a space to breathe: a podcast for black men

In this thought-provoking episode, Diallo and Brennan unpack the delicate balance between relying on  God  and depending on  your therapist . Have we unintentionally placed our therapist in a role that belongs to God? What does it look like to bring our full emotional selves to both the prayer closet  and  the therapy room? This conversation explores: Why God is our ultimate source of healing How...

In this episode, we unpack attachment styles—how they form, how they show up in your romantic and platonic relationships, and what healing looks like. From avoidant to anxious to secure, we explore how our earliest connections still influence our adult dynamics today. Whether you're navigating friendships, dating, or even your walk with God, understanding your attachment style can help you grow in...

In this episode, Brennan Steele and Diallo Smith dive into the complexities, joys, and challenges of family—what we inherit, what we create, and what we’re healing from. From generational dynamics to chosen family and faith, this conversation is real, raw, and deeply reflective. Whether you're navigating family wounds or learning to build new connections, this one’s for you. Follow us on IG:  ...

Why is making and keeping friends as adults so complicated? In this episode, we unpack the silent struggles of adult friendships, from unmet expectations and shifting priorities to the role healing plays in how we show up in community. We talk boundaries, loneliness, and what it really means to be intentional in this season of life. Tune in now and share with someone who needs to hear this. Follow...

In this episode, Diallo Smith and Brennan Steele open up an honest conversation around grief in all its forms, not just bereavement, but also the grief that comes with life transitions, identity shifts, strained friendships, and unspoken losses. Together, they explore how grief can show up quietly in our everyday lives and how we can begin to process it with compassion, faith, and intentionality....

Welcome to a special crossover series from In This Moment and A Space to Breathe In this first episode, we’re diving into spiritual bypassing —what it is, how it shows up in faith spaces, and why it's important to name and navigate it. Listeners can expect real talk, personal stories, and practical insights on how to move from surface-level spirituality to deeper healing and honest faith. Let’...

We're officially pausing from the pod. Check out this update from Brennan to find out why, what's next, and hear reflections from creating space for Black men. Thank you so much for your engagement with this content. This is not goodbye - just see you later ! Keep up with Brennan on IG @iambrennansteele.

This week, we have another new guest, LG Collier, who shares Brennan's experience of being a father while also a full-time student. We talk about our experiences as showing up in ways that aren't necessarily common according to societal standards and how we navigate the pressures we feel in that. We have a fruitful conversation about presence, masculinity, and prioritizing family. As alway...

On this episode, Brennan welcomes a new guest, Ray Henderson, the founder of the nonprofit, Helping Inspire Men, here in Memphis. We discuss the journey of following your purpose and the realities of loneliness that come along with it. We talk about what it means to be true and authentic to who you know you're becoming and how to navigate the external and internal changes that you may face as...

In this episode, Sir G comes back to the show and we discuss the impact of societal expectations of gender and relationships on the way we show up as men for our families. We discuss the ways in which our views and expectations were challenged, and how we attempt to show up as healthily for our spouses and children. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if you like what you...

On this episode, Matt joins us and we discuss our thought processes as it comes to balancing the many roles we hold as men. We talk about priorities, core values, and important considerations we should have as men. We also talk about whether we always have to be tired, or if there is another way. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Fol...

It can often feel like we as Black men don't have space or permission to grieve. Between feeling like we have to stay strong for those around us and feeling like we are less "manly" if we show anything but anger, it can feel like we have to just silence our emotions even in the face of loss. Rico comes on the show and we talk about how we can allow ourselves to grieve as black men. W...

Do you find your worth in what you do? Are you allowing work to take over to the point where you aren't taking care of yourself? Do you give yourself space to rest, brotha? These and other questions were tackled with our guy Trey on this episode of the pod. We discuss our respective journeys with worth and work and the impact of prioritizing our wellness on those around us. As always, we hope...

And we back! We're officially starting back up with Season 4 and jumping back into real conversations about the Black male experience. Matt joins us for the first episode of the season and we discuss the nuance of friendship amongst Black men. We discuss levels of friendship, the need for vulnerability and trust, the difference between consistency and depth, and how we navigate friendship hurt...

On the season finale of the Heal, Brotha series, Brennan shares his story of healing from the shame around the way he shows up in his own masculinity. He talks about some of his childhood wounds, how has worked on healing in this area, as well as how he navigates masculinity as a husband and father. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing!...

On this episode of the Heal, Brotha Series, we talk with Terence Gray about his experiences with anxiety and depression. We discussed how finding identity in work led to these outcomes and the steps he took to start to heal from a toxic work environment. Additionally, discuss how men can show up in their work more healthy and whole. As always, we hope you feel seen brotha! Follow and subscribe if...

For this week's episode, we still down with one of the OG supporters of Breathe Brotha, Randall Thomas. We talk about what is like to start to heal from our fear of failure, and the ways in which the preoccupation with not being failure leads us to show up inauthentically in our relationships and overcompensate in unhealthy ways. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow and subscribe if...

On this episode, we sit down with Jevon Wooden, and he shares lessons learned from his own healing journey. We talk about healing the inner child, taking ownership of your own healing, and the various obstacles that Jevon faced in his own healing journey that required a decision to be choose differently. Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan Allan Steele on IG @b...

In this episode of the Heal, Brotha series, our special guest, Charles Evans, talks about his healing journey as he reckoned with a stark difference between his expectations and realities. We talk about admission of hurt, grieving, and learning how to trust again after being wronged. As always, we hope you feel seen, brotha! Follow and subscribe if you like what you're hearing! Follow Brennan...

This week for our Heal, Brotha Series, Devin Smith shares his healing journey after being incarcerated for a DWI that killed the other driver. We talk about how he navigated incarceration, the circumstances in his own life that he feels contributed to the incident, and the importance of grieving and journaling as part of one's healing journey. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen! Follow an...

As we continue our Heal, Brotha. Series, Brennan talked with licensed therapist Charles Robinson-Snead about his healing journey that included healing from abuse of various forms. We talk about his story, his process of disconnecting from trauma-informed identities, and his process of deconstructing and reconstructing his faith in the context of his story. As always brotha, we hope you feel seen!...

Tap in as we continue our Heal, Brotha Series and hear real stories of healing from Black men. In this episode, therapist and author Kevin Overton-Hadnot joins and discusses how a part of his healing process has been developing a deeper understanding of his authentic self and being willing to show up with vulnerability. We talk about what it means to be vulnerable and how it influences the healing...

On this episode, we're continuing our "Heal, Brotha" series and talking with Shammarie Brown (@servantbrown) about the hard decisions he had to make for his mental health and healing. We discuss what it's like to step away from what appears good in order to prioritize yourself. Shammarie lets us into his journey with grief, anxiety, and learning to be kind to his mind. As always,...

Welcome to Season 3! For the first of this season, we will be talking to a few different brothas as a part of series called "Heal, Brotha." In this series, Brennan will be talking to brothas about their real stories of healing and what it looks like for them to heal in different areas of their lives. Our first guest is Artez Henderson, and he shares about his journey in healing from the...

On this episode, we close out Season 2 after a long break as Brennan adjusted to life as a father. We flipped the script as Matt interviewed Brennan about his experience. We talk about the bright spots and challenges, as well as the lessons that Brennan has learned so far on his fatherhood journey. We are BACK! We're kicking off Season 3 with an exciting miniseries hearing real stories of Blac...