February 19, 2024 • 32 mins
In this episode of "Diaries of a Modern Trailblazer," I had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Kamilah Thomas, a licensed mental health therapist, motivational coach, and women empowerment advocate. Together, we delved into Kamilah's inspiring journey, from her initial aspirations of becoming an attorney to her transformative shift into social work and entrepreneurship.
Kamilah shared her personal experiences and insights, reflecting on the challenges she faced and the pivotal moments that led her to where she is today. We explored the concept of being a Strong Black Woman, discussing the characteristics and struggles that often come with this identity. Kamilah emphasized the importance of self-care and total wellness, highlighting the interconnectedness of mental, emotional, and physical health.
Throughout our conversation, Kamilah shared practical tips and advice for prioritizing self-care and maintaining well-being, from deep breathing exercises to the power of stillness and mindfulness. We discussed the significance of addressing emotional baggage and the impact it can have on our overall health and success.
Looking ahead, Kamilah expressed her excitement for expanding her therapy practice, coaching female entrepreneurs, and engaging in more speaking engagements. She emphasized the importance of resilience and perseverance, encouraging us to embrace the unexpected twists and turns of life with an open mind and a positive attitude.
Overall, this episode was a heartfelt and empowering conversation, filled with valuable insights and encouragement for anyone on their journey to personal growth and fulfillment. Join us as we navigate the path to success and well-being, one step at a time!
Topics Covered:
- My transformative shift into private practice as a therapist
- The Strong Black Woman
- Prioritizing total wellness for sustainable success
- The practice of deep breathing to reduce anxiety
- The surprising things you'll learn about yourself by sitting in silence
- Embracing life's unpredictability
Guest Info:
- KBT Counseling and Consulting
- Boss Up Wellness Coaching and Consulting
- She Can Work - Rooted Workshop (Feb 23rd)
- Kamilah's Instagram
- Kamilah's Linkedin
Follow Us:
Sponsors:
Thanks to Pamoja for supporting Diaries of a Modern Trailblazer
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kamilah Thomas (00:00):
as we take on more and more and more, that
(00:02):
also means that things are gonnahave to come off, right?
Because so much is given, muchis required.
And so the ways that we may havetraditionally grinded and
hustled and do certain things.
How sustainable is that?
And so my goal now is to help,ambitious entrepreneurs still
shine bright and be successfulwithout burning out.
(00:22):
Right.
So really help them be able toprioritize their wellness
because self care is a necessityfor sustainable success.
Stephanie (00:31):
I am Stephanie Evans and this is Diaries of a Modern
Trailblazer.
Take note of the journey and beinspired to forge your own
amazing path.
Today, I have Kamilah Thomas,licensed mental health therapist
and speaker with us.
Kamilah Thomas (00:51):
Hello, everybody.
Thank you so much, Stephanie,for having me here today.
Stephanie (00:56):
Thank you so much for being here.
So, how do you feel today?
Kamilah Thomas (01:00):
I feel really good.
We had an amazing shoot.
I'm very, very grateful to beable to be rocking one of your
bags.
So, the day started offperfectly.
Stephanie (01:11):
I know, right?
I mean, despite the weather,it's still an amazing day.
So what I like to kick it offwith is really knowing the
context of who you are and yourbackstory.
So give us a little bit moreinsight
Kamilah Thomas (01:26):
into who you are.
Oh, goodness.
Um, I am a Thomas girl.
I am the oldest of three girls.
I am a Virgo.
If that tells you anything.
I'm also a licensed mentalhealth therapist.
I do motivational and womenempowerment coaching.
(01:46):
I am a lover of fitness.
I am a lover of travel.
Stephanie (01:52):
How did you become a mental health therapist?
Kamilah Thomas (01:57):
That was definitely a journey, definitely
a journey.
So I initially wanted to be anattorney.
My undergraduate degree was incriminal justice and psychology.
In addition to having a love forthe legal field and law, I also
have always been interested injust how the mind works, why
people do what they do.
What motivates them.
And then just different mentalhealth disorders as I was
(02:19):
learning about them in mypsychology classes was really
interesting to me.
And so after graduating, um, Iwas a juvenile probation officer
while I was waiting to study forthe LSAT.
And that really just opened upmy eyes of, just the
psychosocial challenges thatpeople have that lead them to
make certain decisions.
(02:40):
Do people become who they arebased on nurture versus nature
or a little combination of both?
From there, unfortunately, I hadsome really traumatic things
happen to some kids on mycaseload.
And so that really pushed me ina direction to want to be more
preventative, to be more in ahelping role versus in a
punitive role.
(03:00):
And I'm competitive, right?
So after undergrad, I noticed alot of my peers went on to get
master's degrees.
And so that was kind of how Ifell into social work instead of
going into law.
Um, and from there it was reallyjust, I will say a spiritual
journey because I've doneeverything from working in RTCs,
(03:22):
psychiatric hospitals, nonprofitorganizations, government
agencies.
And then in 2018.
There was definitely a very, um,transformational period in my
life, and this is why I say Godintervened because I made a
total switch into privatepractice, which is what I've
been doing full time for thelast six years.
(03:44):
In that role, I really had theopportunity to grow as a
professional, just to realizedifferent ways for me to take my
skill set and my previous yearsof experience to be able to do
different things beyond therapy.
So whether it's speakingengagements, coaching, clinical
supervision, being a mentalhealth consultant, um, and so
now I wear a lot of, a lot ofdifferent hats in the field of
(04:06):
mental health.
Stephanie (04:07):
How did you make that shift into the private practice
in 2018?
Kamilah Thomas (04:14):
God was very disruptive in my life.
Very disruptive in my life.
In grad school, we weren'ttaught anything about private
practice.
It's all about how to work forother people, right?
Hospitals, schools, government.
I just knew that in all my yearsof experience, I just wasn't
really feeling satisfied.
I felt like I was called to domore and I just started meeting
(04:38):
other people and they happenedto be therapists, particularly
in private practice that startedto pique my interest.
And then I just startedreceiving a lot of signs from
God, literally where I wouldhear his voice.
I would meet people and.
Randomly, right?
There would be some kind ofmessage or something that they
said.
The final point where I waslike, okay, God, I hear you, my
(05:00):
sister and two friends, we wentto Kenya, Africa.
And when I tell you, I don'tknow if it was being there in
the motherland, but there werejust so many more confirmations.
To have faith and not fear andto step out and trust yourself
and do something different.
And that was what I did.
And so from there, I think onceyou start moving other doors and
(05:24):
opportunities will open up foryou.
And so that's just what hashappened in the last six years.
Stephanie (05:29):
And there's no looking back.
Kamilah Thomas (05:30):
No looking back.
No, ma'am.
Stephanie (05:34):
What would you say was the most challenging part
about taking that leap of faith?
Kamilah Thomas (05:46):
Going against everything that I knew or was
told would be Success and whatthe American dream was.
Um, I was raised in like aHuxtable kind of household.
Both parents are still marriedto this day and they will
actually celebrate their 50thwedding anniversary this year.
Stephanie (06:05):
Oh, congrats to your parents.
Kamilah Thomas (06:07):
Yes, absolutely.
Goals.
And so we were just raised youknow, you go to college, you get
that degree, you work, climb thecorporate ladder, get married,
have kids, you get a house.
And that's what success lookedlike.
I didn't have anyone in myfamily that were entrepreneurs.
I didn't have friends who wereentrepreneurs.
(06:28):
And so I think that was thescariest thing because I was
used to consistent paycheck, um,being very clear on what the
expectations of, of my job was.
Um, and so to do somethingdifferent, um, I think my
parents were supportive, but alittle sideeye, like, okay,
girl, um, We're going to keepyour room upstairs just in case
(06:49):
things don't work out.
So I think I definitely wasblessed to know that there was a
safety net.
But I think the biggest thingwas just doing something
different that I hadn't seenbefore and I wasn't taught.
Stephanie (07:03):
I love that for you.
And, you know, goals for meBefore we hopped on this
podcast, and as we were planningahead conversations, you
mentioned Strong Black Woman,and I want to tap into that.
What does that mean to you?
(07:24):
And why do you place such anemphasis on it?
Kamilah Thomas (07:29):
So, the Strong Black Woman, there's actually
five characteristics.
There was research done severalyears ago.
And so, some of thecharacteristics looks like when
there is a difficulty withsomeone being able to ask and
receive for help.
There's a tendency to have toalways manifest this sense of
(07:50):
being strong, no matter what.
Difficulty being vulnerable withother people.
Um, and so I think those arethings that I resonated with,
but maybe in a different waythan some other women.
I mentioned before that I was aThomas girl.
And that was something that Ijust heard.
My dad would say that all thetime.
(08:11):
You're a Thomas girl.
You're a Thomas girl.
And you know, it wasn't reallyclear on what that actually
meant.
Stephanie (08:17):
Yeah.
Kamilah Thomas (08:18):
But as heard it and internalized it, it was
almost not that you're betterthan but there are just
different expectations for youand people in this family.
It's just certain, um, unspokenrules of things that you just
don't do.
That you are a leader, thatyou're not a follower.
While my story didn't come outof a need for struggle and I, it
wasn't like I couldn't depend oneverything.
(08:40):
I actually was told that I cando anything.
I never heard can't, um,whatever you want to do, just go
after that.
And so I think for me, because Iwas raised to be pretty self
sufficient and independent,that's just what I knew.
And because I hadn't failedacademically, athletically
(09:00):
there, all the evidence saidthat whatever you want to do,
you can do.
When you set goals, no, theyaren't unrealistic.
No, they aren't high.
They're actually achievable foryou.
And so I think how it'smanifested, particularly, I
would say, in entrepreneurship,having to learn how to delegate
and how to be able to trustother people that the more I
(09:24):
grow and take on, I can't do itall by myself.
I think also reallyunderstanding what vulnerability
means and the strength in that.
I saw my parents veryemotionally regulated all the
time.
I didn't see a whole range ofemotions, um, which is good that
(09:45):
they, you know, stay cool, calm,and collected.
Um, but I think it also was achallenge as You know, I was an
adult and I had differentemotions, feeling like I had to
keep it all together.
Right?
Because that was what I saw.
Versus like, no, you can talkabout this.
You can let it out.
And so, um, I think just kind ofunlearning some things a little
(10:09):
bit or what it looks like in adifferent capacity.
Stephanie (10:14):
That's interesting.
And I'm curious.
You know, you being a licensedmental health therapist, what
does mental health mean to you?
Kamilah Thomas (10:27):
So I'm actually leaning more into total
wellness, right?
And our mental emotional healthis a part of that.
So generally speaking, ourmental health is about, um, the
quality in which we can expressour emotions, we can deal with
stressors in life.
Um, are we staying balancedthrough, you know, Just being
(10:48):
able to, to navigate some simplethings in life.
Um, but total wellness reallylooks like all areas of our life
and there's eight differentcategories.
So emotional, intellectual,social, occupational, spiritual,
um, social, our environment, allof those things.
And so I think when I am beingintentional about taking care of
(11:09):
myself in all of those areas.
Um, versus just my mentalhealth, that's when I get to
show up in the fullness of who Iam, um, and can function at the
best that I can.
Stephanie (11:20):
Right.
So it's holistic.
It's not necessarily justtapping into one specific thing.
Total wellness is allencompassing and everything.
Kamilah Thomas (11:32):
Absolutely.
But I also think it does startwith our head, right?
Because our mind controlseverything.
Um, depending on the mindsetthat we're in is going to make a
difference, how we show upsocially, right?
How productive or not we are atwork— whether or not what's
happening to our spirituality.
I can think of times when, youknow, my mental health may not
(11:54):
have been at the best, andnoticeable changes.
I think that has helped me tosay, okay Kamilah, you're off,
right?
Because I know myself wellenough to be like when I'm good
and when I may be struggling forsome reason.
Stephanie (12:08):
Yeah.
I do want to dive into a littlebit more of some of the work
that you're doing, specificallywith Black female entrepreneurs.
Can you share, give us moreinsight into that.
Kamilah Thomas (12:20):
Absolutely.
So, you know, during my six yearjourney, um, and also just as a
therapist, as I've been workingwith other Black female
entrepreneurs, I found almost apattern or a theme that almost
mirrors some of the same thingsthat I talked about earlier with
being with Strong Black Woman.
(12:41):
And so I think for me, it helpedme feel like I'm not alone and
that there are other women whoare in that same spot.
Again, where there's been ahistory of them being pretty
successful and accomplished.
Other people see them as thestrong person, assuming that
they have all the thingstogether.
Um, but then that woman maybenot being able to receive all
(13:01):
that she gives and pours intoother people.
She can definitely hold spacefor other people emotionally,
but she may hold back a littlebit herself.
Being able to prioritizedifferent competing
responsibilities, particularlyas we take on more and more and
more, that also means thatthings are gonna have to come
off, right?
Because so much is given, muchis required.
(13:23):
And so the ways that we may havetraditionally kind of grinded
and hustled and, you know, docertain things.
How sustainable is that?
And so my goal now is to help,ambitious entrepreneurs still
shine bright and be successfulwithout burning out.
Right.
So really help them be able toprioritize their wellness
(13:43):
because self care is a necessityfor sustainable success.
Stephanie (13:47):
Knowing that you're in a client services based
business that is focused aroundoverall wellness, how are you
ensuring that you'reprioritizing your own self care?
Because that can be a bittaxing.
Kamilah Thomas (14:06):
Absolutely.
So the helper has to make surethat she is helping herself.
So, uh, one, I actually found mea new therapist, probably about
a couple of weeks ago.
So that's one thing that I'mdoing as I'm kind of stepping
into a new season, just wantinga different level of support.
Also working out, I wouldprobably say is the number one
thing that I do as well.
Just for me, again, I've been anathlete, but just being able to
(14:28):
have that physical release ofwhatever I have taken on, um,
definitely is a relief for me.
Traveling, I would say it'sanother huge self care.
I've been intentional definitelythis year about getting back to
quarterly trips.
Um, it doesn't have to beanything far, but just quarterly
opportunities for me just to beable to step away and recharge
and regroup.
(14:49):
Um, I also do monthly Reikisessions and monthly massages as
well, to make sure again thatI'm not holding, um, any tension
in my body and my chakras andenergy is, is flowing, in the
way that it needs to.
Stephanie (15:03):
And what are Reiki sessions?
Kamilah Thomas (15:05):
So, Reiki is an ancient Japanese Eastern
medicine practice.
Sometimes it involves lighttouch, but it's really, it's a
way to be able to assess andbalance your chakras, which is
where we, store our energy.
And so we have seven chakrasfrom, our root, which is kind of
like in our tailbone, all theway to our crown, which is top
(15:28):
of our head.
Stephanie (15:29):
That's interesting.
Mm hmm.
Yeah, definitely need to getmore information from you on
that.
I've heard about it, but justnever really explored it.
So definitely curious aboutthat.
Kamilah Thomas (15:42):
When I'm feeling off and I go, I definitely feel
a lot more grounded, centered,and clear after those sessions.
Stephanie (15:50):
That's cool.
You know, we're in the month ofFebruary, Black History Month,
Being of African descent, andthe history and context behind
Us in America, um, we have alegacy of resilience and
(16:13):
strength that runs deep in ourveins.
And, you know, I want to beintentional about self care,
particularly in this month.
Mm hmm.
What are some things that we canintentionally do now to focus on
our emotional well being?
Kamilah Thomas (16:35):
I think one literally just being able to
breathe and realize that wedon't have to hold it in and
keep it together and keepmanifesting this stoic strength
the way that our ancestors didbecause, when could they cry?
When could they say that they'rescared?
When could they say that theywere anxious and depressed?
(16:56):
And so I think now that societyhas a greater awareness, um, and
value for mental health,hopefully that has decreased
some of the stigma that used tobe there for us to be able to go
and talk to people who look likeus.
Um, and so that's one of thethings that I'm proud about, for
my mental health group practice,KBT counseling consulting is
(17:17):
that we are a practice of blackclinicians who are here to serve
everyday black people who arejust trying to make it through
life.
Not about being crazy is justall the things that we deal with
having a safe space withsomeone, that looks like us to
be able to, you know, sharethose things with and get a
different perspective.
Stephanie (17:37):
And when you say we can and should breathe, how do
we do that in practice?
Like, what are some practicalthings for us to consider?
Kamilah Thomas (17:50):
Literally, deep breathing.
That's one really quick way thatyou can reduce any anxiety and
also like if you're feelinganger in that moment, right?
Um your breath stays with youand so no matter where you are
is something easy that you cando.
One way that's helpful for me isbreathing in really really deep
through my nose for a count offour, holding it for a count of
(18:14):
four, and then releasing throughthe back of my throat and doing
that, I literally feel atingling, soothing sensation.
So one of the things aboutcoping skills, it doesn't mean
that it actually has fixed orsolved whatever the issue is in
that moment, but what it does isregulate our body to be able to
(18:36):
be in a better head space to nowbe able to handle whatever that
stressor is, right?
When we're dysregulated andwe're quote unquote in our
feelings, we're normally notsaying or doing the best, um, to
handle that situation.
Stephanie (18:50):
Literally.
Breathe.
Literally.
Breathe in and breathe out.
And on that note, you know, thatis definitely a great thing to
start doing, but just thinkingabout the long term and like
progressing, what are steps thatwe can take forward beyond that?
Kamilah Thomas (19:17):
I would say if you've ever been considering
therapy, go ahead and schedulean appointment.
There's no better time than thepresent to be able to do that.
There's also a lot of differentcommunity groups and people,
particularly here in the Houstonarea, who are doing different,
um, community breath circles.
It could be sound bowls,meditation, and so those are
(19:38):
opportunities for us to be ableto connect, again, with people
who look like us, who reallyunderstand the power of
mindfulness and being able tocalm the body, and how really
that's healing.
Um, I would also say, make surethat we're really utilizing our
support system.
Sometimes we have people who wecall friends, call family,
(20:00):
right?
Uh, but we don't really utilizethem when we really need their
support.
That can cause us to feel moreisolated, ashamed, judged,
versus if we just reach out tothe people who are already
there.
Stephanie (20:14):
Therapy, there's been a stigma around therapy in our
community.
I would imagine it can preventsome people from seeking that
help.
Where do you start?
Kamilah Thomas (20:33):
I would say if you're in the greater Houston
area, or if you're living in thestate of Texas, start by calling
KBT counseling and consulting,and you can find us by going
directly to our website, whichis www.kbtcounseling.com.
You can also connect with us tolearn more about different
mental health tips and differentcontent that we have either on
(20:57):
IG or Facebook, also at KBTcounseling.
So there's that, right, forpeople who are ready to get
started.
The second thing I would say ishave a moment of, of just
silence.
My mom used to say this onething, it was just, uh, just be
still.
(21:18):
And you would be surprised howmuch you can learn about
yourself by just sitting insilence.
Sometimes we're just so busymoving— we're consuming
different things we're on ourphones.
You know, we're multitasking,we're doing all the things that
our body doesn't, and our minddoesn't have time to really
process things.
But when we're still, when we'requiet, It's interesting the
(21:44):
things that come to surface andthat could be an indication of
some of the things that we needto work on.
And I'll add to that payingattention to our body because
our body keeps the score ofwhatever it is that we have
experienced.
A lot of times when we'veexperience trauma or difficult
(22:05):
situations or emotions, it canbe uncomfortable.
And so we don't want to addressit and we suppress it and we
stuff it down.
But the question is, when we'redoing that, where is it going?
And a lot of times what happensis we are storing our issues in
our bodily tissues.
And so our body holds onto allof this stuff, and so whether or
(22:27):
not it manifests into weight,excessive weight, whether or not
we're noticing that there'schronic pain that we're having
in certain areas of our body,particularly in the neck and
shoulder areas, right, whenwe're feeling tense and on edge.
And so our body is trying totell us certain things.
Sometimes, though, what happensis we ignore our wellness, so
(22:50):
then we're forced to deal withunnecessary illness.
And so I would say, take time tosit in silence, to pay attention
to what it is that your, youknow, body and brain is trying
to process, and then also payattention to what you may be
holding in your body.
And so whether it's therapy,whether it's deep breathing,
(23:10):
whether it's meditation, whetherit's working out, whether it's
screaming, yelling, find a wayto release it.
Because otherwise we're carryingit and it becomes emotional
baggage.
And then we wonder why sometimeswe're stuck, we feel tired,
stagnant.
And a lot of times it's becausewe're carrying so much
unprocessed emotional baggage.
(23:32):
And so it's time to stop, tounpack it, so we can breathe
lighter and fly easier to whereit is that we're trying to go.
Stephanie (23:40):
Yeah.
Unnecessary illness— is so true.
I can say that I have not beensick for a while and I can say
is because I've placed so muchvalue in my overall Emotional
well being and it's so criticaland it's so important
Kamilah Thomas (24:05):
And your skin is flawless.
So, you know, the skin tells itall.
Stephanie (24:08):
I do get compliments on that too, you know.
Kamilah Thomas (24:11):
It's beautiful.
Stephanie (24:13):
Thank you.
Kamilah Thomas (24:14):
No makeup y'all.
Stephanie (24:15):
I don't want to put foundation on or anything like
that.
Um, because it's unnecessary.
I do want to go back to sittingin stillness.
What?
What is the biggest thing thatyou learned about yourself in
sitting in stillness
Kamilah Thomas (24:37):
That my mind is busy, that my mind is busy.
Um, no, let me see.
Um, sometimes, honestly, sittingin stillness helps me just be
more present.
This could be if I am sitting inmy house just relaxing on the
(24:59):
couch, right?
Literally paying attention toall the tiny details in my
house, perhaps, right?
When normally I'm just kind ofmoving hurriedly throughout the
house.
I love sitting still,particularly outside in nature.
Um, literally just getting thatnatural vitamin D, the sun on my
(25:19):
skin, being able to close myeyes and listen to whether it's
crickets, the water, um, justthe wind, you know, in the
trees, that stillness, uh, oneis very calming and I think just
gives my mind a break from,whatever other things that may,
you know, be occupying space andliterally just being able to say
(25:41):
all as well.
Um, and put things inperspectives, cause sometimes we
can get so narrowed and focusedon things that seem like a big
deal.
And then when you get out of thehouse, maybe you shift
environments, it's just like,you know what, there are really
things that are going on outsideof whatever I think is really
important right now, um, andreally just being able to slow
down, just being able to slowdown.
Stephanie (26:05):
Yeah.
And I mean, just the way thatyou said that, it's, it's a way
to get out of your head.
Kamilah Thomas (26:15):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (26:16):
Because our mindset is everything.
Mm hmm.
And you can get stuck easily andquickly.
Kamilah Thomas (26:23):
Now, I will be honest.
Sitting in silence can alsoallow for some of the things
that we have been running from,been avoiding, been suppressing
to allow those things to come tosurface.
And it's not always comfortable.
It may not be things that wewant to address, but I think it
gives you information of what isthere, right?
(26:46):
And so then it's up to us.
Am I going to address this or amI going to continue to stuff it
back down again?
Stephanie (26:53):
Absolutely.
This month in February, I knowthat you have some events going
on.
Kamilah Thomas (27:01):
Yes.
Stephanie (27:01):
Please share.
Kamilah Thomas (27:03):
Absolutely.
So I am super excited, um, abouta partnership with She Can Work.
They are a business developmentcompany here in Houston that
works specifically with, um,Black female entrepreneurs.
And so I will be doing my firstwellness workshop with them on
Friday, February the 23rd from12 p.m.
(27:23):
to 3 p.
m., called Rooted.
And so this is to be able tohelp our entrepreneurs really be
able to prioritize theirwellness and how it directly
connects to their businesssuccess, right?
When we are taking care ofourselves.
Um, we're at our best place tobe able to excel.
And like I said earlier, selfcare is a necessity for
(27:45):
sustainable success.
So I am super, super excited,um, to be working with these
ladies.
We are going to do a self careassessment.
We are going to look at thereasons why we have a hard time
prioritizing ourselves, whatboundaries look like, and a real
understanding of what self carelooks like so we can develop our
own individualized plan.
(28:07):
Self care is not just aboutgetting nails done and taking
baths.
I'll be honest, for me, when Iget my nails and toes done, that
is just normal hygienemaintenance, right?
I can't say that that is calmingand relaxing, but there are some
other things that I do thatreally help fill those depleted
areas in my life.
So, I'm back to being the bossthat I need to be.
Stephanie (28:30):
Yeah, definitely to getting your bag.
Kamilah Thomas (28:32):
Absolutely.
So rooted self care workshopwith She Can Work Friday,
February 23rd, 12 to 3 PM herein Houston....
Stephanie (28:41):
This event, is it only in person or is there a
virtual option?
Kamilah Thomas (28:46):
This one is only in person.
But stay tuned, I definitelyhave some other things come up.
Stephanie (28:53):
And how can people stay connected with you to know
what's on the horizon?
Kamilah Thomas (28:59):
Definitely follow me on Instagram at
underscore Kamilah Thomas.
That is K A M I L A H T H O M AS.
I also have a freebie.
So if you click the link in mybio, you'll be able to get
something free that I have foryou all.
Uh, when you do that, of course,you'll be added to my email
(29:19):
list.
So that's another way to stayconnected with some other
events, workshops, speakingengagements, and offerings that
I have coming up.
Stephanie (29:27):
Amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
Kamilah Thomas (29:29):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (29:30):
When you sit down and look back, what would you say
you're most proud of throughoutthis journey
Kamilah Thomas (29:40):
That I have not given up that have not given up
no matter how hard it may havebeen at certain times during my
six year entrepreneurshipjourney.
Um, just the unfortunate Youknow, personal traumas that I've
had in my life, I am still hereand I have not given up.
(30:01):
I would say the second thingthat I'm proud of is stepping
into entrepreneurship.
That was a huge faith, um, walkand I'm still here and I don't
see myself going back.
Stephanie (30:17):
What's next on the horizon with that?
Kamilah Thomas (30:20):
What's next is continues to grow and expand, my
mental health group practice,KBT counseling and consulting,
and also leaning more into,coaching black female
entrepreneurs and not justblack, but women entrepreneurs,
in addition to the speaking.
I have quite a few speakingengagements coming up.
I love being in that space.
(30:41):
And so just growing the twobusinesses.
Stephanie (30:45):
That's awesome.
I'm excited for you and, andlooking forward to seeing that
growth.
Kamilah Thomas (30:50):
2024 is gonna be good.
Stephanie (30:52):
Yes.
One of the questions I like toask my guests is really just to
step back and reflect, um, andin hindsight, what advice do you
wish the younger version ofyourself knew?
Kamilah Thomas (31:12):
Girl, just relax.
Go with the flow.
Your life is not going to turnout the way you had planned, but
it is still going to be dope.
It's going to be amazing.
You're going to be happy,successful, loved, and
appreciated.
So just trust that.
Stephanie (31:31):
That's really good advice.
I mean, still today, even in mythirties, it's like, it's not
going to go as planned.
I may have a plan to bedirectional, but just got to go
with the flow of things.
So I love that.
Yep.
And I so, so appreciate youbeing on this podcast and
(31:54):
sharing your gems with us.
Kamilah Thomas (31:55):
Thank you, Stephanie.
Stephanie (31:58):
And that's a wrap.
So own it and make moves.
One day, I want to share yourjourney on this podcast.
as we take on more and more and more, that
(00:02):
also means that things are gonnahave to come off, right?
Because so much is given, muchis required.
And so the ways that we may havetraditionally grinded and
hustled and do certain things.
How sustainable is that?
And so my goal now is to help,ambitious entrepreneurs still
shine bright and be successfulwithout burning out.
(00:22):
Right.
So really help them be able toprioritize their wellness
because self care is a necessityfor sustainable success.
Stephanie (00:31):
I am Stephanie Evans and this is Diaries of a Modern
Trailblazer.
Take note of the journey and beinspired to forge your own
amazing path.
Today, I have Kamilah Thomas,licensed mental health therapist
and speaker with us.
Kamilah Thomas (00:51):
Hello, everybody.
Thank you so much, Stephanie,for having me here today.
Stephanie (00:56):
Thank you so much for being here.
So, how do you feel today?
Kamilah Thomas (01:00):
I feel really good.
We had an amazing shoot.
I'm very, very grateful to beable to be rocking one of your
bags.
So, the day started offperfectly.
Stephanie (01:11):
I know, right?
I mean, despite the weather,it's still an amazing day.
So what I like to kick it offwith is really knowing the
context of who you are and yourbackstory.
So give us a little bit moreinsight
Kamilah Thomas (01:26):
into who you are.
Oh, goodness.
Um, I am a Thomas girl.
I am the oldest of three girls.
I am a Virgo.
If that tells you anything.
I'm also a licensed mentalhealth therapist.
I do motivational and womenempowerment coaching.
(01:46):
I am a lover of fitness.
I am a lover of travel.
Stephanie (01:52):
How did you become a mental health therapist?
Kamilah Thomas (01:57):
That was definitely a journey, definitely
a journey.
So I initially wanted to be anattorney.
My undergraduate degree was incriminal justice and psychology.
In addition to having a love forthe legal field and law, I also
have always been interested injust how the mind works, why
people do what they do.
What motivates them.
And then just different mentalhealth disorders as I was
(02:19):
learning about them in mypsychology classes was really
interesting to me.
And so after graduating, um, Iwas a juvenile probation officer
while I was waiting to study forthe LSAT.
And that really just opened upmy eyes of, just the
psychosocial challenges thatpeople have that lead them to
make certain decisions.
(02:40):
Do people become who they arebased on nurture versus nature
or a little combination of both?
From there, unfortunately, I hadsome really traumatic things
happen to some kids on mycaseload.
And so that really pushed me ina direction to want to be more
preventative, to be more in ahelping role versus in a
punitive role.
(03:00):
And I'm competitive, right?
So after undergrad, I noticed alot of my peers went on to get
master's degrees.
And so that was kind of how Ifell into social work instead of
going into law.
Um, and from there it was reallyjust, I will say a spiritual
journey because I've doneeverything from working in RTCs,
(03:22):
psychiatric hospitals, nonprofitorganizations, government
agencies.
And then in 2018.
There was definitely a very, um,transformational period in my
life, and this is why I say Godintervened because I made a
total switch into privatepractice, which is what I've
been doing full time for thelast six years.
(03:44):
In that role, I really had theopportunity to grow as a
professional, just to realizedifferent ways for me to take my
skill set and my previous yearsof experience to be able to do
different things beyond therapy.
So whether it's speakingengagements, coaching, clinical
supervision, being a mentalhealth consultant, um, and so
now I wear a lot of, a lot ofdifferent hats in the field of
(04:06):
mental health.
Stephanie (04:07):
How did you make that shift into the private practice
in 2018?
Kamilah Thomas (04:14):
God was very disruptive in my life.
Very disruptive in my life.
In grad school, we weren'ttaught anything about private
practice.
It's all about how to work forother people, right?
Hospitals, schools, government.
I just knew that in all my yearsof experience, I just wasn't
really feeling satisfied.
I felt like I was called to domore and I just started meeting
(04:38):
other people and they happenedto be therapists, particularly
in private practice that startedto pique my interest.
And then I just startedreceiving a lot of signs from
God, literally where I wouldhear his voice.
I would meet people and.
Randomly, right?
There would be some kind ofmessage or something that they
said.
The final point where I waslike, okay, God, I hear you, my
(05:00):
sister and two friends, we wentto Kenya, Africa.
And when I tell you, I don'tknow if it was being there in
the motherland, but there werejust so many more confirmations.
To have faith and not fear andto step out and trust yourself
and do something different.
And that was what I did.
And so from there, I think onceyou start moving other doors and
(05:24):
opportunities will open up foryou.
And so that's just what hashappened in the last six years.
Stephanie (05:29):
And there's no looking back.
Kamilah Thomas (05:30):
No looking back.
No, ma'am.
Stephanie (05:34):
What would you say was the most challenging part
about taking that leap of faith?
Kamilah Thomas (05:46):
Going against everything that I knew or was
told would be Success and whatthe American dream was.
Um, I was raised in like aHuxtable kind of household.
Both parents are still marriedto this day and they will
actually celebrate their 50thwedding anniversary this year.
Stephanie (06:05):
Oh, congrats to your parents.
Kamilah Thomas (06:07):
Yes, absolutely.
Goals.
And so we were just raised youknow, you go to college, you get
that degree, you work, climb thecorporate ladder, get married,
have kids, you get a house.
And that's what success lookedlike.
I didn't have anyone in myfamily that were entrepreneurs.
I didn't have friends who wereentrepreneurs.
(06:28):
And so I think that was thescariest thing because I was
used to consistent paycheck, um,being very clear on what the
expectations of, of my job was.
Um, and so to do somethingdifferent, um, I think my
parents were supportive, but alittle sideeye, like, okay,
girl, um, We're going to keepyour room upstairs just in case
(06:49):
things don't work out.
So I think I definitely wasblessed to know that there was a
safety net.
But I think the biggest thingwas just doing something
different that I hadn't seenbefore and I wasn't taught.
Stephanie (07:03):
I love that for you.
And, you know, goals for meBefore we hopped on this
podcast, and as we were planningahead conversations, you
mentioned Strong Black Woman,and I want to tap into that.
What does that mean to you?
(07:24):
And why do you place such anemphasis on it?
Kamilah Thomas (07:29):
So, the Strong Black Woman, there's actually
five characteristics.
There was research done severalyears ago.
And so, some of thecharacteristics looks like when
there is a difficulty withsomeone being able to ask and
receive for help.
There's a tendency to have toalways manifest this sense of
(07:50):
being strong, no matter what.
Difficulty being vulnerable withother people.
Um, and so I think those arethings that I resonated with,
but maybe in a different waythan some other women.
I mentioned before that I was aThomas girl.
And that was something that Ijust heard.
My dad would say that all thetime.
(08:11):
You're a Thomas girl.
You're a Thomas girl.
And you know, it wasn't reallyclear on what that actually
meant.
Stephanie (08:17):
Yeah.
Kamilah Thomas (08:18):
But as heard it and internalized it, it was
almost not that you're betterthan but there are just
different expectations for youand people in this family.
It's just certain, um, unspokenrules of things that you just
don't do.
That you are a leader, thatyou're not a follower.
While my story didn't come outof a need for struggle and I, it
wasn't like I couldn't depend oneverything.
(08:40):
I actually was told that I cando anything.
I never heard can't, um,whatever you want to do, just go
after that.
And so I think for me, because Iwas raised to be pretty self
sufficient and independent,that's just what I knew.
And because I hadn't failedacademically, athletically
(09:00):
there, all the evidence saidthat whatever you want to do,
you can do.
When you set goals, no, theyaren't unrealistic.
No, they aren't high.
They're actually achievable foryou.
And so I think how it'smanifested, particularly, I
would say, in entrepreneurship,having to learn how to delegate
and how to be able to trustother people that the more I
(09:24):
grow and take on, I can't do itall by myself.
I think also reallyunderstanding what vulnerability
means and the strength in that.
I saw my parents veryemotionally regulated all the
time.
I didn't see a whole range ofemotions, um, which is good that
(09:45):
they, you know, stay cool, calm,and collected.
Um, but I think it also was achallenge as You know, I was an
adult and I had differentemotions, feeling like I had to
keep it all together.
Right?
Because that was what I saw.
Versus like, no, you can talkabout this.
You can let it out.
And so, um, I think just kind ofunlearning some things a little
(10:09):
bit or what it looks like in adifferent capacity.
Stephanie (10:14):
That's interesting.
And I'm curious.
You know, you being a licensedmental health therapist, what
does mental health mean to you?
Kamilah Thomas (10:27):
So I'm actually leaning more into total
wellness, right?
And our mental emotional healthis a part of that.
So generally speaking, ourmental health is about, um, the
quality in which we can expressour emotions, we can deal with
stressors in life.
Um, are we staying balancedthrough, you know, Just being
(10:48):
able to, to navigate some simplethings in life.
Um, but total wellness reallylooks like all areas of our life
and there's eight differentcategories.
So emotional, intellectual,social, occupational, spiritual,
um, social, our environment, allof those things.
And so I think when I am beingintentional about taking care of
(11:09):
myself in all of those areas.
Um, versus just my mentalhealth, that's when I get to
show up in the fullness of who Iam, um, and can function at the
best that I can.
Stephanie (11:20):
Right.
So it's holistic.
It's not necessarily justtapping into one specific thing.
Total wellness is allencompassing and everything.
Kamilah Thomas (11:32):
Absolutely.
But I also think it does startwith our head, right?
Because our mind controlseverything.
Um, depending on the mindsetthat we're in is going to make a
difference, how we show upsocially, right?
How productive or not we are atwork— whether or not what's
happening to our spirituality.
I can think of times when, youknow, my mental health may not
(11:54):
have been at the best, andnoticeable changes.
I think that has helped me tosay, okay Kamilah, you're off,
right?
Because I know myself wellenough to be like when I'm good
and when I may be struggling forsome reason.
Stephanie (12:08):
Yeah.
I do want to dive into a littlebit more of some of the work
that you're doing, specificallywith Black female entrepreneurs.
Can you share, give us moreinsight into that.
Kamilah Thomas (12:20):
Absolutely.
So, you know, during my six yearjourney, um, and also just as a
therapist, as I've been workingwith other Black female
entrepreneurs, I found almost apattern or a theme that almost
mirrors some of the same thingsthat I talked about earlier with
being with Strong Black Woman.
(12:41):
And so I think for me, it helpedme feel like I'm not alone and
that there are other women whoare in that same spot.
Again, where there's been ahistory of them being pretty
successful and accomplished.
Other people see them as thestrong person, assuming that
they have all the thingstogether.
Um, but then that woman maybenot being able to receive all
(13:01):
that she gives and pours intoother people.
She can definitely hold spacefor other people emotionally,
but she may hold back a littlebit herself.
Being able to prioritizedifferent competing
responsibilities, particularlyas we take on more and more and
more, that also means thatthings are gonna have to come
off, right?
Because so much is given, muchis required.
(13:23):
And so the ways that we may havetraditionally kind of grinded
and hustled and, you know, docertain things.
How sustainable is that?
And so my goal now is to help,ambitious entrepreneurs still
shine bright and be successfulwithout burning out.
Right.
So really help them be able toprioritize their wellness
(13:43):
because self care is a necessityfor sustainable success.
Stephanie (13:47):
Knowing that you're in a client services based
business that is focused aroundoverall wellness, how are you
ensuring that you'reprioritizing your own self care?
Because that can be a bittaxing.
Kamilah Thomas (14:06):
Absolutely.
So the helper has to make surethat she is helping herself.
So, uh, one, I actually found mea new therapist, probably about
a couple of weeks ago.
So that's one thing that I'mdoing as I'm kind of stepping
into a new season, just wantinga different level of support.
Also working out, I wouldprobably say is the number one
thing that I do as well.
Just for me, again, I've been anathlete, but just being able to
(14:28):
have that physical release ofwhatever I have taken on, um,
definitely is a relief for me.
Traveling, I would say it'sanother huge self care.
I've been intentional definitelythis year about getting back to
quarterly trips.
Um, it doesn't have to beanything far, but just quarterly
opportunities for me just to beable to step away and recharge
and regroup.
(14:49):
Um, I also do monthly Reikisessions and monthly massages as
well, to make sure again thatI'm not holding, um, any tension
in my body and my chakras andenergy is, is flowing, in the
way that it needs to.
Stephanie (15:03):
And what are Reiki sessions?
Kamilah Thomas (15:05):
So, Reiki is an ancient Japanese Eastern
medicine practice.
Sometimes it involves lighttouch, but it's really, it's a
way to be able to assess andbalance your chakras, which is
where we, store our energy.
And so we have seven chakrasfrom, our root, which is kind of
like in our tailbone, all theway to our crown, which is top
(15:28):
of our head.
Stephanie (15:29):
That's interesting.
Mm hmm.
Yeah, definitely need to getmore information from you on
that.
I've heard about it, but justnever really explored it.
So definitely curious aboutthat.
Kamilah Thomas (15:42):
When I'm feeling off and I go, I definitely feel
a lot more grounded, centered,and clear after those sessions.
Stephanie (15:50):
That's cool.
You know, we're in the month ofFebruary, Black History Month,
Being of African descent, andthe history and context behind
Us in America, um, we have alegacy of resilience and
(16:13):
strength that runs deep in ourveins.
And, you know, I want to beintentional about self care,
particularly in this month.
Mm hmm.
What are some things that we canintentionally do now to focus on
our emotional well being?
Kamilah Thomas (16:35):
I think one literally just being able to
breathe and realize that wedon't have to hold it in and
keep it together and keepmanifesting this stoic strength
the way that our ancestors didbecause, when could they cry?
When could they say that they'rescared?
When could they say that theywere anxious and depressed?
(16:56):
And so I think now that societyhas a greater awareness, um, and
value for mental health,hopefully that has decreased
some of the stigma that used tobe there for us to be able to go
and talk to people who look likeus.
Um, and so that's one of thethings that I'm proud about, for
my mental health group practice,KBT counseling consulting is
(17:17):
that we are a practice of blackclinicians who are here to serve
everyday black people who arejust trying to make it through
life.
Not about being crazy is justall the things that we deal with
having a safe space withsomeone, that looks like us to
be able to, you know, sharethose things with and get a
different perspective.
Stephanie (17:37):
And when you say we can and should breathe, how do
we do that in practice?
Like, what are some practicalthings for us to consider?
Kamilah Thomas (17:50):
Literally, deep breathing.
That's one really quick way thatyou can reduce any anxiety and
also like if you're feelinganger in that moment, right?
Um your breath stays with youand so no matter where you are
is something easy that you cando.
One way that's helpful for me isbreathing in really really deep
through my nose for a count offour, holding it for a count of
(18:14):
four, and then releasing throughthe back of my throat and doing
that, I literally feel atingling, soothing sensation.
So one of the things aboutcoping skills, it doesn't mean
that it actually has fixed orsolved whatever the issue is in
that moment, but what it does isregulate our body to be able to
(18:36):
be in a better head space to nowbe able to handle whatever that
stressor is, right?
When we're dysregulated andwe're quote unquote in our
feelings, we're normally notsaying or doing the best, um, to
handle that situation.
Stephanie (18:50):
Literally.
Breathe.
Literally.
Breathe in and breathe out.
And on that note, you know, thatis definitely a great thing to
start doing, but just thinkingabout the long term and like
progressing, what are steps thatwe can take forward beyond that?
Kamilah Thomas (19:17):
I would say if you've ever been considering
therapy, go ahead and schedulean appointment.
There's no better time than thepresent to be able to do that.
There's also a lot of differentcommunity groups and people,
particularly here in the Houstonarea, who are doing different,
um, community breath circles.
It could be sound bowls,meditation, and so those are
(19:38):
opportunities for us to be ableto connect, again, with people
who look like us, who reallyunderstand the power of
mindfulness and being able tocalm the body, and how really
that's healing.
Um, I would also say, make surethat we're really utilizing our
support system.
Sometimes we have people who wecall friends, call family,
(20:00):
right?
Uh, but we don't really utilizethem when we really need their
support.
That can cause us to feel moreisolated, ashamed, judged,
versus if we just reach out tothe people who are already
there.
Stephanie (20:14):
Therapy, there's been a stigma around therapy in our
community.
I would imagine it can preventsome people from seeking that
help.
Where do you start?
Kamilah Thomas (20:33):
I would say if you're in the greater Houston
area, or if you're living in thestate of Texas, start by calling
KBT counseling and consulting,and you can find us by going
directly to our website, whichis www.kbtcounseling.com.
You can also connect with us tolearn more about different
mental health tips and differentcontent that we have either on
(20:57):
IG or Facebook, also at KBTcounseling.
So there's that, right, forpeople who are ready to get
started.
The second thing I would say ishave a moment of, of just
silence.
My mom used to say this onething, it was just, uh, just be
still.
(21:18):
And you would be surprised howmuch you can learn about
yourself by just sitting insilence.
Sometimes we're just so busymoving— we're consuming
different things we're on ourphones.
You know, we're multitasking,we're doing all the things that
our body doesn't, and our minddoesn't have time to really
process things.
But when we're still, when we'requiet, It's interesting the
(21:44):
things that come to surface andthat could be an indication of
some of the things that we needto work on.
And I'll add to that payingattention to our body because
our body keeps the score ofwhatever it is that we have
experienced.
A lot of times when we'veexperience trauma or difficult
(22:05):
situations or emotions, it canbe uncomfortable.
And so we don't want to addressit and we suppress it and we
stuff it down.
But the question is, when we'redoing that, where is it going?
And a lot of times what happensis we are storing our issues in
our bodily tissues.
And so our body holds onto allof this stuff, and so whether or
(22:27):
not it manifests into weight,excessive weight, whether or not
we're noticing that there'schronic pain that we're having
in certain areas of our body,particularly in the neck and
shoulder areas, right, whenwe're feeling tense and on edge.
And so our body is trying totell us certain things.
Sometimes, though, what happensis we ignore our wellness, so
(22:50):
then we're forced to deal withunnecessary illness.
And so I would say, take time tosit in silence, to pay attention
to what it is that your, youknow, body and brain is trying
to process, and then also payattention to what you may be
holding in your body.
And so whether it's therapy,whether it's deep breathing,
(23:10):
whether it's meditation, whetherit's working out, whether it's
screaming, yelling, find a wayto release it.
Because otherwise we're carryingit and it becomes emotional
baggage.
And then we wonder why sometimeswe're stuck, we feel tired,
stagnant.
And a lot of times it's becausewe're carrying so much
unprocessed emotional baggage.
(23:32):
And so it's time to stop, tounpack it, so we can breathe
lighter and fly easier to whereit is that we're trying to go.
Stephanie (23:40):
Yeah.
Unnecessary illness— is so true.
I can say that I have not beensick for a while and I can say
is because I've placed so muchvalue in my overall Emotional
well being and it's so criticaland it's so important
Kamilah Thomas (24:05):
And your skin is flawless.
So, you know, the skin tells itall.
Stephanie (24:08):
I do get compliments on that too, you know.
Kamilah Thomas (24:11):
It's beautiful.
Stephanie (24:13):
Thank you.
Kamilah Thomas (24:14):
No makeup y'all.
Stephanie (24:15):
I don't want to put foundation on or anything like
that.
Um, because it's unnecessary.
I do want to go back to sittingin stillness.
What?
What is the biggest thing thatyou learned about yourself in
sitting in stillness
Kamilah Thomas (24:37):
That my mind is busy, that my mind is busy.
Um, no, let me see.
Um, sometimes, honestly, sittingin stillness helps me just be
more present.
This could be if I am sitting inmy house just relaxing on the
(24:59):
couch, right?
Literally paying attention toall the tiny details in my
house, perhaps, right?
When normally I'm just kind ofmoving hurriedly throughout the
house.
I love sitting still,particularly outside in nature.
Um, literally just getting thatnatural vitamin D, the sun on my
(25:19):
skin, being able to close myeyes and listen to whether it's
crickets, the water, um, justthe wind, you know, in the
trees, that stillness, uh, oneis very calming and I think just
gives my mind a break from,whatever other things that may,
you know, be occupying space andliterally just being able to say
(25:41):
all as well.
Um, and put things inperspectives, cause sometimes we
can get so narrowed and focusedon things that seem like a big
deal.
And then when you get out of thehouse, maybe you shift
environments, it's just like,you know what, there are really
things that are going on outsideof whatever I think is really
important right now, um, andreally just being able to slow
down, just being able to slowdown.
Stephanie (26:05):
Yeah.
And I mean, just the way thatyou said that, it's, it's a way
to get out of your head.
Kamilah Thomas (26:15):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (26:16):
Because our mindset is everything.
Mm hmm.
And you can get stuck easily andquickly.
Kamilah Thomas (26:23):
Now, I will be honest.
Sitting in silence can alsoallow for some of the things
that we have been running from,been avoiding, been suppressing
to allow those things to come tosurface.
And it's not always comfortable.
It may not be things that wewant to address, but I think it
gives you information of what isthere, right?
(26:46):
And so then it's up to us.
Am I going to address this or amI going to continue to stuff it
back down again?
Stephanie (26:53):
Absolutely.
This month in February, I knowthat you have some events going
on.
Kamilah Thomas (27:01):
Yes.
Stephanie (27:01):
Please share.
Kamilah Thomas (27:03):
Absolutely.
So I am super excited, um, abouta partnership with She Can Work.
They are a business developmentcompany here in Houston that
works specifically with, um,Black female entrepreneurs.
And so I will be doing my firstwellness workshop with them on
Friday, February the 23rd from12 p.m.
(27:23):
to 3 p.
m., called Rooted.
And so this is to be able tohelp our entrepreneurs really be
able to prioritize theirwellness and how it directly
connects to their businesssuccess, right?
When we are taking care ofourselves.
Um, we're at our best place tobe able to excel.
And like I said earlier, selfcare is a necessity for
(27:45):
sustainable success.
So I am super, super excited,um, to be working with these
ladies.
We are going to do a self careassessment.
We are going to look at thereasons why we have a hard time
prioritizing ourselves, whatboundaries look like, and a real
understanding of what self carelooks like so we can develop our
own individualized plan.
(28:07):
Self care is not just aboutgetting nails done and taking
baths.
I'll be honest, for me, when Iget my nails and toes done, that
is just normal hygienemaintenance, right?
I can't say that that is calmingand relaxing, but there are some
other things that I do thatreally help fill those depleted
areas in my life.
So, I'm back to being the bossthat I need to be.
Stephanie (28:30):
Yeah, definitely to getting your bag.
Kamilah Thomas (28:32):
Absolutely.
So rooted self care workshopwith She Can Work Friday,
February 23rd, 12 to 3 PM herein Houston....
Stephanie (28:41):
This event, is it only in person or is there a
virtual option?
Kamilah Thomas (28:46):
This one is only in person.
But stay tuned, I definitelyhave some other things come up.
Stephanie (28:53):
And how can people stay connected with you to know
what's on the horizon?
Kamilah Thomas (28:59):
Definitely follow me on Instagram at
underscore Kamilah Thomas.
That is K A M I L A H T H O M AS.
I also have a freebie.
So if you click the link in mybio, you'll be able to get
something free that I have foryou all.
Uh, when you do that, of course,you'll be added to my email
(29:19):
list.
So that's another way to stayconnected with some other
events, workshops, speakingengagements, and offerings that
I have coming up.
Stephanie (29:27):
Amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
Kamilah Thomas (29:29):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (29:30):
When you sit down and look back, what would you say
you're most proud of throughoutthis journey
Kamilah Thomas (29:40):
That I have not given up that have not given up
no matter how hard it may havebeen at certain times during my
six year entrepreneurshipjourney.
Um, just the unfortunate Youknow, personal traumas that I've
had in my life, I am still hereand I have not given up.
(30:01):
I would say the second thingthat I'm proud of is stepping
into entrepreneurship.
That was a huge faith, um, walkand I'm still here and I don't
see myself going back.
Stephanie (30:17):
What's next on the horizon with that?
Kamilah Thomas (30:20):
What's next is continues to grow and expand, my
mental health group practice,KBT counseling and consulting,
and also leaning more into,coaching black female
entrepreneurs and not justblack, but women entrepreneurs,
in addition to the speaking.
I have quite a few speakingengagements coming up.
I love being in that space.
(30:41):
And so just growing the twobusinesses.
Stephanie (30:45):
That's awesome.
I'm excited for you and, andlooking forward to seeing that
growth.
Kamilah Thomas (30:50):
2024 is gonna be good.
Stephanie (30:52):
Yes.
One of the questions I like toask my guests is really just to
step back and reflect, um, andin hindsight, what advice do you
wish the younger version ofyourself knew?
Kamilah Thomas (31:12):
Girl, just relax.
Go with the flow.
Your life is not going to turnout the way you had planned, but
it is still going to be dope.
It's going to be amazing.
You're going to be happy,successful, loved, and
appreciated.
So just trust that.
Stephanie (31:31):
That's really good advice.
I mean, still today, even in mythirties, it's like, it's not
going to go as planned.
I may have a plan to bedirectional, but just got to go
with the flow of things.
So I love that.
Yep.
And I so, so appreciate youbeing on this podcast and
(31:54):
sharing your gems with us.
Kamilah Thomas (31:55):
Thank you, Stephanie.
Stephanie (31:58):
And that's a wrap.
So own it and make moves.
One day, I want to share yourjourney on this podcast.
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