What happens when being “strong” stops being a choice — and becomes an expectation?In this episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, we gather at Rood, a space that feels warm, grounded, and intentional, to unpack the emotional, mental, and physical cost of always being the one who holds everything together.So many women are praised for their strength — yet rarely supported because of it. In this conversation, we name the unseen labor behind being “the strong one”: emotional caretaking, mental load, unpaid care work, and the quiet burnout that follows when rest feels like guilt.Using real experiences and research, we explore:• When strength is chosen vs. assigned• How emotional labor shows up in our bodies• Why people confuse strength with availability• What happens when the fixer finally stops fixing• How to ask for help after a lifetime of being relied onWe also sit with a grounding truth: women perform nearly 75% of unpaid domestic and care work worldwide, a burden directly linked to chronic stress and burnout.This episode is for the woman who shows up, holds it down, keeps the wheels turning — and rarely gets asked how she is doing. It’s a reminder that strength does not have to mean solitude, and that being held is just as powerful as holding.✨ If this conversation resonates, send it to someone who’s always “the strong one.”They deserve support too.👉 LIKE this video if it spoke to you👉 SUBSCRIBE for more honest conversations centered on women’s lived experiences👉 SHARE with someone who needs permission to rest

Heavy Is the Womb: The Fibroid Burden We Don’t Talk About

Fibroids. Pain. Silence. Survival.

In this episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, we pull up a chair for a conversation that too many Black women have been carrying alone. From misdiagnosis and medical dismissal to the emotional, physical, and financial toll fibroids take on our bodies and our lives—this is the truth we weren’t taught to name.

We talk about:

• What it means to live in a body that’s constantly in defense mode

• How pain becomes normalized for Black women

• The grief, anger, and resilience tied to reproductive health

• Why advocating for yourself is not optional—it’s survival

This isn’t just a health conversation.
It’s a reclamation.
It’s a release.
And it’s long overdue.

Pull up. Listen in. And know you’re not alone at this table.

🎧 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and all podcast platforms.

Generational Love & Healing: From Fear to Freedom | Group Chat Over BrunchWhat if the way we were taught to love… was rooted in fear?And what if we had the power to change that story — starting now?In this episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, we gather at the table to talk about generational love, healing, and the unlearning required to move from control to liberation. For many of us, love came wrapped in survival — yelling, silence, punishment, and emotional restraint. But love was never meant to confine us. It was meant to set us free.Together, we unpack:✨ How fear-based love shows up in Black families✨ The “love deflectors” we inherited — and how to release them✨ Parenting (and re-parenting ourselves) with intention✨ What it means to love in ways that allow, not restrict✨ How to give the next generation emotional freedom we didn’t always receiveWe also respond to powerful questions from younger women navigating motherhood, boundaries, and emotionally intelligent parenting — because healing doesn’t stop with us.This episode is honest, reflective, and necessary.It’s about choosing love that liberates — not love that controls.Pull up a seat. The table is sacred. 🎧 Watch the full episode📍 Filmed at Edwins Too | Cleveland, OH📥 Free Download: My Generational Love Map - Signup for our email to receive a copy @ https://tr.ee/3Q59gj4Ys6BE SURE TO LIKE SUBSCRIBE AND SHARE. FOLLOW US @GroupChatOverBrunchPodcast ON ALL PLATFORMS. We are in deep gratitude to each of youSincerely, GCOB Your Favorite Podcast for Black Women Over 40

In this episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, we’re talking about something Black women over 40 don’t say out loud nearly enough: sex gets better with age. Period.

From changing bodies to shifting desires, to the confidence that comes when you stop living for other people’s expectations—this episode is all about reclaiming pleasure, naming what we want, and honoring our grown-woman bodies without shame.

We break down:
• Why sex after 40 can feel more aligned, more connected, and more liberating
• How our bodies evolve—and why that evolution is not a loss, but an opening
• The emotional intimacy that starts to matter more than performance
• The conversations we should be having with our partners (and ourselves)
• What self-love looks like when your body no longer feels like the one you grew up in

This is your reminder that you still got it, and you can deepen your pleasure, your voice, and your desires at any age. Pull up a seat—this is a grown conversation.

📍 Filmed on location at Cleveland Breakfast Club
🎙️ Watch the full episode on YouTube & listen on all podcast platforms.

**DISCLAIMER**BruncHER's, we want to name this upfront — the sound quality in this episode isn’t where we expect it to be. We’ve since worked with our production team to strengthen our audio process so this doesn’t happen again. Thank you for rocking with us as we grow. Future episodes absolutely meet the standard you deserve.

Chapters:

0:00 - Episode Overview, Opening Toast + Stat

2:06 - Episodes

3:20 - TikTok reference

4:20 - Q&A about financial depression

37:50 - List of free activities

38:49 - Ask Aunty

45:08 - Closing Ritual - Pass the Plate & Songs that Resonate When the money stops, the silence starts.

💔In this episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, we’re live from BrightSide Café — one of Cleveland’s light-filled gems on West 25th Street — to talk about financial depression: what it feels like when life gets tight, friends keep spending, and you start pulling back without meaning to.

From layoffs and the loss of DEI roles to the pressure of showing up during the holidays, we’re unpacking what it means to navigate financial struggle, loneliness, and pride — especially for Black women over 40.

Pull up a chair as we share real talk, sisterhood, and soulful solutions for finding joy even when your budget says “not today.”

🎙️ Episode Title: When the Money Stops, the Silence Starts: Navigating Financial Depression☕ Filmed at: BrightSide Café, 1948 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113

Free Resources:

• ​Wade Oval Wednesdays in University Circle (free concerts)
• ​Cleveland Museum of Art — always free
• ​Cleveland Public Library events and workshops
• ​Edgewater Park sunset walks
• ​Volunteer days at The City Mission or Habitat ReStore
• ​Free outdoor movies in summer at Gordon Square
• ​Debtors Anonymous is a great resource for additional community and support at whatever stage of the process you’re in.

For more information you can visit their website at debtorsanonymous.org or text Nikki at 917-406-1141.

If you reach out to Nikki, let her know you found out about Debtors Anonymous from the Group Chat Over Brunch Podcast.

With Gratitude Comes Abundance, Give or Receive at. The following Locations:

• ​The City Mission – clothing and food donations
• ​Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity ReStore – volunteer or donate items
• ​St. Vincent de Paul Society – food and blanket drives• Cleveland Food Bank – time or pantry donations

Book Recommendations

• ​The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
• ​Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself - Dr. Joe Dispenza

Songs That Resonate

• ​Rise Up - Andra Day
• ​Good Days - Sza * Destiny' Child - Survivor

Join our Brunch Table newsletter to get episode recaps and other goodies — link belowhttps://linktr.ee/GroupChatOverBrunch

#GroupChatOverBrunch #FinancialDepression #BlackWomenOver40 #BrightSideCafe #ClevelandPodcast #Sisterhood #HealingConversations #RealTalk #BlackWomenPodcasts

Every woman knows the brunch table hits different — but for us, it’s sacred. In this premiere episode of Group Chat Over Brunch, the hosts gather at Adun Spice Co. (12721 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44120) to break bread, pour mimosas, and talk about what really happens when women over 40 come together in truth.

From laughter to life lessons, we explore why the brunch table isn’t just where we eat — it’s where we heal, release, and reconnect. Expect bold honesty, a few “girl, me too” moments, and the kind of energy that only happens when grown women show up as their full selves.

Pull up a chair, BruncHER. The table is set. 💛