The Weight We Carry: Black Women, Trauma, and the Work of Healing

In this deeply vulnerable conversation, Dr. Shepard sits at the table with a dynamic panel of Black women in education and leadership to explore the intersection of trauma, identity, and leadership. Together, they trace how childhood wounds, family dynamics, loss, and unspoken expectations shaped the way they show up as principals, teachers, social workers, professors, coaches, and mothers.The women share their journeys of realizing, often in adulthood, that what they experienced was trauma—and how that trauma was silently driving their leadership style, relationships, and self-worth. They talk about how healing is not a one-time event but an ongoing process, and how they are learning to honor themselves while still serving others well.This episode feels like sitting on the couch with your sisters: honest, spiritual, funny, raw, and full of practical wisdom.