From Breakdown to Breakthrough: The Healing Journey of Nieisha Deed

Some people talk about mental health in theory.Today’s guest lives it, breathes it, and builds community from it.In this episode of Brave Voices in Education, Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Nieisha Deed — founder of PureSpark, fierce mental health advocate, and a Black woman living, surviving, and thriving with bipolar disorder.Together, they unpack:What happens when your identity is wrapped up in your job — and your mental health collapsesHow 15 years in corporate accounting and four family deaths by suicide led Nieisha to reimagine everythingThe origin story of PureSpark and its mission to help Black folks return to their “pure self”Why wellness in America comes at a cost — and how insurance, income, and race shape access to careThe myth that Black men “don’t want to heal,” and what Nieisha sees insteadCreative, culturally grounded paths to healing: therapy, nutrition, yoga, sound healing, energy work, and communityThis conversation is a soft place to land if you’ve ever:Felt like you had to be a machine just to surviveQuestioned whether therapy or medication would change who you areWanted to show up as your full self but didn’t know where it felt safeNieisha reminds us that we all deserve spaces where we can be human, be held, and be honest about the storms we’re in — and the joy we’re still chasing.🔗 Learn more about Nieisha & PureSpark:Website: yourpurespark.comInstagram: @yourpuresparkLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nieishadeed✨ Stay connected with Brave Voices in Education:Visit: BraveVoicesPod.com