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Artwork for Shades of Strong® Podcast

Shades of Strong® Podcast | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman

Shirl Hubbard | Shades of Strong
Black Women
Self-Care
Mental Health
Support Languages
Support Languages Framework
Support
Personal Growth
Emotional Safety
Vulnerability
Boundaries
Strength
Black Women Storytelling Series
Friendship
Relationships
Room To Breathe
Community Support
Trust
Emotional Labor
Identity
Self-Improvement

Shades of Strong® is the podcast for Black women ready to trade the weight of “Strong Black Woman” for something better: real, lasting support. Through honest conversation, storytelling, and the Support Languages™ framework, host Shirl explores what strength has cost Black women, what support actually looks like in real life, and how we can stop carrying everything alone. Each episode offers langu... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes285Founded8 years ago
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RelationshipsSociety & CulturePersonal Journals

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Artwork for Shades of Strong® Podcast

Latest Episodes

Sometimes support for Black women looks like finally deciding not to keep explaining yourself into emotional exhaustion. In this Support Pause, Shirl explores the emotional cost of constantly going back and forth with people who are committed to misu... more

What would you say to your younger self today? In this deeply personal Support Pause, Shirl reflects on sitting crisscross applesauce on the living room floor watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show and dreaming about becoming a writer long before life go... more

We just closed the 26 Black Women Storytelling Series, and I’m still sitting with what it revealed. Not just the individual stories, but the thread that ran through all of them. This episode isn’t a recap. It’s a reflection on what happens when Black... more

Radiah Shabazz Harold was doing what so many women are used to doing. Managing responsibilities.

Taking care of what needed to be done.

Showing up, even when it wasn’t easy. From the outside, it looked like she had everything under control. But insid... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Radiah Shabazz Harold
Communications professional, lupus and Sjogren's disease advocate, based in Chicago
Independent professional
Episode: When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Didi Hairston
Mental health advocate; founder of Diva with Depression; host of Breaking the Mask of Depression
Diva with Depression / Breaking the Mask of Depression
Episode: When You’re Fighting for Your Life and Still Showing Up with Didi Hairston
Nikquan Lewis
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Liza Professional Counselor, author of When Trauma Is Your Author, The Price Your Relationships Pay and How to Reclaim Your Storing
Intimate Connections PLLC; Katy, Texas
Episode: The Cost of Always Being the One Who Figures It Out with Nikquan Lewis
Sadija Smiley
Founder of Stillborn And Infant Loss Support; author; grieving mother
Stillborn And Infant Loss Support (Maryland)
Episode: The Moment You Realize You Can’t Keep Doing This with Sadija A. Smiley
Juanita Ingram
A lawyer, actress, author, global speaker, and producer who has spent years in high-stakes, corporate environments
Various employers and entities mentioned in episode
Episode: When Doing Everything Right Still Isn’t Enough with Juanita Ingram
Kimberly Denise Sumpter
A podcaster and radio host who shares her journey
Self-described creator and podcaster
Episode: The Moment You Realize You’ve Been Doing Too Much with Kimberly Sumpter
Shanniky Corbett
Guest sharing a survivor's story
Episode: Losing Yourself Trying to Be Strong with Chernika L Corbett
Emely Rumble
Therapist and founder of Literopy NYC; bibliopoetry therapist and author
Literopy NYC
Episode: What It Feels Like to Be Strong and Unheard with Emely Rumble
Rabia Wood
Author, podcaster, mother wound coach; sharing her lived experience
Grace Rabia Wood / ExperienceGrace
Episode: Breaking the Silence That Strength Required with Grace Rabia Wood

Host

Shirl
Host of Shades of Strong with a focus on guiding conversations around strength, boundaries, and support.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 63 ratings
  • Love this!

    Listening to this podcast provides me with information and validation for what I am doing in my life. ❤️❤️❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Author Rockymore
    United States2 months ago
  • Mean

    Very mean

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    johnabraham1337
    United States5 months ago
  • Real. Needed. Healing

    I don’t usually leave reviews, but this podcast is different. It feels like sitting with your favorite auntie who just gets it. Shirl talks about strength and softness in a way that makes you rethink how you’ve been carrying everything. She doesn’t just talk at you, she talks to you and you can tell it’s coming from a real place.

    There’ve been episodes where I had to pause and just breathe. Others where I replayed certain parts because it felt like she was reading my journal. I found this podca... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jayci Mil
    United States9 months ago
  • “Until next time take care of you”❤️

    Very outspoken, Shirl say the things people may be scared to say, or even won’t allow themselves to be vulnerable about. Touching on every subject and the problems of our community! This podcast is a breath of fresh air and reassurances me know that even when I feel like I’m alone , I’m not alone! Keep doing your thing sis

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ladaishia12356
    United States9 months ago
  • i’m back😊

    i listened to another podcast about protecting your peace and how we should be mindful on whether we’re doing it to hurt or genuinely give ourselves a moment. i love how you discuss topics that seem a if a lot of disagreements may come from it, but you explain everything so thoroughly you make me want to put the things i’ve learned for these episodes into my life. i appreciate the work you’re doing for our community while simultaneously creating a safe space for us.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MylesReese
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is praised for real stories that validate healing over hustle culture.
Listeners value the host's candid, compassionate approach and the practical guidance for boundaries.
Fans appreciate the safe space and community-building aspect for Black women.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Q: Where can listeners find you and stay connected?
Radiah shares her social media handles and notes that show notes will include links to connect, encouraging listeners to reach out and engage.
When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Q: What would have shifted for you if you had actually been seen in those moments of depletion?
She believes simple acts of presence and check-ins would have reduced isolation, calmed her nervous system, and lifted some of the practical burdens, such as coordinating care or finding new doctors.
When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Q: What does it feel like to say that being strong costs you your mental health out loud now?
Radiah finds it liberating to acknowledge the cost of strength on mental health and notes ongoing work to normalize conversations about mental well-being in her community.
When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Q: What changes did you make to your life after reaching a breaking point?
She describes establishing boundaries before overcapacity, continuing therapy, journaling, and having honest conversations about mental health, which helped rebalance her life and protect her relationships.
When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Q: Tell me, what did being the strong one or being strong look like for you in your everyday life?
Radiah explains that strength often showed up as managing the mental load, planning, and being the go-to problem solver, while masking the toll it took on her body and mind until burnout and chronic illness forced a reckoning.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Shades of Strong® Podcast

What is Shades of Strong® Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Shifts in the concept of strength are a frequent focus, with guests and hosts examining how the “strong Black woman” ideal can drain energy and harm health. Across episodes, the conversation centers on practical boundaries, the need for authentic emotional safety, and the emergence of supportive frameworks (like a language-based system for asking for help). Listeners often hear personal testimony from survivors, therapists, and advocates who share actionable steps for rest, self-care, and sustainable support, making the show a candid resource for Black women navigating burnout, caregiving, and professional pressures. Notably, the show blends storytelling with structured guidance, offering both resonance and concrete tools to reframe strengt... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Shades of Strong® Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Shades of Strong® Podcast:

1. She's So Lucky
2. Cultivating H.E.R. Space: Uplifting Conversations for the Black Woman
3. Woman Evolve with Sarah Jakes Roberts
4. The Oprah Podcast
5. On Purpose with Jay Shetty

How many episodes of Shades of Strong® Podcast are there?

Shades of Strong® Podcast launched 8 years ago and published 285 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Shades of Strong® Podcast?

Recent guests on Shades of Strong® Podcast include:

1. Radiah Shabazz Harold
2. Didi Hairston
3. Nikquan Lewis
4. Sadija Smiley
5. Juanita Ingram
6. Kimberly Denise Sumpter
7. Shanniky Corbett
8. Emely Rumble

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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