Dr. Chanequa on Sacred Self-Care, Connection, Reconciliation, and Strategies to Survive

Season 10 already?! Hello friends, welcome to the Faith in a Fresh Vibe Podcast, where we journey through decolonizing and deconstructing the Christian faith. Season 9 just finished and this episode is the start of Season 10! It's also a "bridge" episode. Since last season was one on embodiment and mental health, and this season is for authors and their new books, I thought an episode that covers both would be fitting. Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes is someone I've been looking to invite on the podcast for sometime. You might remember her words if you've read my book, When We Belong. I reference, I Bring the Voices of My People, in my chapter on white supremacy. But this episode we talk more than reconciliation. We discuss Dr. Chanequa's latest book, Scared Self-Care. We go deeper to address the systemic issues that impact self-care and how wholeness and liberation are tied to community and reconciliation. Dr. Chaenqua's book is built to provide daily practices and strategies to survive what is often an unjust and hyper-individualized world. Listen in to this insightful and in-depth conversation to hear the expertise of a public theologian and clinical psychologist. Summary Introduction. 0:30 The belief that things could be better and that human beings can make it better. What drives the notion that things can be better, and what drives the belief that if there is a will and a vision, things can happen better. Vision for a better future? 10:16 Cultural differences between western and Black spiritual healing. On family systems therapist and is trained to look at the whole family, not just one person. How the pursuit of happiness fuels disconnection. 15:59 In our hyper-individualised world, happiness is celebrated as the one individual overcomer that celebrates the pursuit of happiness, fueling a greater disconnection. Self care as a survival strategy. Talking about Sacred Self-Care 22:25 Getting in touch with your body. 27:24 Simple self-care practices that are doable and can be done in five minutes or less, like standing in front of a full-length mirror. Discussing intersectionality. 34:10 Racial reconciliation needs to be centred on women of colour. 41:34 White Supremacy and power preservation. 52:06   About Dr. Walker-Barnes (Twitter; Instagram; Facebook) Chanequa Walker-Barnes, Ph.D., is a prominent scholar, theologian, and author, known for her thought-provoking work on racial justice and spirituality. With a deep commitment to social change, she combines her expertise in clinical psychology and theology to tackle issues of systemic oppression, cultural trauma, and their impact on individuals and society. Through her research, writing, and speaking, Dr. Chanequa strives to inspire others to transformative social action and wholistic self-care. A professor at Columbia Theological Seminary, she has authored three books – Sacred Self-Care, I Bring the Voices of My People, and Too Heavy a Yoke. Her faith has been shaped by Methodist, Baptist, and evangelical social justice communities as well as by Buddhism and Islam. https://www.drchanequa.com/