This week on Shades of Strong, we’re going all the way in. I’m sitting down with Dr. Cecily Moore for a raw, layered conversation about what it really costs to carry the “strong Black woman” narrative — and what it actually takes to start living well, for real.

Dr. Cecily brings her lived experience, research, and wisdom to the table as we talk about the exhaustion, the generational weight, and how so many of us are ready to put it all down. Together, we unpack:

• What the “strong Black woman” narrative steals from us, and why so many are finally saying, “I don’t want to do it like this anymore.”

• How wellness for Black women is not just individual, but communal — when a Black woman is well, everybody connected to her benefits.

• The emotional and cultural impact of being expected to serve, sacrifice, and hold it together — even when you’re falling apart on the inside.

• Why self-advocacy, boundaries, and true support are non-negotiable for our healing (and what it actually looks like in everyday life).

• The church, the workplace, the family — where the strong Black woman myth keeps showing up, and how we’re learning to question it.

• How unlearning strength-as-sacrifice is an act of resistance and the beginning of generational healing.

You’ll also hear personal stories — from both Dr. Cecily and myself— about what it feels like to try to be “everything to everybody,” the grief that comes with letting that go, and the joy that’s possible on the other side.

If you’re a Black woman who’s ever felt like your well-being is always last on the list, this one is for you. And if you care about Black women, it’s for you too.

About Dr. Cecily Moore
Dr. Cecily Moore helps therapists, counselors, and helping professionals unlearn the Strong Black Woman narrative so they can move from survival mode into sustainable wellness. She’s a licensed therapist, educator, researcher, and the creator of the Reappropriate, Redefine, Recover™ framework — guiding Black women toward nervous system healing, spaciousness, and self-reclamation. Cecily is a military wife, a mom of two, and she’s never met a Strong Black Woman she couldn’t help begin the journey of unlearning that sh*t. Connect with Dr. Cecily Moore here.

Timestamps – What You’ll Hear and When:

• 00:00 – Intro & Why This Conversation Matters

• 06:20 – Dr. Cecily’s Story: Postpartum Depression and the Cost of Strength

• 10:25 – Generational Strength: Grandma, Mama, and Us

• 15:50 – Research, Lived Experience, and the Grief of Unlearning “Strong”

• 17:20 – The Support Language Behind the Therapist Chair

• 21:31 – The Pacifier Metaphor: Replacing “Strong” with Support

• 24:54 – Watching Her Learn to Rest: Dr. Cecily’s Mom and the Reclamation of Joy

• 28:06 – Church, Faith, and the Conditioning of “Strong”

• 36:18 – When Strength Is Rooted in Fear: Mothering Black Boys

• 41:15 – Receiving as a Skill: Support Languages and Accessibility

• 49:00 – Final Words: Unlearning “Strong” as a Mental Health Intervention

• Download Cecily’s Free Audio + Mindset guide: Unlearn That Sh*t
• Schedule a 1:1 Support Session
• Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language™—Now What?”
• Take the Support Language™ Quiz. and learn how you actually receive support best.
• Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words, real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week

Let’s Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform
•  Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being the strong one
•  Leave a review if the episode spoke to your spirit — it helps more Black women find this space
• Join Shades of Strong on Substack  for deeper convos that don’t always make it to the mic
• Follow Shades of Strong on Instagram for daily reflections on what it means to be suppoted
• Be a Guest on the Show
• www.shadesofstrong.com

Related Episodes

• What Ruth and Boaz Taught Me (That the Church Never Did)
• When You’re All You’ve Got
• When Everything Feels Heavy