10 Black Podcasts About Healing You Should Be Listening To Now
With an ever-growing list of to-dos, responsibilities that have no chill, and personal obligations, it’s no wonder so many of us are looking for ways to cultivate calm in our daily lives. That goes double for me. In the pursuit of inner work and inner peace, I have found myself gravitating to podcasts that exude self-improvement, self-development, and most importantly, self-care. Listening to podcasts has become a daily ritual and instantly makes me feel as though I am actively pouring into my own cup.
If you are looking for podcasts to help you on your healing journey, look no further. Keep scrolling for podcasts about healing by Black people that absolutely need to be in your rotation.
1.Sensual Self with Ev’Yan Whitney
Sensual Self
Previously titled "The Sexually Liberated Woman," Ev’Yan Whitney’s beloved podcast has since evolved to make space for their new identity and is now called Sensual Self with Ev'Yan Whitney. As a nonbinary sexuality doula, Ev’Yan prides themselves with helping all people to thrive in the message that sensuality is an innate part of their being. You just have to dare to put in the work for self-pleasure and your self-relationship. One of the cornerstones of their work is the question, “What do I need in this moment in order to feel good?” It’s a question of self-reflection we could all afford to ask ourselves a little more.
Start here:“47. Pleasure-Centered and Unfuckwithable”
2.Black Girls Heal
Host Shena Lashey acts as the trauma-whisperer in her Black Girls Heal podcast, addressing topics like self-worth issues, healthy and unhealthy attachments, and intimacy. Her goal is to give Black women the tools they need to seek and thrive in connections that truly serve them. She does this by providing women with the tools they need to understand what they are worthy of and what is beneath them.
Start here:“93. Healing Your Mother Wound”
3.Balanced Black Girl
Balanced Black Girl
For a weekly dose of wellness, this one is a tried-and-true personal favorite. Hosted by Les, Balanced Black Girl is a podcast centered on approachable health, self-care, self-improvement, and holistic—sometimes imperfect—wellness. A force on her own, she also invites guests from time to time who are industry experts on various topics rooted in Black self-care and Black wellness. Through her podcast, Les makes it clear that wellness can look different to different people, but we can live well and thrive all the same.
Start here:“68. Setting Boundaries and Protecting Your Energy”
4.Black Girl Burn Out
Licensed therapist Kelly Bonner is the host of Black Girl Burn Out, a podcast dedicated to helping Black women navigate the stress of day-to-day life. Feeling overworked and undervalued is something many Black women experience in life, in work, and in love. Years of internalizing being everything to everyone can do that to you. Episodes either focus on a pain point or on something to either “opt into” or “opt out of” that can help usher in a more healed version of yourself. Black Girl Burn Out provides a 15-minute reset of how to heal from the various forms of burnout we can encounter.
Start here: “Opt-Into Living A Full Life”
5.The Self-Love Fix
The Self-Love Fix
The Self-Love Fix is a popular podcast catering to women of color and helping them tap into their highest selves. Through a combination of expert guests and personal experiences, host Beatrice Kamau offers a relatable and resonating take on all things personal development, self-love, self-care, and self-worth. Be it mental health, relationships, friendship, astrology, worthiness, or self-doubt, Beatrice offers a weekly dose of insight that is absolutely what the doctor ordered.
Start here: “72. Embodying Your Worth”
6.Black Girl Existing
Black Girl Existing is a space where Black women can come to heal themselves. The mission is clear: to remind Black women of their power in a world that seeks to shrink them and make them feel like they are not enough. BGE is a podcast that fuels its listeners mentally, spiritually, and emotionally while ensuring that they instill them with a framework for healthy self-care.
7.Manifest Daily
Manifest Daily
A spiritual and lifestyle podcast, Manifest Daily is hosted by content creator Dheandra Nicolette. In it, Dheandra talks about affirmation, self-love, self-care, and of course manifestation. As with other podcasts mentioned on this list, I love Dheandra’s personal takes on different pain points she has encountered in her growth journey, how discipline plays a role in her relationship with her higher self, and the different manifestation techniques she has tried and found success in. Her podcast is most definitely a must-listen.
Start here: “S7 Ep145: IMPOSTER WHO // Addressing Imposter Syndrome In Your Life + Career”
8.Self Care and Chill With Maui
The girlfriend in your head that you didn’t know you needed, the Self Care and Chill With Maui podcast is all about the kiki while revealing to you the real. Always a breath of fresh air, Amirah Morris’ candid talks about love, sex, and self-love offer a more down-to-earth approach to healing conversations. From co-parenting dialogue with her former partner to reminders to listeners that they are indeed the table, there is an episode for everyone.
Start here:“Loving Yourself Is Boring EP:37”
9.Self Care IRL
Self Care IRL
If self-care was a person, it would be best-selling author and blogger Ty Alexander, the host of the popular podcast, Self Care IRL. In each episode, Ty blesses listeners with strategies that have helped her evolve into a better person and the wellness gems she has collected along the way. Despite the cards that life may have dealt you, there is power in knowing that you are ultimately the architect of your world. Ty provides ways to cope and coexist with trauma, circumstances, and grief while laying down the building blocks of living your best life as you see fit.
Start here:“8. Listen to This When Life Gets Heavy”
10.Brown Girl Self-Care
How could you not tune into a podcast hosted by a self-proclaimed “Self-Care Pusher”? I’ll wait. Through her work with Brown Girl Self-Care, Bre uses her experiences to be a guiding light for listeners who are on their own self-care journeys to a place of healing and wholeness. The Cali native is all about helping you elevate physically, spiritually, and emotionally and equips you with the health and wellness tools to do so. Self-care is a must—not an option—and she wants to empower her listeners to know that, too.
Start here:“You Don’t Owe Anyone Your Essence 24/7/365”
Featured image by Getty Images
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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If you’re like many other people who are prioritizing wellness these days, then attending a wellness retreat might be something to consider. Wellness retreats are a cool way to get the relaxation you’ve been missing in a space with like-minded people who share a common goal. I descended upon my first wellness retreat, the Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat, a couple of weeks ago at the Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Zoëtry Agua is part of the Inclusive Collection for the World of Hyatt. It is nestled on a secluded part of Uvero Alto beach, which has crystal blue waters. The resort itself is picturesque, with its thatched roofs and lazy rivers that make you feel like you’re in a cute little village.
Mindy, Body, + Sol Retreat was hosted by Koya Webb, holistic health and wellness coach and yoga instructor, and it also featured other wellness practitioners who combined provided the ultimate gift of relaxation and getting back to oneself.
The first night was a Welcome Dinner that featured a five-course meal and an opportunity to meet our companions for the next three days. The food was impeccable and the only downside was that I wasn’t able to finish it all. The next day, however, was the official start of the classes, and I was ready to dive in.
Aura and Chakra Reading
Aura and chakra reading
Photo courtesy
My first class was an aura and chakra reading led by Laura McCann and James Levinson, an Asheville, NC couple. I’ve had chakra readings before, but never like this. There was a computer, a camera, and a scanner, which I placed my hand on for the reading. After two minutes, I received a 15-page report explaining my aura and chakra reading.
It breaks down what the colors of your aura are and what your chakras say. My main colors were green and yellow, which were defined by a variety of things. The top of my aura was green, meaning I have a social mental state and I’m a natural healer. My aura on my left side was yellow meaning my energy flowing is optimistic and light and so on.
After James discussed the findings with me, I then met with Laura, who gave me aromatherapy oils from their ADORAtherapy line that represented each chakra. She further explained the results of my chakra reading and shared how each oil can assist. Chakras are the energy centers in our body, and there is a total of seven: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. All of my chakras were high except for my heart chakra, which I have since been working on. I may follow up about that in another article.
Sound Bath
Sound bath class
Photo courtesy
Next was the sound bath class. It was located in the spa, which was indoor/ outdoor and the perfect setting for this kind of experience. Andrew Francis and Carrie Bailey of Zenden Meditation were the co-pilots in transporting attendees into a place of tranquility. I laid down, closed my eyes, and allowed the sounds around me to bring me into a relaxing state. From the singing bowls to the wind chimes, I was in heaven. I even fell asleep and got some of the best rest I’ve had in a while. It was a beautiful experience. However, remember when I noted it was an indoor/ outdoor venue? I forgot to put on bug spray and woke up pretty itchy. But it didn’t stop me from enjoying the moment.
Tea Party
Art of Tea Ritual Tea Party
Photo courtesy
The last event of the day was the Art of Tea Ritual located in the resort’s tea garden. It was everything you could want in a tea party. Delectable treats such as cookies, cakes, and white chocolate-covered strawberries, which are my fave. And, of course, tea. While I got to sip tea, I also got to make my own tea blend. There were many different teas to choose from, like hibiscus to your regular black tea. I decided to mix rose and mint and I called it RoseMint. I didn’t get to try my tea blend until I got home, and I’ll be honest, it’s probably the best tea I ever had. The tea herbs taste so fresh, and I love how fragrant it smells.
Breathwork
Breathwork Class
Photo Courtesy
The next morning was all about breathwork. If you exercise regularly, then you probably know the importance of breathing. But there’s more to it besides remembering to breathe during your workout. Margaret Townsend is a breathwork facilitator who helps people achieve wellness by consciously changing their breathing patterns. In her class, I learned to change my breathing pattern for energy as well as for relaxation. While I know that breathing is a relaxation tool, I was blown away to learn that it can also energize you. Because it was a different breathing pattern, I was also able to stay present and keep a steady pace.
Yoga
Koya Webb's yoga class
Photo courtesy
The final class of the retreat was evening yoga with Koya Webb, who, as I mentioned earlier, was the host. Her class was held beside the beautiful Uvero Alto beach, which made for a stunning backdrop and the perfect way to end the retreat. It was important for me to get back into my body after not doing yoga for a few weeks, so I was really focused on nailing the moves. However, Koya kept the energy light and fun, evening cracking a few jokes throughout, which made it easy for me to relax and enjoy the moment. She ended the class with a dance break and hugs from our classmates.
The Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat reminded me how important it is to take time to love on myself. Each class was an opportunity to be present and get reacquainted with oneself in the most loving way. Being surrounded by individuals who encouraged my journey was what I needed, and I am so honored to have had this experience.
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