Why This Harlem-Raised Doula Reset in Curaçao and Settled in Germany

In this episode of Black Broads Abroad, Phelena sits down with Sundari Malcolm—a holistic doula whose work spans birth, breathwork, yoga, grief, and death, and who is the founder of A Healing Doula Academy and author of Grief Gems. Originally from Brooklyn and raised in Harlem, Sundari’s life has been defined by profound transitions. After spending seven years as her mother’s caregiver and losing both of her parents within a four-year span, her career trajectory shifted entirely into helping others navigate life's biggest thresholds. But healing her own life required radical movement. Sundari converted a school bus into a tiny home to travel the U.S. during her first marriage, realized that life wasn't serving her, got a divorce, and packed her bags for Curaçao. It was during that critical year in the Caribbean that deep healing took place, setting the foundation for her next chapter: meeting her husband and relocating to Germany, where she has now been living for several years. Phelena and Sundari get completely real about what happens when you stop tolerating a country that forces you into survival mode, and how to build a life of true personal sovereignty abroad. In this episode, we dive into: The Curaçao Pitstop: Why spending almost a year in Curaçao was the non-negotiable space Sundari needed to heal after her divorce, connect with her lineage, and reset her life before ever moving across the Atlantic. Leaving the "Divided States": The moment the fog lifted and Sundari realized staying in America was about survival, not love, and why she has no intention of ever going back. The Reality of Germany: The unfiltered truth about the bureaucracy of moving to Germany, navigating life and dating as a Black woman from Harlem, and the literal six-hour train rides required just to get Black hair care overseas. Grief and Career Trajectory: How the devastating loss of both her parents directly informed her work as a doula, what people get completely wrong about grief, and how she navigates serving a primarily non-Black clientele in Europe. A Shared Room for Loss: Phelena shares her own profound experience of losing her father, creating a raw, powerful space where two Black women discuss what it means to become unwitting doulas for the people they love. Connect with Sundari Malcolm: Website: https://ahealingdoula.com Instagram: sundaribliss Book: Grief Gems