In this episode, Natasha dives into an in-depth conversation with Sheila Wise Rowe about experiences of grief specific to Black women. Sheila shares a personal story of growing up in Boston, confronting racism, and how these early experiences of racial trauma have shaped her understanding and work in healing racial and ethnic trauma. The discussion also touches on various responses to trauma, coping mechanisms, and the importance of community and spirituality for Black women. Sheila offers advice on how to navigate racial and ethnic trauma, recognize and address symptoms of trauma, emphasizing the healing power of faith and the support of the Holy Spirit.
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We’ve had to pack it up and keep it moving but the reality is it [trauma] doesn’t just go away, it affects our relationships.
Sheila Wise Rowe
Countless books are designed to help leaders to become better leaders. But most resources neglect the underlying emotional struggles of both emerging and established leaders, who are often isolated and suffering in silence. Leadership professor Nicholas Rowe and counselor Sheila Wise Rowe offer their expertise in helping leaders process painful and traumatic experiences. Trauma contributes to how we lead others in either empowering or dysfunctional ways. Understanding how these experiences formed us is the beginning of the path to healing.
Get the book here.
A central theme in the discussion is hope and the power of healing through faith. Sheila encourages tapping into spiritual resources, emphasizing that God offers a peace beyond understanding. Whether it’s dealing with grief or trauma, leaning into scripture and being attuned to our bodily and emotional signals can guide us toward healing. Community support and intergenerational wisdom are also vital in fostering resilience and nurturing future generations.
Main Points
- Understanding Racial and Ethnic Trauma
- The Exhaustion of Identity Challenges
- Coping Mechanisms and Community Support
- The Path to Healing and Hope
Episode Talking Points
- 00:00 Introduction: You Are Not Alone
- 00:29 Early Experiences of Racism
- 02:59 Meet Sheila Wise Rowe
- 03:57 Impact of Racial Trauma
- 09:04 Defining Racial and Ethnic Trauma
- 17:18 Coping Strategies and Healing
- 23:00 Final Words and Encouragement
- 27:41 Closing Remarks and Resources
Other Ways to Listen to this Podcast with Sheila Wise Rowe, MEd
About the Guest:
Sheila Wise Rowe (MEd, Cambridge College) has over thirty years of experience offering counseling and spiritual direction to abuse and trauma survivors and to emerging and established leaders in the United States. She ministered to unhoused and abused women and children in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she taught Christian counseling and trauma-related courses and was also a lay pastor for a decade. Sheila is the author of the award-winning Healing Racial Trauma and Young, Gifted, and Black. Connect with Sheila here.
Mentioned in the episode:
Healing Racial Trauma by Sheila Wise Rowe
Young, Black, and Gifted by Sheila Wise Rowe
Healing Leadership Trauma by Sheila Wise Rowe
Black Woman Grief by Natasha Smith