The Boss Girl’s Guide to Therapy
When we want our bodies to be toned, we head to the gym. If we need our nails and toes to be weekend-ready, we pay a visit to our local nail technician. But when we experience trauma, break-ups, life transitions, or painful memories, we tend to push them to the far corners of our mind and do our best to forget about it. Push it down, repress, and keep your chin up, give it to God.
But when it come to mental health, there is no shortcut.
The only way to a better you is through by doing the work. Working on your mental health is an important part, not just in growing up, but in seeking partnerships. If marriage and family is part of your future plan, then going to therapy should be on your current to-do list.
The taboo associated with therapy in the black community is beginning to melt away, thanks to the rise in self-care awareness. But where do you begin?
Here's a little guide to get you get started.
Know Your Mission
Keep in mind you shouldn't ever wait until you've reached a point of burn-out or emotional breakdown to find a therapist. It could be post-break or pre-two-weeks-notice, ask for support around transition. If you've never attended therapy sessions, you're more than overdue. Consider your first session a nail shop appointment for your soul.
Do Your Research
Having a new therapist is like starting a new relationship. There's a period in the beginning that will be focused on getting to know who you are and where you've been that may feel like an awkward first date if you settle in with the wrong therapist. It has to be a fit, so do your research.
Websites like Therapy For Black Girls, founded by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, offers provider listings and a guide for starting therapy. The Sad Girl's Club is loaded with helpful blog posts all about mental health - which is a good place to start.
Find A System That Fits Your Life
Therapy has come a long way since our parents' days. There are options for people who have specific goals and lifestyles to consider. For example, if time is a problem for you, there are convenient apps like Talk Space that offer daily texts, video, or voice sessions with a therapist, even a few times a day depending on the plan you choose.
Know The Difference Between Therapy & Life Coaching
I remember my biggest gripe about therapy when I first began was that the therapist did way more listening than talking and it was unnerving. After a while, I got used to it and enjoyed the space to speak freely about what was on my mind, but it's important to know that most therapists tend to be that way. If you want a more active and involved process, you might consider finding a life coach instead.
Supplement Your Self-Healing Journey
Going to see a therapist or life coach isn't the only route to healing. There are a lot of books and podcasts that can help keep you on the right path by dropping daily gems available at your convenience. Podcasts such as Black Girl in Om center around emotional and mental wellness, as well as physical health. If starting therapy is changing your diet, then books and podcasts can be like taking a daily vitamin.
Keep A Record
If you have ten minutes to check Twitter, you can make ten minutes to check in with yourself. Try using the voice memo feature on your phone and recording check-in messages highlighting how you feel that day, how therapy has possibly made you think differently, and what challenged you want to bring up in your next session.
It's also a great tool for understanding yourself more. There's something about listening to yourself talk that makes you much more aware of what you're talking about.
Be Okay With What Comes Out
The most important part of starting therapy is to allow yourself emotional space to feel vulnerable. The process of digging into your past or into a situation that was painful can open up a window that can let out a lot of feelings perhaps you were keeping inside. Instead of pushing them away, work on embracing them. Until you accept whatever pain or emotions you have within, it will be impossible to let them go completely. And letting go is the entire point.
Whatever your therapy journey looks like, remember you're not alone. We're all fairly new to this self-care thing. There's plenty of support waiting for you on the other side of whatever has been keeping you down. Reach out, have faith and go forward.
- What To Do Before Your First Therapy Session - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Is It Time To See A Therapist? 4 Signs You Need Therapy - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- What To Know About Hiring A Life Coach - xoNecole: Lifestyle, Culture, Love, & Wellness ›
- Therapy For Black Girls - Thriving at every stage of life! ›
- Black Women and Therapy | Essence.com ›
- Black Women Seeking Therapy, What To Know | Essence.com ›
- A Therapist Called Me a 'Strong Black Woman' Instead of Helping ... ›
- This Afro-Latina's Art Is Therapy For Black Women Suffering From ... ›
- Why African Americans Avoid Psychotherapy | Psychology Today ›
- Young, Black And In Therapy | Bené Viera ›
- Why Finding a Therapist Can Be Especially Hard for Black Women ›
- Black, 30, And Finally In Therapy » VSB ›
Ashley Simpo is a writer, mother and advocate for self-care and healthy relationships. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @ashleysimpo. Check out her work and her musings on ashleysimpocreative.com.
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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This Content Creator’s Journey To Clear Skin Began With Trusting With The Process
In About Face, xoNecole gets the 411 on IGers who give us #skincaregoals on a daily. Here they break down their beauty routines on the inside and out, as well as the highly coveted products that grace their shelves and their skin.
Kyra Joe is the Queen of all things beauty. She regularly lets us in on her beauty routine while sharing updates on her dating life. The content creator debuts flawless skin and aspirational makeup routines in each video. As a consumer, it's easy to assume that Joe has always had the perfect canvas for the beauty world. However, that is not the case.
Like most of us, she's experienced her share of struggles with acne and hyperpigmentation. “I saw a dermatologist when I was 14, and the products he recommended didn’t work because I wasn’t consistent,” Joe said. The responsibility and consistency required of Joe in her adolescence made skincare feel like a job rather than a self-care act.
In 2020, things began to take a pivotal turn for Joe when she found herself regularly consuming skincare TikToks during the pandemic. “I saw people showing me how to use skincare products to get rid of hormonal acne and hyperpigmentation. That made a huge difference for me.” Her enjoyment began to arise as she tried recommended products from her favorite skincare content creators.
Joe added, “I was finally starting to enjoy skincare because I was finding products that worked for me through TikTok. I had undereye patches and creams and began building a routine.” What was once a chore has now become a passion. Joe has since grown an online community of more than 200,000 across TikTok and Instagram, sharing her beauty secrets underneath the moniker Kyra Nikole.
Courtesy
“I learned early on in my journey to keep things simple. I also try to encourage this in my content,” said Joe. Being able to get to the root when a breakout occurs is why Joe chooses and encourages skincare routines to be simple. “If I have a breakout, it’s easier for me to figure out what product causes it if I don’t have an extensive routine.”
Keeping things simple has allowed Joe to clear up her hormonal acne and manage her hyperpigmentation, and keeping things minimal has given Joe a clear canvas for her makeup.
She gave us an inside look into the skincare routine that’s changed her views on self-care:
Kyra Nikole's Daytime Skincare Routine
Step One: Hyper Skin Hyper Even Facewash
Hyper Skin
“I love this because it’s specifically made for hyperpigmentation, and it’s a gentle cleanser.”
Step Two: Pixi Glow Tonic
Pixi
“It’s an exfoliating toner, but it’s light enough to use daily. I use this for both day and night.”
Step Three: Glazing Milk Essence By Rhode Skin
Rhode Skin
“I have eczema and dry skin, so this helps give me the moisture that I need.”
Step Four: La Roche-Posay Moisturizer
La Roche-Posay
“This is just a regular moisturizer that I love because it sits well under my makeup.”
Step Five: Kiehl's Better Screen UV Sunscreen
Kiehl's
"There is no white cast, no peeling, it works under makeup, and it’s SPF 50; there’s nothing better than that!”
Kyra Nikole's Nighttime Skincare Routine:
Joe uses the same products for her nighttime skincare routine, except for sunscreen. Her main goal is to lock in hydration to last the entire evening. Aquaphor is her ointment of choice to ensure her skin gets the moisture it deserves.
Final Step: Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Aquaphor
"Aquaphor does a great job of holding in the moisture.”
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Featured image courtesy