MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH...

and if we are being honest, many Black women are not just stressed. WE ARE STRESS! We are the calendar, the reminder app, the emotional support hotline, the backup plan, the “I got it” friend, and the person everyone calls when things fall apart.

The problem is that a lot of what people call “strength” is really over-functioning. It is answering the text when you are exhausted, saying yes when you want to say no, managing others responsibilities (feelings included😉), and feeling guilty every time you sit down (because you've somehow tied rest to being unproductive 🤔). Somewhere along the way, many Black women learned that being needed feels safer than being cared for.

And because so many of us have lived in survival mode for so long, stress does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like:

• being unable to rest
• insomnia
• irritability
• brain fog
• snapping at people you love
• headaches
• constantly being “busy”
• feeling like your body is begging you to slow down while your mind says, “keep going”

You were not put on this earth to be everybody’s life raft. You deserve support, femininity, and a life where you do not have to earn rest by burning yourself out first.

Forward this to the Black woman (or any woman) in your life who is always “good” even when she is not. Then ask yourself: what is one thing I can stop carrying this month?The Anxious Woman Playbook: Sis, Stop Spiraling

"Sis, Stop Spiraling" This edition of the Anxious Woman Playbook Series speaks of the lived experience of anxiety through the use of cultural idioms. It explores what happens in your nervous system when you overthink and how to work with it to find relief. I need this!

The Burnout That Nobody's Talking About I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Quiet Impact Podcast with Stephanie Oden. Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music Listen on Amazon Music Watch on YouTube

Last month, I started a series on the Hidden Truths about Stress & Black Women that are often not discussed publicly because they challenge what we've normalized. You can check out the posts on IG or Linkedin (same topics, different expression). ​
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​IG

• ​Stress Means that We Are Strong​
• ​Not All Independence is Empowerment​

LinkedIn

• ​Not All Independence is Empowerment ​
• ​Stress is often rewarded in Black women​

Blogs

• ​When Being “Strong” Makes You Sick: What Black Therapists See Every Day​
• ​When Independence Is Really Self-Protection​

Check out some of my favorite "emergency kit line-up" anxiety and stress management wellness items!

• ​Boom Boom Sticks - Nasal sticks use calming scents to naturally reduce anxiety and stress through portable aromatherapy.
• ​Instant Ice Cold Packs - Portable ice packs help ease anxiety and panic by cooling the neck, face, or chest to slow the heart rate and ground the nervous system. Hold it on your chest or neck for 15-20 minutes to stimulate the vagus nerve.
• ​Extreme Sour Candy - Extreme sour candy can help manage acute anxiety and panic by grounding the brain through its intense flavor, diverting focus from racing thoughts to the immediate physical sensation.
• ​Loop Earplugs - Earplugs can reduce anxiety by blocking sensory overload and loud, unexpected noises, helping to calm the “fight‑or‑flight” response and improve focus.
• ​Weighted Lap Pad - Weighted lap pads can reduce anxiety by providing deep touch pressure that calms the nervous system, eases restlessness, and improves focus during seated tasks.
• ​Mind and Body Stress Balls - Stress balls can help manage anxiety by offering a tactile distraction, releasing tension, and grounding you in the moment, working well for temporary stress and potentially reducing long‑term anxiety with regular use.

These are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you.

Your partner in wellness,

Erika T. Kendrick, LPC

​www.erikatkendrick.com​