In this segement of Mental Margins, we share two perspectives on the hidden weight of high-functioning pain.

First, trauma therapist Denise D. Moore shares a testimonial and reflects on dismantling the “strong Black woman” stereotype—reminding us that while not every story ends with a cure, every story can still carry meaning.

Then, from Episode 105: Rewriting the Conversation Around Suicide, we check in with Nia—the friend who remembers every birthday, keeps the group chat alive, and always shows up for everyone else. From the outside, she’s the glue holding her circle together. Inside, she’s carrying storms she’s never named.