Dating, Relationships, and Marriage from "Pills and Potions"

I understand I cannot control my familial circumstances. I was adopted into a household of Christianity and emotional abuse. Black womanhood and toxic masculinity. Enmeshment and unavailability. Nor can I undo my family environment where I was rooted in Black superwoman strength and performance under all circumstances. And I definitely cannot forget the ways in which I was raised to be a “good girl”, obey, be nice, and one day, get married.

Adia R. LoudenApril 1, 2021trauma, church, faith, Christianity, sex, abuse, women, domestic violence, dating, therapy, relationships, marriage, emotional abuse, intimacyComment

Wonder Woman Syndrome: Releasing the Need to Be Strong

How did a woman’s strength go from a pillar of empowerment to a self-damaging anchor? I am not sure how we let strength morph into Wonder Woman Syndrome, but I let the idea of strength smother me. As women, we must care for everyone around us while balancing career aspirations with grace. We glorify being Wonder Woman while ignoring what the pressure is doing to our mental health.

Personal EssaysJanae BrysonOctober 11, 2017strength, wonder woman, empower, stress, mental health, childhood, women, therapy, family, depression, strongComment