A mother's hand reaches out as her baby grasps her finger
A woman, sitting at a conference table with her hands on her keyboard, looking at her laptop

A LOVE LETTER TO THE SBW…

YOUR WORK DOESN’T HAVE TO KILL YOU

Signed, a Recovering SBW (Strong Black Woman) and therapist-turned-entrepreneur, dedicated to the wellness of professional black women through the lens of self, work, and motherhood.

A black woman in a pink pant suit leans back in a grey chair, staring directly at the camera
Dr. Cecily Moore stands, hands on hips, with a huge smile in a t-shirt that reads "Unlearn that Sh*t" and a black leather pencil Skirt

WHAT IF

…your self-worth was no longer synonymous with your job title?

…your identity was aligned with your values, instead of your work?

…you designed your work around your life, and not the other way around

As a recovering Strong Black Woman, I know that you have a lot more to offer than your accomplishments and job titles. If you’ve been so wrapped up in being everything to everyone that you’ve forgotten who you are, it’s time to step back.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH. GRAB MY HAND. LET GO OF HUSTLE CULTURE.

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  • Association for counselor education and supervision logo
  • Southern association for counselor education and supervision logo
a black and white image of a black woman, cropped close on her face, her eyes closed, and one hand covers her right eye
A woman sitting on a window ledge, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her shins

YOU GOT INTO YOUR FIELD OF WORK BECAUSE YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT BEING OF SERVICE TO OTHERS.

BUT THE REALITY IS…

You can’t be of service to others when you don’t have enough gas in the tank to sustain yourself, let alone care for your family and relationship.

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    "I can't escape the golden handcuffs!"

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    “My friends don’t call me anymore!”

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    “I don’t know the last time I had a date night with my partner”

You’ve been brought up in a society that preaches the gospel of working yourself into the ground with little reward to show for it, except burnout, of course. You pay for it by sacrificing your precious time, values, and sense of self (oh, and don’t forget to add tax for black women!).

Repeat after me.

WHITE SUPREMACY AND CAPITALISM CAN’T HAVE MY BODY.

TRICIA HERSEY

You’ve been scratching and clawing your way to the top to prove your value— that you’re smart, qualified, and capable. But I’ve got news for you– you’re holding yourself to an impossible standard.

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YOU CAME FOR THERAPY, BUT I’M TEACHING YOU A NEW LANGUAGE.

You stumbled across this page, so I believe that you finding me is not happenstance…You’re here now, lurking, about to f*ck around and find out. Why not bet on yourself?

A mother in an oversized blazer and jeans leans over to hug her child with flowers in her hand

I PROMISE, YOU’RE DEFINITELY IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

In order to create a life that feels meaningful and rich, you’ll need fluency in a new language– the language and lifestyle of self-care and wellness as a black, professional, working woman in modern society.

IN OTHER WORDS:

You communicate with logic but the manual is written in emotional connection.

Uh, oh. There’s no google translate for this one. So what do you do?

A black woman holds a crystal to her eye, the light reflects on her face
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A close up of a black woman's face, cropped so thatt you see half of it
A mother leans over, reading to her child

YOU’RE SO DAMN GOOD AT:

  • making more money

  • checking off the boxes

  • and collecting those accolades

You can DO all the things all day long. But in order to make the impact you’re envisioning, you have to BE there for yourself and HAVE your own needs met.

THAT’S WHERE I COME IN...

your nurturing yet direct, black southern fairy godmother with a penchant for profanities and a serious passion for helping black professional women get back to who they’re truly meant to be.

 

WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, HERE’S WHAT WILL HAPPEN:

  • You’ll get a raise…in time, your most precious asset. (Last I do not want the $ to be the focal point).

  • You’ll learn to create boundaries. Less patients. More patience and grace for yourself.

  • You’ll feel fulfilled through self-validation, so that you feel equally successful watching your little one take off on two wheels and delivering a keynote. 

  • You’ll find it easy to separate yourself from your work without guilt, so you can be present with your family.

  • You’ll start connecting with yourself on a deeper level, so that you can find strength and peace from within. (this one first) 

 

When you make yourself a priority, you get to create the rules about what success, happiness, and wealth actually look like.

Black and white image of a woman standing behind long, thin leaves. She stares directly at the camera

WORK WITH CECILY

GO FROM RECOVERING SBW TO WELL BLACK WOMAN