Many of us black women grew up hearing the same things, and those messages show up in motherhood, relationships, and family. It also makes asking for help that much more uncomfortable.
This is a parenting group, but we talk about more than that. We talk about what it means to move through life as a Black woman while carrying expectations to be strong, keep things together, and make sure everyone else is okay. We make space for the things Black moms are dealing with right now:
- Mental load
- Work demands
- Family expectations
- Relationship tension
- Limited parenting support
- Advocating for our children
- Breaking childhood patterns
These family dynamics shape how we experience motherhood.
Each topic from our group sessions connect three parts of the experience:
- What I learned as a Black girl,
- How it shows up in my life as a Black woman and mother now
- What I want to do differently moving forward in my relationships
What to Expect From This Mom Support Group
This is a space to talk, listen, and be around other Black moms who understand your experience, without you having to explain everything first.
“Do I Have To Talk?”
Some weeks you may have a lot to say. Other weeks you may just want to listen. There is no pressure to share more than you are comfortable sharing. Everything (aside from safety concerns) shared in the group is confidential.
Join This Group For Black Moms If You…
- Want to be around other Black moms who understand what you are carrying
- Notice things from your childhood showing up in your relationships or parenting
- Want to parent differently but are not always sure what that looks like
- Feel like you have to be strong for everyone, even when you are tired
- Are carrying most of the mental and emotional load at home
- Lack support in motherhood or in your relationship
- Feel alone even when you have people around you
- Have a hard time asking for or accepting help
- Need support with family boundaries
The Topics We’ll Talk About
1. “Because I Said So” – Finding Your Voice
Many of us grew up learning that questioning an adult was disrespectful and that being a “good girl” meant listening and knowing when to stay quiet. Now speaking up may feel harder than it should, whether it’s with your partner, a school, a family member, or a doctor, especially when it comes to Black maternal health. And when your own child questions you, it can bring up an instant “Why are you talking back to me?”
We explore the difference between disrespect and self-expression, how to speak up for yourself without the guilt, and how to raise a Black child who can advocate for themselves while still talking honestly about safety.
2. “Stop Crying Before I Give You Something to Cry About” — Making Room for Emotion
In many of our homes, crying didn’t get much comfort. We learned to pull ourselves together and keep moving. And that strength may still carry you through days of getting the kids ready, going to work, and holding everything together. All while telling yourself you don’t have time to fall apart. Then your child melts down or someone needs one more thing, and suddenly there’s nothing left.
We look at what happened when you showed emotion growing up, what comes up when your child feels what you weren’t allowed to, and how to make room for your own feelings instead of always pushing through them.
3. “A Hard Head Makes a Soft Behind” — Discipline, Fear, and Control
For many of us, not listening came with quick and sometimes harsh consequences, and we learned early that the wrong choice had a price. Now you may be trying to parent differently while hearing that you’re “too soft” or that your child “needs a spanking.”
For Black mothers, discipline can also carry real fear about how our children will be seen at school, by authority figures, and in the world, and that pressure can make us stricter at home. Together we talk about the difference between correction and control, how to parent from your values while honoring your fears, and how to prepare your child for the world without making home another place where they can’t make mistakes.
4. “I’m Not One of Your Little Friends” — Respect, Tone, and Being Heard
Many of us grew up knowing that tone, facial expressions, and even posture were watched closely, and that disagreeing could easily be taken as disrespect. Today you may find yourself reacting strongly to how something is said, whether it’s your child, your partner, or someone at work, and missing the message underneath. We look at what respect meant in your family and why certain tones hit so hard. We’ll also work on how to hear your child even when their delivery needs work, and how to build respect that goes both ways.
5. “We Don’t Put Our Business in the Street” — Privacy and Asking for Help
What happened at home stayed at home, and family business got handled within the family. That message can follow you into adulthood, making it hard to admit that your relationship is struggling or that motherhood feels overwhelming.
For Black moms, asking for help can also raise real questions about who you can trust without being judged or having your parenting questioned. We talk about the difference between privacy and secrecy, why reaching out can feel disloyal, and how to find people you can tell the truth to while teaching your children that talking to a safe adult is okay.
6. “I Had to Figure It Out, and You Will Too” — Independence and Receiving Help
Some of us had to grow up quickly, learning to take care of ourselves and not need much from anybody, and we were often praised for being so mature and strong. That independence may have helped you survive, but now you might have a partner and still do everything yourself, ask for help and then redo it, or struggle to trust that things will get done if you’re not managing them.
The expectation to be a strong Black woman can make support hard to receive. How can you share responsibility without carrying it all? And is your independence is something you chose, or something you learned because depending on others didn’t feel safe?
7. “That’s What Family Is For” — When You Have a Village but Still Feel Alone
Family support can be complicated. Someone may watch the kids but criticize your parenting, relatives may help financially but expect a say in your decisions, or your partner may provide for the household while you still feel emotionally alone. People tell you that you have plenty of help, and you’re left wondering why you still feel like you’re doing this by yourself.
There’s a difference between being provided for and actually feeling supported. We dicuss how to name the kind of support you need, and how to ask for it instead of hoping someone notices.
Saying less can start out as a way to keep things calm, protect someone else, or keep a situation from getting worse. You may still do it now, whether it’s letting go of how responsibilities are split at home, staying quiet about an in-law so your partner isn’t caught in the middle, or telling everyone you’re fine so your kids won’t worry. Over time, keeping everyone else comfortable becomes exhausting.
Who are you protecting by not speaking up? And how does keeping the peace cost you your own? We talk about how to speak honestly without feeling responsible for everyone’s reaction.
8. “Don’t Say Anything, It’ll Only Cause Trouble” — Staying Quiet to Keep the Peace
Saying less can start out as a way to keep things calm, protect someone else, or keep a situation from getting worse. You may still do it now, whether it’s letting go of how responsibilities are split at home, staying quiet about an in-law so your partner isn’t caught in the middle, or telling everyone you’re fine so your kids won’t worry. Over time, keeping everyone else comfortable becomes exhausting.
Who are you protecting by not speaking up? And how does keeping the peace cost you your own? We talk about how to speak honestly without feeling responsible for everyone’s reaction.
9. “Everybody Needs Something From Me” — The Mental Load and Caretaker Role
School emails, appointments, hair days, meals, activities, birthday gifts, work, your relationship, and family calling because they need something. You keep track of what everyone needs and when, and the moment you finally sit down, someone calls, “Mom!”
Being needed by everyone can still feel lonely when no one seems to notice what you need. You’re carrying the mental and emotional load of your family. So we’ll explore the difference between being needed and being truly known, and how to make room to be a person outside of everything you do for everyone else.
10. “I’m Fine” — The Strong Black Woman Mask
You may have said “I’m fine” so many times that it comes out automatically. You handle work, the kids, your relationship, and your family, and when people say, “I don’t know how you do it,” part of you is thinking, “Neither do I.” Strength can be something you’re proud of, but it becomes exhausting when it feels like the only version of yourself you’re allowed to show.
Being “the strong one” has cost us. But we discuss what support could look like before you reach a breaking point, and how to let your children see that strength can include asking for help.
11. “I Just Need a Minute” — When Coping Is No Longer Enough
Sometimes getting through the day becomes the whole goal. You scroll after everyone’s asleep, stay busy so you don’t have to think, sit in the car a few extra minutes before going inside, or tell yourself you’ll be okay once this week is over. These habits can carry you through hard moments, but they can also keep you from asking what you actually need.
In this session we look at the difference between coping and addressing what hurts, what you may really need a minute away from, and what support could look like beyond simply making it through another week.
Beyond This Mom Group
Sometimes a group conversation brings up something that needs more space. It may be something happening with your partner, something from your childhood, or something you are carrying that feels too personal to work through in a group.
If that happens, individual or couples therapy may be another option for continued support through Mindful Connections Counseling.
Led by Jaunai Staton, LAMFT
Jaunai Staton is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist providing culturally affirming support to Black mothers navigating relationships, motherhood, and generational patterns. She helps clients explore childhood wounds and develop healthier patterns in their relationships and families.
Program Details
Format:
Virtual via Google Meet
Schedule:
Wednesday, 12:30 to 1:30 PM
Start Date:
October 21, 2026