Many women, particularly those from African and Caribbean Diaspora communities, grow up receiving subtle and overt messages that our value depends on how well we meet expectations, care for others, and prove ourselves. Over time, these messages can become the voice we use when speaking to ourselves. “Hello, Uncle Joseph. How are you doing?” Joyce,...
Since learning to swim, I have become an advocate for others who want to feel more at ease, especially in the deep end. I feel immense joy when previously hesitant swimmers, both adults and teens, refuse to get out of the pool at the end of class, having found comfort in a space that once...
A foundation to healing and self-understanding For those of us who have lived between cultures, the quiet act of naming our truth can be a radical reclamation. On a picture-perfect weekend, I reconnected with my roots at the May 2025 Calabash International Literary Festival held at Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s south shore. Against a backdrop...
One Caribbean friend packed her bag and headed home on November 3rd. That day, faced with packing her suitcases for her months-long stay with family, my friend appreciated having an extra hour of daylight-saving time, but more important, she rejoiced knowing that she would be out of town, and in the tropics when the days would...
“Like watermarks on paper, aquatics can leave ineffaceable impressions on cultures, on memories, and on one’s sense of place and identity.” ~ Kevin Dawson in Undercurrents of Power: Aquatic Culture in the African Diaspora Trauma healing is a process. I was only ten years old when I accompanied my father and uncle to Hellshire Beach, a...
Is it alright to seek counseling? Dr. Patricia V. Smith is a fellow Jamaican. This accomplished entrepreneur has numerous accolades including: Multiple education degrees in Nursing; A Multimillion-dollar home healthcare agency; Businesses in the United States and in Jamaica; Over 500 employees; Philanthropic endeavors; and A published biography, I Persist By all accounts, Dr. Smith...
I fully understand the act of courage some clients demonstrate when they reach out to me for support. They reach out for assistance despite fears of being judged harshly by family members and friends who view their decision as a sign of weakness and a waste of their time and personal resources. We need support...
