense for you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with responding to everyone wanting to check in with you because you’re their go-to “Black friend”, if you’re being put in the position to educate others and are trying to ...
Jun 09, 2020•32 min•Ep. 245
Today’s guest is Jasmine Offor-Verville. Jasmine is a writer, speaker and truth-teller empowering us to unearth our individual Divine Destiny through the lens of Human Design. Her provoking conversations and practice pioneer a new way of being that will allow each of us to see our divine nature. Through her resources, workshops and writing, Jasmine is changing the way we see ourselves so that we no longer have to look out for validation but return back within. In this episode, we talk about… Wha...
May 26, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 245
Today’s guest is Alina Brown, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner co-founder of WellnessCon, and creator of the Aligned Life Planner. Alina creates video content for her Wellness YouTube channel called ‘Alina Alive,’ where she helps her 23,000+ subscribers take practical steps to deepen their wellness journeys. In 2019, Alina co-founded WellnessCon, an annual outdoor wellness conference dedicated to promoting diversity in the wellness space while fostering community for wellness lovers, ...
May 12, 2020•56 min•Ep. 245
Today’s bonus episode is a candid conversation with Les’s mom Trina in honor of Mother’s Day. This episode is a special one, as they talk about navigating motherhood through the different stages of life, and how their mother/daughter relationship has evolved over time. In this episode, we talk about… Trina’s experiences as a teen mom. Breaking generational cycles through intentional parenting. Establishing parent/child relationships well into adulthood. Identities outside of motherhood. Balanced...
May 08, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 292
Today’s guest is Kathleen Booker. She is an effervescent native New Yorker whose energy is infectious. Kathleen is passionate about Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy and knows first-hand the energy, healing, peace, and joy it creates in one’s life. As a certified and insured Breathwork Coach, she has worked with many masters in the field of Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy. For over 10 years, Kathleen has used her Breath coaching and intuitive skills to support individuals in clearly ...
Apr 28, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 271
Today, we’re talking to Adriana Jean Louis, doula and founder of Doula Philosophy. In her final year of college, Adriana submitted a thesis on the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis in the Developed United States through the lens of public policy. In her professional life she runs a private practice, Doula Philosophy and also works jointly with non profit organizations that specifically cater to vulnerable women and families. When working with these organizations, Adriana works directly with adoles...
Apr 14, 2020•54 min•Ep. 251
Today’s guest Patty Dean, also known as Patty Pilates, has been teaching classical Pilates for 20 years. Through her teaching, she has worked with celebrity clients, athletes, children of all abilities and everyone in between. Patty Pilates Style actually started when she was a fashion stylist assistant for a celebrity stylist and fell in love with the method. After being a stay at home Mom she decided to go back to teaching Pilates by making it a little more affordable to Black folks and my Ing...
Mar 31, 2020•42 min•Ep. 252
Today we’re talking to Bridget Todd, political strategist, media personality, and co-host of AFROPUNK’s Solution Sessions Podcast where she focuses on amplifying Black stories globally. Bridget has had an extensive career in media, education and politics. The former Howard University educator is a trained human rights activist and coordinated digital strategy for organizations such as MSNBC, Planned Parenthood, and the Women's March. She also facilitated a training program for political operativ...
Mar 17, 2020•42 min•Ep. 261
Today’s guest is Nadine Joseph, founder and CEO of Peak and Valley, a conscious company that combines ancient wisdom and modern science to make everyday wellness essentials. Nadine has a unique background entrenched in both the worlds of wellness and that of the scientific community. She combines the experiences gleaned from her time studying and conducting neuroscience research at both Johns Hopkins and UCSF with her holistic wellness upbringing. In this episode, we talk about… How stress impac...
Mar 03, 2020•45 min•Ep. 289
Today’s guest is Toya Coleman, creator of Toya from Harlem. Toya From Harlem is an online platform for millennials of color who want to learn more about Locs, history, art and culture without boring pretentious language. Born and raised in Harlem, with a BA in African-American studies, Toya was inspired to create her platform as a way to capture the historical places in Harlem that were being erased in the name of gentrification. Currently, she lives in LA and has expanded her message from Harle...
Feb 18, 2020•42 min•Ep. 242
In today’s episode, Les is holding it down solo discussing listener-submitted topics. Starting off with some reflection on 2019 and a renewed mindset for 2020, this episode gets deep down and personal about family, relocating, dating, manifestation, and more. Whether you’re considering a relocation and are afraid to take the leap, you’re feeling stuck in a situation that you aren’t sure how to navigate, or you’re interested in creating a meditation routine, this episode has something for you! Th...
Feb 04, 2020•44 min•Ep. 241
Today’s guest is Sinikiwe Dhliwayo, a creative and public speaker who for the last decade has made a home at the intersection of wellness and publishing. Sinikiwe has worked in all facets of the photo and magazine publishing industry and oversees photo and video shoots from inception and conception to execution and delivery. Her skills include casting, producing and art direction as well as creative problem solving and most importantly, creating meaningful and impactful connections with target a...
Jan 21, 2020•35 min•Ep. 243
Today, we’re talking to Jennifer Sterling, Registered Dance/Movement Psychotherapist and Holistic Nutritionist. She is also the Creator of Bodyful Healing, a wellness platform that offers body-based, holistic support to Black women living with depression. In 2019, Jennifer’s book Dear Strong Black Woman: Letters of Nourishment and Reflection from One Strong Black Woman to Another was published. Dear Strong Black Woman is a collection of 31 letters of nourishment and connection from one strong Bl...
Jan 07, 2020•45 min•Ep. 249
Today we’re talking to Shena Tubbs, a Relational Trauma and Attachment Specialist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Love Addiction Coach based out of Houston, TX. She is the founder of Black Girls Heal, an online community dedicated to helping women of color break the cycles of unavailable relationships and feeling not enough by healing what's within. In addition to Black Girls Heal, Shena has a private practice where she specializes in helping women heal from unresolved childhood relational...
Dec 23, 2019•52 min•Ep. 270
Today, we’re talking to Sojourner White. Sojourner is a traveling scholar whose experiences as a Fulbright Fellow in Spain and service year as a Pubic Ally with AmeriCorps led her to become an International Social Worker. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, her travel journey started in the U.S. with her family, however studying Spanish opened her eyes to the world of international travel. Since studying abroad in 2015, she has traveled from Mexico to Morocco and many European countries in between...
Dec 10, 2019•55 min•Ep. 257
Today, we’re talking to Shirin Eskandani, life coach, public speaker, and writer who specializes in mindfulness and mindset work. She has been a featured wellness expert on the Today Show and Cosmopolitan Magazine. Certified by the International Coach Federation, her holistic approach to transformation is influenced by her background in guided meditation, spirituality, and the arts. Prior to building her successful coaching business, she was an award-winning opera singer, performing at Carnegie ...
Nov 26, 2019•56 min•Ep. 291
Today, in partnership with BECU, I’m sitting down with millennial money expert Tonya Rapley of My Fab Finance to discuss the importance of financial wellness. Tonya’s mission is to help millennials break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck so they can become financially free and do more of what they love. Selected by TV One as a modern-day history maker, Tonya is a full-time entrepreneur and tours the country providing workshops for private and nonprofit clients. Her fierce financial advice...
Nov 12, 2019•45 min•Ep. 248
