In this episode of Owning Pleasure As A Black Woman, we explore how your body physically tracks and responds to holiday stress—even when your mind is trying to convince you that you're "fine."

I break down the science of why your body keeps score, identifies the most common physical stress signals during the holiday season (from jaw clenching to immune system crashes), and provides practical tools for moving from overriding your body's wisdom to actually listening to it.

Tune in as we discuss the mind-body connection, inherited patterns of stress response, and what it looks like to build body trust when you've been taught to push through no matter what.

If you're experiencing unexplained physical symptoms, chronic exhaustion, or wondering why your body seems to "betray" you during the holidays, this episode will help you understand what's really happening—and how to respond with compassion instead of shame.

Why Your Body Keeps Score

• Your body and mind aren't separate systems—your body is literally processing and storing emotional experiences in real-time through your nervous system
• Survival mode (sympathetic nervous system activation) was designed for short-term threats, but holiday stress keeps you activated for weeks or months, creating chronic physical symptoms
• Black women often inherit patterns of overriding body signals from ancestors who needed to suppress their needs for survival—these aren't personal failures but generational patterns

Common Physical Stress Signals

• The Tension Trio: Jaw clenching (from suppressing what you want to say), shoulder tension (from carrying burdens that aren't yours), and digestive issues (from chronic nervous system activation)
• Sleep and energy disruption aren't about lack of sleep—they're about your nervous system staying in survival mode even when you're lying still
• Getting sick after the holidays isn't coincidence—it's your immune system forcing the rest you won't give yourself permission to take

Moving to Body Attunement

• You override your body because you learned that worth comes from productivity, not wellbeing—and for Black women, displaying vulnerability could feel dangerous
• Building body trust requires separating sensation (data) from story (judgment): "I feel tired" versus "I shouldn't be tired"
• Thank your body for giving you information instead of seeing signals as inconveniences or failures

Practical Tools

• The Body Wisdom Check-In: Four-step practice of pausing, scanning, asking what your body needs, and responding (not overriding)
• Create a Seasonal Stress Response Plan with your primary stress signals, response menu for each signal, daily non-negotiables, support system, and built-in recovery time
• Set three daily alarms for body check-ins—it takes less than two minutes but creates a pattern of listening instead of overriding

Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover what your body is trying to tell you, why pushing through might be making things worse, and how to build a relationship of trust with your body's wisdom this holiday season!

Join Our Email List: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes, special offers, and more. Get your free 7-Day Self-Care Reset (with Day 4 focused on body reconnection) at javerywellness.com/reset.

Get Started with Therapy: Ready to reconnect with your body's wisdom and break free from patterns of pushing through? Complete an intake form at

In this episode of Owning Pleasure As A Black Woman, we dive into the complex reality of holiday family gatherings for Black women who are always expected to show up, hold it together, and keep the peace.

I share practical strategies for protecting your peace during the holiday season, including specific boundary scripts, energy protection techniques, and permission to redesign traditions around what actually nourishes you.

Tune in as we explore why you've become the default host/mediator/fixer, how to decline obligations without guilt, and what it looks like to enter January with your energy intact instead of completely depleted.

If you're looking to experience a holiday season that doesn't drain your spirit, you won't want to miss this one!

Understanding Your Default Role

• Being capable doesn't mean you're obligated—hosting is emotional, physical, and mental labor that you're allowed to opt out of
• Cultural scripts about service and sacrifice are inherited survival patterns that may no longer serve your ability to thrive
• Someone's disappointment with your boundaries is not your responsibility to manage

Practical Boundary Scripts

• Complete sentences need no justification: "I'm not hosting this year. I need the space to rest."
• For invasive questions: "I'm keeping my dating life private" / "That's not something I'm discussing today" / "I'm not open to body comments today"
• For unmet expectations: "If it doesn't get made, we'll adjust. I'm not picking up the extras this year"

Energy Protection Strategies

• Before events: Drive yourself, set time limits, eat beforehand, and establish a grounding practice
• During events: Take breaks, create physical distance from draining relatives, use the gray rock method, and leave early if needed
• After events: Plan recovery time including quiet evenings, baths, journaling, or full rest days

Holiday Redesign Permission

• You're allowed to change traditions: potlucks, smaller gatherings, catered meals, virtual check-ins, solo holidays, or completely new rituals
• Ask yourself: "If I could design my ideal holiday without worrying about expectations, what would it look like?"
• Small changes create permission for bigger changes—start with one shift this year

Prefer to watch instead of listen? Head over to our YouTube channel to catch the full episode: Watch it here.

Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover how to protect your peace this holiday season without guilt, navigate family expectations with confidence, and redesign traditions around what actually nourishes you!

Join Our Email List: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes, special offers, and more. Get your free 7-Day Self-Care Reset at javerywellness.com/reset.

Get Started with Therapy: Ready to break free from inherited survival patterns and create

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• YouTube: @JaveryWellness
• Website: www.javerywellness.com

In this episode of Owning Pleasure As A Black Woman, we dive into the often misunderstood journey of perimenopause and menopause.

Dr. Taniqua Miller, a board-certified OBGYN and certified menopause specialist, joins us to discuss the real symptoms women experience, why traditional healthcare often falls short, and how to build a comprehensive care team for this major life transition.

Tune in as we explore the physical, emotional, and relational changes that come with this transition, practical strategies for managing symptoms, and why community matters more than ever during midlife. If you're looking to understand what's happening in your body during perimenopause or support someone going through it, you won't want to miss this one!

Key Takeaways:

● Understanding the Timeline: Perimenopause typically lasts 4-5 years before menopause (defined as 12 months without a period), with early symptoms often showing up as mood changes, joint pain, and sleep disruption before the classic hot flashes arrive.

● Build Your Care Team: Just like pregnancy or adolescence, this transition requires a comprehensive support system including medical providers, mental health professionals, pelvic floor physical therapists, and community—not just one annual doctor's visit.

● You're Not Broken: The grief, rage, brain fog, and physical changes are real physiological responses to hormonal shifts, not personal failures. Self-compassion and education are the first steps toward reclaiming agency during this transition.

Listen Now: Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover how to navigate perimenopause with grace, knowledge, and the support you deserve!

Links Mentioned:

● Find a Menopause Specialist: Visit menopause.org to locate certified menopause practitioners in your area who accept insurance

● Dr. Taniqua Miller's Resources:

• Revival Telemedicine consultations: revivaltelemedicine.com
• Comprehensive midlife care (opening Q1 2026): joinrevival.co
• Midlife Revival Podcast: 50+ episodes on perimenopause and menopause topics
• Additional Resources: Black Girl's Guide to Menopause and Black Walls Menopause (UK-based)
• Join Our Email List: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes, special offers, and get access to our 7-Day Self-Care Reset. Sign up here: [www.javerywellness.com/reset]
• Book a Free Consultation: Feeling stuck or need support navigating this transition? Complete your intake form with Javery Integrative Wellness Services here: [www.javerywellness.com/get-started]

Connect with Dr. Taniqua Miller:

● Instagram: @taniquamillermd

● Website: revivaltelemedicine.com

Connect with Us:

● Instagram: @JaveryWellness

● Facebook: @JaveryIWS

● YouTube:

In this special episode of Owning Pleasure as a Black Woman, we're doing something different—something just for YOU.

Instead of talking about pleasure, we're practicing it together through a guided embodiment meditation. This episode is your invitation to slow down, release the weight you've been carrying, and reconnect with your body, sensuality, and feminine energy through the warmth of golden light.

If you're ready to give yourself the same care and attention you pour into everyone else, press play when you have 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time. This isn't about learning more—it's about experiencing yourself differently.

• Action Over Information: Listening to podcasts about self-care is helpful, but embodiment practices like meditation give you the confidence to actually experience transformation and know you're moving in the right direction.
• Sacred Self-Intimacy: This golden light meditation guides you through a full-body scan that reconnects you with your sacral and womb space—the source of your sensuality, feminine flow, and creative power that deserves celebration.
• Permission to Return: You don't have to wait for permission to slow down and nourish yourself. This meditation is here for you anytime you need to remember that you are worthy of love, pleasure, and joy.

Ready to give yourself what you've been giving everyone else? Hit play to discover what happens when you slow down and reconnect with the powerful, sensual, worthy woman you already are!

• Join Our 7-Day Self-Care Reset: Ready to move from guilt about self-care to confidently prioritizing yourself? Get the free reset at javerywellness.com/reset
• Get Support on Your Journey: Want help learning how to meditate, embody, and slow down? Schedule your free consultation with Javery Integrative Wellness Services at javerywellness.com/get-started

• Instagram: @javerywellness
• Facebook: @JaveryIWS
• YouTube: @JaveryWellness
• Website: www.javerywellness.com

Music Credit: Mykhailo Kyryliuk from Pixabay

In this Uno Reverse episode of Owning Pleasure as a Black Woman, I dive into Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—also known as winter blues or winter depression.

As the time changes and daylight becomes scarce, many high-achieving Black women experience symptoms they may not even recognize as depression. I share my personal experience with SAD, explain how it shows up differently for Type-A personalities, and offer practical strategies to manage symptoms throughout the darker months.

If you've been feeling off as the seasons change, this episode will help you recognize what's happening and give you tools to navigate it with more ease.

• SAD is real and affects us differently: Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression that occurs during specific times of the year (typically fall/winter). Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, lack of motivation, and irritability.
• Depression doesn't look the same for everyone: For high-achieving Black women, SAD might manifest as overcompensation, overworking, boundary violations, and functional depression—where you appear fine on the outside but feel heavy inside.
• Practical tools can help: Light therapy, regular exercise (especially outdoors when possible), maintaining a healthy diet, mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga, and seeking professional support are all effective strategies for managing winter blues.

Want to dive deeper into related topics? Check out these accompanying blog posts:

• Mental Health Stigmas in the Black Community: Past and Present Barriers - Understanding the historical and cultural barriers that make it harder for us to seek help.
• Burnout Warning Signs: When Your Body Knows What Your Mind Won't Admit - Learn to recognize when your body is telling you something your mind doesn't want to accept.
• Rest Isn't a Reward for Hard Work—It's a Requirement for Survival - Understanding why rest is essential, especially during challenging seasons.
• Gentle Reminder: Your Worth Isn't Measured by Your Productivity - Breaking free from the productivity trap that often intensifies during SAD episodes.
• Self-Care Isn't a Luxury—It's a Lifestyle: Essential Mental Health Strategies for High-Achieving Professionals - Practical strategies for incorporating self-care year-round.

Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover how to recognize and navigate seasonal affective disorder as a high-achieving Black woman who refuses to let the winter blues dim her light!

• 7-Day Self-Care Reset: Move from guilt about self-care to confidently prioritizing yourself. Get your free reset at javerywellness.com/reset.
• Book Your Free Consultation:...

In this, we dive into the intersection of financial wellness and pleasure. Nishaea from The Budget Guru joins us to discuss practical strategies for managing money during economic uncertainty while still finding joy in life.

Tune in as we explore how to balance financial responsibility with self-care, break free from scarcity mindset, and create sustainable money habits that honor both your needs and your desires.

If you're looking to take control of your finances without sacrificing the things that bring you pleasure, you won't want to miss this one!

• Start Where You Are: Financial wellness isn't about perfection—it begins with small, manageable steps like paying bills on time, saving $5, or simply opening a savings account. Progress over perfection is the goal.
• Pause and Reassess in Uncertain Times: Economic shifts require us to evaluate our priorities. Whether it's building emergency savings, cutting back on non-essentials temporarily, or finding additional income streams, being proactive beats reactive scrambling.
• Honor Your Values Without Comparison: Your financial journey is uniquely yours. Define success based on what matters to you—not what you see on social media or what others are achieving. Celebrate where you are while working toward where you want to be.

Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover how to manage your money mindfully while still making room for the things that bring you joy—even in uncertain economic times!

• Join Our Email List: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes, special offers, and more. Sign up here.
• Get Started with Javery Integrative Wellness Services: Ready to transform your relationship with yourself, your money, or your relationships? Fill out our intake form at javerywellness.com/get-started.
• The Budget Goo Resources:
• Free Budget Template & Training: thebudgetgoo.com
• Connect with Crystal for personal finance coaching and support
• Recommended Resources Mentioned in Episode:
• Tori Dunlap - Her First $100K (book, podcast, and community for reaching your first $100K)
• Ramit Sethi - Netflix special and resources on couples and money
• Muna (investing and personal finance resources)

• Instagram: @natasha_is_satisfied
• Facebook: @NatashaChentille
• YouTube: @NatashaChentille
• Website: www.javerywellness.com

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishaea-richardson
• https://www.facebook.com/NishaeaRichardson

In this transformative episode of Owning Pleasure as a Black Woman, I tackle the impossible double bind that keeps high-achieving women trapped between exhaustion and guilt.

You know you need rest, but every time you try to prioritize yourself, that familiar voice whispers "you're being selfish." I break down why self-care feels like betrayal, how rest became rebellion, and most importantly—how to finally give yourself permission to matter without the emotional hangover.

Discover the historical roots of why rest feels dangerous, learn to distinguish between self-care and selfishness, and get practical tools to break the martyrdom cycle that's keeping you exhausted and resentful.

• The Double Bind Exposed: You're expected to be infinitely giving but never needy—a setup that keeps you trapped between exhaustion and guilt. This impossible standard is rooted in cultural myths that Black women are naturally stronger and need less, making self-care feel indulgent rather than essential.
• Rest as Revolution: Your choice to rest is actually an act of reclaiming autonomy that may trigger your nervous system because historically, your ancestors' rest was controlled by others. When you rest without "earning" it, you're breaking generational patterns of exploitation.
• Self-Preservation, Not Selfishness: Self-care isn't about bubble baths and face masks—it's about sustainable living. When you take care of yourself, you model healthy boundaries and give from overflow instead of depletion, which actually serves everyone around you better.

Step 1: Choose one form of rest that currently triggers guilt (saying no to unwanted plans, taking an "unearned" nap, not checking work emails after hours).

Step 2: Write yourself a literal permission slip: "I, [your name], give myself permission to [rest activity] without guilt because my wellbeing matters and this choice serves my highest good and the people I love."

Step 3: When guilt shows up, ask yourself:

• Am I confusing self-care with selfishness because I've been taught my needs don't matter?
• What would I tell my daughter/best friend if she felt guilty about this same choice?
• How does my exhaustion actually serve the people I love?

Step 4: Rest anyway. Let the guilt be there without letting it run the show.

Ready to break free from the double bind that keeps you trapped between exhaustion and guilt? Hit play to discover how self-care becomes self-preservation and why your rest is revolutionary!

• Join Our Email List - Get Your 7-Day Self-Care Reset: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes and transform your relationship with self-care and guilt. Sign up at www.javerywellness.com/reset
• Ready to Get Started?: If you're ready for deeper support in breaking these patterns, begin your journey with us at www.javerywellness.com/get-started.

• Instagram: @natasha_is_satisfied
• Facebook: @NatashaChentille
• YouTube: @NatashaChentille
• Website: www.javerywellness.com

In this episode, we dive into stress management that actually works for your reality—not some fantasy world where a bubble bath solves everything.

I'm breaking down five practical strategies designed specifically for high-achieving Black women who are navigating invisible labor, code-switching, family expectations, and the pressure to always be "strong."

Tune in as we explore how to name your invisible labor, practice radical micro-rest, create powerful boundaries, build your sister circle, and reconnect with your body's wisdom. If you're looking to move from surviving to thriving, you won't want to miss this one!

Key Takeaways:

• Name the Invisible Labor: Learn to identify and track the emotional labor, code-switching, and family obligations that drain your energy without being acknowledged or compensated.

• Practice Radical Micro-Rest: Discover how tiny moments of intentional rest throughout your day can regulate your nervous system—without waiting until you're completely burnt out.

• Create Your No Script Library: Build a collection of boundary-setting phrases so you can protect your energy without scrambling for words in the moment.

• Build a Sister Circle Safety Net: Understand why isolation multiplies stress and how to cultivate genuine community with people who truly get your experience.

• Reconnect With Your Body's Signals: Stop overriding your body's warnings and learn simple practices to listen to what it's been trying to tell you before it forces you to pay attention.

🎁 FREE RESOURCE:

Download the 7-Day Self-Care Reset specifically designed for high-achieving Black women. Get daily practices to reduce stress, set boundaries, and reconnect with yourself. 👉 [7-Day Self-Care Reset]

📅 Ready for Deeper Support?

If you're realizing you need more than strategies—if you're stuck in patterns of burnout, stress, or feeling disconnected—we'd love to support you.

Ready to get to work: Complete your intake form today. www.javerywellness.com/get-started

Connect with Us:

• Instagram: @natasha_is_satisfied

• Facebook: @NatashaChentille

• YouTube: @NatashaChentille

• Website: www.javerywellness.com