In this episode, we delve into the complex relationship between spirituality and mental well-being, particularly within the Black community and for Black women in religious spaces. The conversation illuminates:

• The Church's dual role as both a sanctuary and a source of pain, exploring how it has shaped the Black community's spiritual and emotional landscape.
• The specific struggles Black women face within these sacred spaces, often bearing the brunt of systemic biases without the deserved support or recognition.
• The urgent need for collective healing, acknowledging the scars left by spiritual bypassing and institutional neglect.
• The transformative power of recognizing God's love in every interaction, urging a recommitment to treating one another with the dignity and compassion reflective of divine love.

Candice Marie Benbow is a theologian, essayist, columnist, baker, and educator whose work gives voice to Black women's shared experiences of faith, healing, and wholeness. Named by Sojourners as one of "10 Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2020," she has written for Essence, Glamour, The Root, VICE, Shondaland, Madame Noire, and the Me Too Movement. Candice created the "Lemonade Syllabus" social media campaign, founded the media boutique Zion Hill Media Group, and, in memory of her mother, established The LouiseMarie Foundation to support HBCU nursing students and community mental health projects. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Candice holds degrees from Tennessee State University, North Carolina Central University, and Duke Divinity School.

If you're interested in hearing more from Candace Benbow (and you should be), you can check her out on Instagram, X, and Threads

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