The Power of Care Podcast

In this heartfelt and revealing episode, host Brianna Dance sits down with Vallie Kirk and Christine James—two pastor’s wives and contributors to the powerful anthology The Pastors' Wives' Diaries: A Visible Journal of the Invisible Journey. Together, they share personal reflections, unspoken truths, and the often unseen emotional and spiritual weight carried by women in ministry leadership roles....

In this powerful episode, host Brianna Dance is joined by two special guests: Deonte Smith, a seasoned DCPS Behavior Tech, and licensed therapist Ayisha Jones Keith. Together, they unpack the complex, emotional, and often misunderstood world of ADHD—through both clinical expertise and lived experience. From missed diagnoses and parenting challenges to breakthrough moments of self-compassion, this...

In the season finale, Brianna opens up about the winding path of healing after deep losses—from the grief of losing a birth mother to the pain of friendship breakups. With heartfelt honesty, she shares what it's like to release codependent relationships, embrace confidence in who she is, and lean into the comforting presence of God as both a guide and friend. This episode is an encouraging reminde...

In this inspiring episode, Brianna sits down with Antoine Trowers a Licensed Psychotherapist and the Owner of Ubuntu Wellness, to explore the transformative power of Black mentorship, fatherhood, and choosing a helping profession. Antoine opens up about his journey of pursuing a master’s degree full-time while raising two children and working full-time, sharing the challenges and rewards of balanc...

In this insightful episode, we’re joined by Ebony Gordon, CEO of HAIRISTA STUDIO, as she shares her expertise on maintaining healthy hair. With over a decade of experience, Ebony debunks common hair myths surrounding color treatments, trims, and overall hair health. She also gives her top product recommendations—including an honest review of Cecred—and provides practical tips for keeping your hair...

Christina M. Jones, Esq. is a survivor of child sexual abuse and passionate advocate for women and girls. Christina has used her training and experience to design and implement consent and sexual assault seminars to teenagers around Washington D.C. She began her career as a prosecutor focusing on crimes against women and children. In this powerful episode, Christina M. Jones, Esq. sheds light on t...

Discover the transformative power of design with renowned interior designer Carmeon Hamilton. In this compelling episode, Carmeon shares her personal journey through the heartbreaking losses of her husband and mother, and how these experiences taught her to live with intention. She also recounts her inspiring career path that led her to HGTV, offering invaluable design tips to create spaces that e...

In this episode, Cyhl and Ashley share their remarkable journey, beginning when they met in college. Cyhl was on a full football scholarship, and Ashley was on a full volleyball scholarship. They first crossed paths at the mall and quickly fell in love. Right after Ashley's final collegiate volleyball game, she discovered she was pregnant, just as Cyhl was preparing to pursue his NFL dream. Togeth...

In this episode, Brianna sits down with licensed mental health therapist Candace Washington to discuss the importance of normalizing the experience of multiple, sometimes conflicting, emotions at once. Candace explains how there is space for both joy and sadness to coexist, and that feeling these emotions simultaneously doesn't indicate weak faith or ingratitude. She courageously shares her person...

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Jillian Walker, who shares her deeply personal journey of navigating grief after losing her grandmother in 2016 and her father during the height of the pandemic. Jillian opens up about how these profound losses turned her world upside down and the invaluable lessons she has learned along the way. She offers wisdom on humanizing our parents, recognizing t...

Danielle is a highly accomplished fashion designer, stylist, and advocate with over 15 years of experience in the industry and has established herself as a passionate advocate for inclusivity and diversity within the field. Throughout her career, Danielle has demonstrated a deep understanding of the design process, coupled with a keen eye for balancing creativity with business acumen. Her expertis...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Brandon Starkes, the visionary behind The People’s Market. Hailing from Prince George’s County, Maryland, Brandon's journey from Bowie to Silver Spring reflects a commitment to uplifting his community. With his wife, Chaka, and son, Malcolm, by his side, Brandon is on a mission to amplify the voices of Black farmers and historically marginalized groups, f...

Wendelyn Dance, is an administrative assistant at Sharon Bible Fellowship Church in Maryland. Wendy is a lover of arts and crafts who values her walk with God , her friends and family. Wendy gives women the courage to continue to learn and the power to use their voices and gifts. She embodies the phrase, "its never too," and is currently in a masters program studying Biblical Studies. In this epis...

Maurice "Mo" Bowie is a Financial Consultant and Employee Benefits Specialist, responsible for educating the private sector, federal, and state government employees as it relates to employer sponsored benefits, and independently derived programs. As a seasoned professional with 32 years of experience in the employee benefits, insurance, and financial services industries, Maurice is known for his i...

Alex Young, is a black woman in tech who is an advocate for mental health, self love and well being. Growing up Alex played competitive sports like soccer, rugby, and martial arts and has had more than 4 surgeries. Being an athlete was a huge part of her identity, and the pandemic helped her heal and discover other things about herself. In this episode she encourages us to celebrate big little win...

Jasmine McGill, a Soft Goods & Prop Stylist , and Film Photographer based in New York reflects on how her HBCU(Hampton University) prepared her for making connections as a free lance creative. She shares her love for production and the importance of using discernment when building connections and friendships. Networking comes easy for some, but for Jas this is a skill she practices daily. No m...

Reginald Ezekiel Ward Jr. is a speaker and philanthropist from Prince George’s County, Maryland. Better known as EZ, his dynamic personality and inspiring journey has led him to speak in front of tens of thousands of people. ‍ He was diagnosed with a speech impediment that hindered him from confidently speaking without stuttering. It was this same roadblock that became a stepping stone for him. Be...

Brianna Dance, licensed therapist and host of the Power of Care podcast shares the benefits of unsubscribing from unhelpful, thoughts, patterns, and words that ruminate in our minds. She also empowers us to subscribe to things that push us towards our goals and purpose.

Vanessa Crawford, is a senior computer network defense analyst for the National Security Agency(NSA) lover of music, Jesus, technology, and sports. In this episode she encourages us to own who we are and to say yes to the God given opportunities even if it seems unfavorable at first . She opens up about her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and what helps her push through the pain.

Brianna Dance, host of the Power of Care podcast and mental health clinician shares how she is getting through a unexpected health challenges. In this episode she opens up about her relationship with her body and ways we can reframe our minds about our hard siuations.

Kristin Tucker , a chemical engineer and business owner in the DMV area shares her journey from North Carolina A&T to becoming a technology consultant working at the state and federal government sector with a focus on modernizing systems and applications. Kristin believes that we are all engineers and she gives us a glimpse of what she's learned as an entrepreneur. Kristin is the founder of So...

Lauren Cooper, is a wife, mom of two, ethics professional and content creator based out of New York. She has navigated from being a professional basketball player to a successful ethics professional, in which she has received honorary recognition. Creating content is her passion and serves as a vessel to encourage and inspire others by providing a snapshot of her personal walk in the many roles sh...

Licencsed Independent Clinical Social Worker Jasmine Stephens shares her journey to becoming a change agent in Washington DC. Jasmine is dedicated to serving children and their familes specifically the advancement of black children. She gives honor to the black women in her family that shape her zeal for helping others. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic , Jasmine went through challenges tha...

Rhia McKissic , a teacher, advocate, and coach in Harlem , New York takes us through her 10 year journey as a teacher in Baltimore City and New York City and how she's evolved . As a kid Rhia was shamed from expressing herself in school and now dedicates her career to empowering herself and students. Rhia is an advocate for freedom of self expression by way of educational liberation and a walking...

Ashley Crenshaw is a mom, parent advocacy coach and content creator in Charlotte,North Carolina. She has spent the last 8 years as an educator before transitioning to the non profit sector. In this episode she is transparent about the ups and downs of having a child with autism and the importance of self-care and seeking balance as a wife and mother of two.