Unmasked Conversations - My Why

Unmasked Conversations - My Why

I’ve been wanting to start a blog for a really long time. The idea first came to me over 10 years ago. I would try to google and Pinterest ways to be creative or try to find ways to make life just a little bit easier. At the time I was a single mom of one so I had a feeling there would be an easier way I just wasn’t sure what that was. The problem was none of the posts or entries I felt would help me. It was usually either too time consuming, as most of the “moms” were stay at home moms and I worked a 9-5; or the cost was more than I could spare at the time. Remember, I’m a single mother. This led me to want to create a space where I could find things that worked better for my situation and give people who looked like me options. My idea never took off due to fear, but I remained hopeful. As time went on, I still felt I had a calling to create this space but confusion about where to begin made me dormant.

A Shift In Purpose

As with life we evolve and so did the purpose of my blog. Single motherhood or being a single parent was still the drive but as I started to encounter mental illness, I wanted to yet again create a safe space. Unexpectedly, my daddy passed and with that I felt as if a part of me died but I still was able to maintain a sense of normalcy. At least, I thought I was able to. It wasn’t until after having my second child, I started really to notice my feelings. I began to feel really stressed, alone and like a failure. Even though I have support system I still felt alone. I felt shame because I felt as if I was failing, and I couldn’t share it with anyone because I was supposed to be able to handle it all. I soon realized maybe I should seek counseling because I knew that my life was stressful and there was no way around it, so I wanted to know how to deal with the stress. My first session one of the questions she asked was “How are you?” and from there waterworks for the next hour.

From Masking to Healing

After searching for answers, I wanted to normalize the feelings or at least normalize expressing our feelings and I felt that creating this space could do just that. Now that this idea had been on my heart for some time, and it was time to put it in action. I had to come up with a name. It took much thought because I wanted to be sure to encompass everything I was trying to create and finally came up with a title: Recovering Momaholic. I sat on this name for quite some time. I’m not sure why but I did. Once I finally decided to register it and get a website the name and site was taken. I went through a period of disappointment because I felt like God had given me something and because I didn’t move like I was supposed to; He took it away from me. A few years passed and I decided to try again. So, I started to once again search for a name. The hardest part was, again, trying to find a name that would encompass what I was trying to create. As I continued through my therapy journey, I was eventually diagnosed with ADHD (which I suspected I had long ago in high school) and I realized how much I mask and how exhausting it is to do so. That finally led me to Unmasked Conversations -- a space where people who wear the mask can remove the it and feel heard, seen, and most importantly see other people who struggle just like they do.

What This Space is About

Unmasked Conversations is a safe, no judgement space where everyone is welcome. I plan to be vulnerable and use this as a tool in my healing. I hope in some way this can help you heal too!!!

For therapy services check out Psychology Today, Therapy For Black Girls and Therapy for Black Men