A Sanctuary for women, seeking empowerment, growth and inspiration in support of their mental well-being.

I was overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious and depressed

Not everyone has a ‘struggle story,’ and that’s okay. But for many of us high-achieving women, success often comes at a steep cost. We work tirelessly to accomplish our goals, often against the odds. For me, that meant navigating economic disadvantage and toxic family dynamics while enduring setbacks and obstacles beyond my control. Life often felt like I was running a gauntlet.

My focus was threefold: education, work and perfectionism. I never stopped to address my mental, physical, or emotional needs—needs I hadn’t even acknowledged existed and my spiritual needs were eclipsed by religious doctrine. I lived in a constant state of survival, hyper-aware of my material challenges but oblivious to the toll this relentless grind was taking on me. I knew how to create something out of nothing, but I completely missed how this scarcity mindset left me in a perpetual state of fight or flight, unable to find the safety I needed to heal.

This unhealed foundation dictated so many of my decisions, keeping me stuck in patterns shaped by wounds I hadn’t addressed. Eventually, my wiring began to short-circuit. There were many moments that called me to come home to myself, but it was the loss of my primary caregiver—and the spiral of loneliness and grief that followed—that ultimately opened the door for my healing to begin.

In Black families, mental health wasn’t something we talked about. Even ten years ago, as a society, there was still a hesitance to openly discuss mental well-being. Within family dynamics, struggles were often borne in silence, even when others around us might have been experiencing the same challenges. There was an intergenerational aspect to this silence—mental health struggles passed down, unaddressed, because of stigma, a lack of tools, and inadequate resources to deal with these truths. It’s no wonder so many women have been left to navigate these battles alone, without support or guidance.

I had so many questions myself: How do I address the parts of my life I neglected during my darkest moments? How do I find and work effectively with a therapist? How do I make career decisions, improve my finances, and repair the relationships I need to help me heal? How do I rest? How do I just take care of myself?

No one talked about how unsettling, jarring, and all-encompassing a mental health challenge could be. For many women, including myself, the silence around these struggles only amplified the isolation

I wanted to be well but had no idea how to get there

A huge part of my journey was breaking the silence—being honest with the people who cared about me. This meant owning the fact that I didn’t have it all together and learning to let go. Toxic shame often keeps women clinging to the myth of mastery, when in truth, mastery—and healing—is a lifelong journey. It’s not a destination, but an easeful walk, where each of us moves at our own pace along our unique path. Breaking the silence doesn’t just free us; it helps dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and allows women to ask for and feel deserving of having their needs met.

The way forward is a beautiful dance of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual awakening, intertwined with self-discovery. To guide my journey, I’ve identified four practices that ground me: Renewal, Reflection, Reconnection, and Recreation. These principles remind me to rest without guilt, reflect with intention, reconnect to myself and others regularly, and make room for joy through play and creativity.

Chief among the practices I’ve embraced are spending time in the therapeutic environment of a spa, engaging with nature, fostering authentic connections with others, and expressing myself creatively—whether through art, journaling, or simply letting my inner child play. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to healing, but cultivating a personal menu of rituals and activities can make the journey more meaningful. Whether you’re starting from a place of darkness, working to prevent a setback, or simply trying to maintain your progress, there’s something for everyone in this journey toward wholeness.

I found a way forward and you can too

Root X Water, Where Connection Meets Renewal

I contemplated launching this endeavor on and off for the last three years. It has gone through several iterations and represents the first part of a much bigger vision. The moment of clarity came while watching Simone Biles’ documentary Simone Biles: Rising. Simone described experiencing the gymnastics twisties—a sudden loss of orientation in mid-air, unable to spot the ground for her landing. After years of hard work, discipline, and enduring unimaginable trauma, her body and mind demanded acknowledgment at the most inopportune time. I had an epiphany: that’s exactly what this journey has felt like—the ‘twisties.’

While we may not be flying through the air, the experience of hustling and grinding to reach a high point in life, only to feel disoriented when faced with a mental health challenge, is like losing the ability to spot the ground to land.

I want women to spot the ground.

That’s what Root X Water represents: a safe landing—a place of connectedness and replenishment. It’s about building community and sharing knowledge so no woman is left behind or left to navigate alone. It’s about telling our stories to make the bumpy road smoother for others. It’s about developing practices that bring joy and creating the safety we, as women, need to feel inspired and empowered to heal.