In The Black Podcast

She spent years battling severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts trying every therapy and healing modality she could find. Nothing worked… until she discovered Mindbody Medicine and learned how surrender, not effort, changed everything. In this episode of the In The Black Podcast, Alisha shares her mental health recovery story and how the mind–body connection transformed her life. Follow...

What if divorce didn’t have to become a battle? In this episode of In The Black , Aracelli sits down with North Carolina family law attorney Manisha P. Patel to talk about what she witnesses every day when people are at their most emotionally overwhelmed and how choosing dignity, mediation, and collaboration can change the outcome for entire families. Drawing from years of experience in custody, s...

What do you do when visibility becomes unsafe and everything you built has to change? In this episode of In The Black , host Aracelli talks with Aaron, a prolific author of 40+ books, creative, and storyteller whose life and career were disrupted by cyberstalking, rapid changes in technology, and the need to protect his family. Aaron shares what it was like to adapt in the digital age, how silence...

What happens when anxiety and depression are carried quietly for years? In this episode of In The Black , host Aracelli sits down with Brian Sachetta, author of the Get Out of Your Head® book series, to talk honestly about a decade-long battle with anxiety and depression and the moment he realized suffering in silence was no longer an option. Brian shares how his personal healing journey led him t...

Clutter is often treated as a productivity problem but for many people, it’s the physical aftermath of grief, loss, and survival. In this episode of In The Black Podcast , host Aracelli, sits down with professional organizer Tina O’Keeffe to explore how emotional pain can manifest in our homes and how releasing physical items can support emotional healing. Tina shares insights from her own dark se...

What happens when the life you worked so hard to build suddenly gets removed from you? In this episode of In The Black , we explore the quiet but powerful moment many people face, when they devote their lives to their career to one day have it all end. Through an honest conversation about loss and trusting creativity over certainty, this episode invites listeners to reflect on their own in-between...

What if the life you’re trying to protect is the very thing standing in the way of the life God wants to build? In this episode of In The Black Podcast , host Aracelli Kenyon sits down with John Hill for an honest conversation about surrender, what it really means to let go of the old version of yourself and trust God with who you’re becoming. John shares how releasing control, identity, and expec...

This Christmas Day episode of In The Black is a pause, a breath, a moment of reflection. Through an original spoken-word poem titled “Let’s Jump,” this episode explores heartbreak, letting go, surrender, and the quiet trust that comes when we stop fighting the current and allow God to hold us. This is a story about jumping together… and learning how to float when someone lets go. About trusting th...

After being diagnosed with a life-changing brain tumor, Risa August was told to slow down and play it safe. Instead, she got on her bike and rode 1,845 miles from Canada to Mexico , redefining what strength, healing, and resilience could look like. In this episode, Risa shares the story behind her award-winning memoir The Road Unpaved , how she turned one of the hardest seasons of her life into a...

Family court is not built for the faint of heart, especially when you’re fighting a narcissistic or abusive ex who knows exactly how to twist the truth. Many moms walk into court terrified, unheard, and unsupported… until they meet someone like Reneé Rodriguez . In this episode, we go far beyond “custody tips.” This is about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual war protective mothers face,...

I sit down with artist and American Ninja Warrior athlete Jenedy Paige for a powerful conversation about resilience, faith, creativity, and the courage to keep moving forward through life’s hardest moments. Jenedy shares the story of losing her young son, how her unwavering faith in God carried her through grief, and how painting became a sacred outlet for healing and expression. We dive into the...

I sit down with Det. Heidi Chance, a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 27 years of service and a nationally recognized expert in combating sex trafficking. Unlike many episodes where we focus on personal stories of overcoming trauma, this conversation takes a different path into the world of undercover investigations, landmark trafficking cases, and the deep resilience it takes to co...

In this episode of In The Black Podcast , we sit down with Dr. Liz , adoptee, writer, performer, and creator of Migrating Toward Wholeness© , a trauma-informed framework using expressive writing and poetry to guide healing. Dr. Liz opens up about what it was like to face the pain of maternal separation and how she found her way back to herself through healing, creativity, and purpose. She talks ab...

Today on In The Black Podcast, we’re joined by Talia, a survivor whose story is nothing short of miraculous. After a routine prescription of Ciprofloxacin for a simple UTI, she lost more than half her body weight, entered hospice care, and was told her life was nearing its end. Against all odds, Talia fought her way back and now uses her second chance at life to advocate for fluoroquinolone toxici...

Every 10 episodes, In The Black Podcast pauses to spotlight purpose in action. Individuals who are creating transformation, uplifting others, and redefining what it means to live “in the black.” This season’s Impact + Giveback Drop honors @gyrlsgonedigital , a digital platform amplifying the voices and creativity of women shaping culture and storytelling online. We’re thrilled to recognize their i...

In this inspiring episode of In The Black Podcast, we sit down with Deborah, founder of the QUILLS UP Movement and creator of Paisley The Musical. She shares her journey of turning rejection into reinvention and betrayal into breakthrough, revealing how storytelling became her path to reclaiming her voice. From overcoming fear to building a Broadway-scale project, Deborah offers tools for women to...

Eight years ago, Valencia was preparing to say goodbye to life. But one simple, life-saving practice, gratitude, gave her the strength to stay. That moment changed everything. Today, Valencia is an Elite NeuroEncoding Specialist and Burnout Recovery Strategist , helping high-achieving women shift from exhaustion to ease. In this powerful conversation, she shares how gratitude rewired her path, how...

Sixteen years ago, Isabella escaped a messianic cult after the tragic murder of her son. A crime meant to protect the cult leader from exposure as a predator and conman. In this deeply moving conversation, Isabella opens up about the years of trauma, mind control, and abuse she endured and the extraordinary path she’s taken to heal, reclaim her sovereignty, and help others break free from fear-bas...

This week on In The Black Podcast , we’re joined by professional caricaturist, mother of three neurodivergent children, and widow-turned-solopreneur, Kathy Buskett. Her story weaves through grief, ADHD, raising a child with Down syndrome, homeschooling, and building a thriving business, all while holding onto one core truth: “You only fail if you quit.” In this deeply moving and joy-filled episode...

This week on In The Black Podcast , we're joined by Donna Simmons , author of Ashes to Flame: Transforming Trauma into Purpose . Donna survived child marriage and unimaginable trauma and turned her story into power, purpose, and policy change. She’s helped change child marriage laws in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, and continues to fight for survivors across the country and around the world. W...

In this inspiring episode of In the Black , we sit down with Bracha Goetz , a Harvard-educated wellness advocate and author of over 40 books, who shares her candid journey through food addiction and how she discovered lasting joy. Bracha offers insights on how women can reconnect with purpose, overcome emotional eating, and thrive in life and business. She reveals simple yet powerful tools for inn...

In this powerful episode of In The Black Podcast , host Aracelli Kenyon sits down with Minister Jalisa Hardy- The Golden Child , a survivor, healer, and founder of She’s Ready Society . Jalisa shares her journey from surviving abuse, financial struggle, and divorce while raising three young children, to building a thriving coaching business rooted in holistic health, healing, and spiritual alignme...

In this episode of In The Black Podcast , we sit down with Allison , a mother of 11 and health coach, whose story is one of courage, healing, and faith. For 21 years, Allison lived in a marriage marked by abuse pain hidden behind closed doors. Her journey to freedom began the moment she found the strength to speak the truth and embrace how deeply God loves her. A few years later, Allison made the...

On the In The Black Podcast, we welcome Anne Montgomery, a trailblazer in sports broadcasting and a woman who rebuilt her life with extraordinary resilience. Once an anchor on ESPN’s SportsCenter and host for the Phoenix Suns, Anne was told she was “no longer pretty enough” for television. She faced financial struggles and had already survived two abusive relationships. Instead of letting those se...

This milestone episode marks a turning point for In The Black Podcast . Shannon shares her heartfelt farewell, reflecting on the vision, healing, and transformation that shaped the first 40 episodes. While this goodbye closes one chapter, the journey continues as Aracelli steps into solo hosting, expanding the mission with new voices, In The Black Moments , and the In The Black Impact + Giveback D...