Creating Safe Spaces for Black Healing and Growth with Rachel Johnson

All Episodes

February 20, 2025 • 35 mins

How can we create healing spaces that truly serve our communities?

In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Johnson, founder of Half Hood Half Holistic, a wellness business in Syracuse, New York. She’s a licensed mental health therapist, doula, and author, and she’s all about making healing accessible in a way that actually fits our culture and communities.

Rachel shares her journey from earning multiple degrees in mental health to realizing that traditional therapy wasn’t the full answer. We dive into the gaps in mental health services for Black and Brown communities, how Half Hood Half Holistic was created to fill those gaps, and why healing in community is so powerful. We also talk about self-love, Black men’s mental health, and why grief work is such an important part of growth.

If you’re looking for a space where wellness meets culture, check out Half Hood Half Holistic.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

Rachel’s journey from therapy to holistic healing
Why Black and Brown communities are underrepresented in traditional therapy
The role of grief in self-love and personal growth
How Half Hood, Half Holistic creates community healing spaces
Black men’s mental health and breaking the stigma

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Book | The Self-Love Workbook for Black Women
Half Hood, Half Holistic Website Website | www.halfhoodhalfholistic.com
Instagram | @HalfHoodHalfHolistic
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@HalfHoodHalfHolistic

BEST MOMENTS

"We are the most isolated group of humans that are always around people."

"Self love doesn’t mean isolated love."

"Healing work is grief work, and that means we’re always perpetually in a state of grief."

"Our goal at Half Hood Half Holistic is to create culturally relevant and accessible healing services. And we center the black community, and we believe people heal in the community.

“You can be your whole self in your healing work."

CONTACT THE HOST