This week on Shades of Strong, we’re going all the way in. I’m sitting down with Dr. Cecily Moore for a raw, layered conversation about what it really costs to carry the “strong Black woman” narrative — and what it actually takes to start living well, for real.

Dr. Cecily brings her lived experience, research, and wisdom to the table as we talk about the exhaustion, the generational weight, and how so many of us are ready to put it all down. Together, we unpack:

What the “strong Black woman” narrative steals from us, and why so many are finally saying, “I don’t want to do it like this anymore.”

How wellness for Black women is not just individual, but communal — when a Black woman is well, everybody connected to her benefits.

The emotional and cultural impact of being expected to serve, sacrifice, and hold it together — even when you’re falling apart on the inside.

Why self-advocacy, boundaries, and true support are non-negotiable for our healing (and what it actually looks like in everyday life).

The church, the workplace, the family — where the strong Black woman myth keeps showing up, and how we’re learning to question it.

How unlearning strength-as-sacrifice is an act of resistance and the beginning of generational healing.

You’ll also hear personal stories — from both Dr. Cecily and myself— about what it feels like to try to be “everything to everybody,” the grief that comes with letting that go, and the joy that’s possible on the other side.

If you’re a Black woman who’s ever felt like your well-being is always last on the list, this one is for you. And if you care about Black women, it’s for you too.

Timestamps – What You’ll Hear and When:

00:00 – Intro & Why This Conversation Matters

06:20 – Dr. Cecily’s Story: Postpartum Depression and the Cost of Strength

10:25 – Generational Strength: Grandma, Mama, and Us

15:50 – Research, Lived Experience, and the Grief of Unlearning “Strong”

17:20 – The Support Language Behind the Therapist Chair

21:31 – The Pacifier Metaphor: Replacing “Strong” with Support

24:54 – Watching Her Learn to Rest: Dr. Cecily’s Mom and the Reclamation of Joy

28:06 – Church, Faith, and the Conditioning of “Strong”

36:18 – When Strength Is Rooted in Fear: Mothering Black Boys

41:15 – Receiving as a Skill: Support Languages and Accessibility

49:00 – Final Words: Unlearning “Strong” as a Mental Health Intervention

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Shirl is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.