“Therapy is for everyone”

Therapy isn’t for everyone : A Harlem Awakening Author: Dr. Leona Rae Section: Mental Health Growing up, therapy wasn’t even…
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Therapy isn’t for everyone : A Harlem Awakening

Author: Dr. Leona Rae

Section: Mental Health

Growing up, therapy wasn’t even a whisper in my family.

“Talk to God,” we were told.

“Be strong.”

But strength without support breaks bones. And we are breaking — silently.

Here in Harlem, I see it every day:

The mom pushing past trauma while raising three kids.

The elder grieving alone.

The teen numbing with weed, not because they’re careless — but because they’re carrying too much.

Therapy isn’t a luxury. It’s oxygen.

And it’s time we gave ourselves permission to breathe.

We need to decolonize our healing. Therapy isn’t a betrayal of God — it can be a bridge to hearing God more clearly. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re brave.

I work with clients who look like us. Sound like us. Carry the same generational weight. Our stories deserve a safe place to land.

And if you’re not ready for therapy, start with one of these:

  • Write a truth you’ve never said out loud.
  • Take one full day to rest without guilt.
  • Talk with someone safe who listens to understand.

We’ve survived without support for too long.

Now, we get to heal on purpose.

— Dr. Leona Rae, Mental Health & Healing Contributor

Jarvus Ricardo Hester

JARVUSHESTER

Jarvus Ricardo Hester Founder, Artistic Director, Editor-in-Chief, and Cultural Storyteller Jarvus Ricardo Hester is an opera singer, arts administrator, media executive, and entrepreneur dedicated to making the arts more accessible while preserving and amplifying the stories that shape communities. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Harlem Collective Opera, Harlem Boys Choir, and the Harlem Chamber Orchestra, organizations committed to expanding access to classical music through innovative performances, educational initiatives, and community engagement. As Editor-in-Chief of Mood Magazine NYC and the founder of the Mood Media Network, Hester oversees a growing multimedia ecosystem that includes WHRL Mood Radio Harlem, The Morning Show NYC, After Hours NYC, and Mood TV. Through these platforms, he curates stories that explore culture, travel, wellness, food, literature, business, and the arts from Harlem to communities around the world. An alumnus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Hester has performed with professional opera companies and has dedicated his career to reimagining how audiences experience classical music. His work consistently bridges the worlds of performance, journalism, tourism, education, and community development. His signature initiative, The Black Composer Project, celebrates the contributions of Black classical composers through immersive concert experiences that combine music, storytelling, and historical exploration. Whether through a live performance, a magazine feature, a radio broadcast, or a community partnership, Hester's work is guided by a simple philosophy: Stories create connections. Art builds communities. Culture preserves legacy. Harlem to the world. Be a part of the story.
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