Dr. Thema Bryant

And then moving further along, while I was in high school, my father was elected to be a bishop in the AME Church.

And then moving further along, while I was in high school, my father was elected to be a bishop in the AME Church.

And then moving further along, while I was in high school, my father was elected to be a bishop in the AME Church.

Thank you so much. And you were just an itty bitty. I was a little bitty. That's why like seven, eight years old seeing you and we would see you on the news. Yes. And then see you at church, which is such a great example for us to know what's possible. Wow. That this reflection is more than attainable.

Thank you so much. And you were just an itty bitty. I was a little bitty. That's why like seven, eight years old seeing you and we would see you on the news. Yes. And then see you at church, which is such a great example for us to know what's possible. Wow. That this reflection is more than attainable.

Thank you so much. And you were just an itty bitty. I was a little bitty. That's why like seven, eight years old seeing you and we would see you on the news. Yes. And then see you at church, which is such a great example for us to know what's possible. Wow. That this reflection is more than attainable.

It is everything. Community is so important for us healing. And so that was a part of when we talk about like the broken heart. When I was a college student at Duke University, I came home to Baltimore for a visit and a member of our church sexually assaulted me. You talk about heartbreak. Yes. Heartbreak. It is that break of trust when you think you're safe in someone's presence. Absolutely.

It is everything. Community is so important for us healing. And so that was a part of when we talk about like the broken heart. When I was a college student at Duke University, I came home to Baltimore for a visit and a member of our church sexually assaulted me. You talk about heartbreak. Yes. Heartbreak. It is that break of trust when you think you're safe in someone's presence. Absolutely.

It is everything. Community is so important for us healing. And so that was a part of when we talk about like the broken heart. When I was a college student at Duke University, I came home to Baltimore for a visit and a member of our church sexually assaulted me. You talk about heartbreak. Yes. Heartbreak. It is that break of trust when you think you're safe in someone's presence. Absolutely.

Or we assume, you know, if you're in a faith community, everyone is going to be caring and loving. And so that was like a disruption. I'll say before that, I was a straight A student. And for the first time, like I couldn't focus. I couldn't concentrate. I had to go speak to a dean. And there was one black dean at Duke University who had the same last name, Dean Bryant.

Or we assume, you know, if you're in a faith community, everyone is going to be caring and loving. And so that was like a disruption. I'll say before that, I was a straight A student. And for the first time, like I couldn't focus. I couldn't concentrate. I had to go speak to a dean. And there was one black dean at Duke University who had the same last name, Dean Bryant.

Or we assume, you know, if you're in a faith community, everyone is going to be caring and loving. And so that was like a disruption. I'll say before that, I was a straight A student. And for the first time, like I couldn't focus. I couldn't concentrate. I had to go speak to a dean. And there was one black dean at Duke University who had the same last name, Dean Bryant.

And I just came to her in all of my despair and had to heal my heart. So that this has been a long journey up until this year, this past year, the passing of my mother. Right. Which is another heartbreak. But I love what you shared in a prior episode of They Never Leave Us. And I definitely feel her presence today, every day.

And I just came to her in all of my despair and had to heal my heart. So that this has been a long journey up until this year, this past year, the passing of my mother. Right. Which is another heartbreak. But I love what you shared in a prior episode of They Never Leave Us. And I definitely feel her presence today, every day.

And I just came to her in all of my despair and had to heal my heart. So that this has been a long journey up until this year, this past year, the passing of my mother. Right. Which is another heartbreak. But I love what you shared in a prior episode of They Never Leave Us. And I definitely feel her presence today, every day.

Yes. Yes. We have so many layers and parts of ourselves that we discard or that we hide because we desire to be acceptable. Yes. So it's like, what part of me did I tuck away in order for other people to give validation or approval? And so gathering those broken pieces so I can be wholly me.

Yes. Yes. We have so many layers and parts of ourselves that we discard or that we hide because we desire to be acceptable. Yes. So it's like, what part of me did I tuck away in order for other people to give validation or approval? And so gathering those broken pieces so I can be wholly me.

Yes. Yes. We have so many layers and parts of ourselves that we discard or that we hide because we desire to be acceptable. Yes. So it's like, what part of me did I tuck away in order for other people to give validation or approval? And so gathering those broken pieces so I can be wholly me.

Yeah. A big part of it is self-acceptance and recognizing you can feel more than one thing at the same time and you can be more than one thing at the same time. Sometimes we don't give ourselves grace because we have this idea of perfection that doesn't leave room for our humanity. So I can have compassion on myself. I say, if you look far enough back at your story

Yeah. A big part of it is self-acceptance and recognizing you can feel more than one thing at the same time and you can be more than one thing at the same time. Sometimes we don't give ourselves grace because we have this idea of perfection that doesn't leave room for our humanity. So I can have compassion on myself. I say, if you look far enough back at your story