Right There With You

This week, Cass and Ciarra sit down for an unfiltered conversation on heteronormativity, gender identity, and what it means to build intimacy and relationships outside of the boxes we were handed. From first crushes to unlearning shame, they explore how societal expectations around sexuality, gender performance, and “normal” love stories often leave people disconnected from themselves and each other.Together, they unpack how queerness can be a portal to truth, how grief and growth often arrive hand-in-hand, and why challenging the “default” isn’t about rebellion—it’s about self-acceptance and survival. Whether you’re questioning, unlearning, or just starting to explore these ideas, this episode invites you to slow down, get curious, and remember: you’re not alone.

This one’s for the ones holding it all together… and quietly falling apart.In this powerful episode of Right There With You, Cass and Ciarra dig into the real story behind burnout—how it's not just about being tired, but about being overextended in systems that were never meant for us. Drawing from Cass’s keynote on intersectional burnout and women’s mental health, they unpack the emotional, cultural, and spiritual costs of being seen as “resilient” all the time.💡 What if rest isn’t selfish, but sacred? What if burnout isn’t a personal failure, but a signal that something bigger needs to change?We talk leadership, survival, identity, and how rewriting our personal SOPs (standard operating procedures) might be the key to healing.🌺 Whether you're deep in recovery or just now realizing you’re burned out—trust, we’re right there with you.

Hey beautiful humans ✨We’ve been holding this one close, recording in May, and now it’s time to share it with you.This week on Right There With You, we’re joined by our soul friend and truth-teller Lyndsey Hoffman for an episode we’re calling “Rewriting the Narrative.” Together, we talk about the stories we’ve inherited—about gender, faith, identity, silence, and survival—and what happens when we start to question them.This conversation is tender. It’s bold. And it’s filled with the kind of honesty that only comes from living through the fire and choosing your voice anyway.Cass, Ciarra, and Lyndsey dive into:The quiet power of saying, “This story no longer fits.”The grief and freedom of walking away from expectations.What liberation looks like when you’re writing your script for the first time.And finally… what it means to practice sacred dissent in our everyday lives.As always, thank you for being in this space with us. Your presence is its own kind of liberation.We’re right there with you.💜 Cass, Ciarra & The Right There With You Team

We’re getting our hands in the dirt this week—literally and spiritually. Our newest episode of Right There With You is called:“What’s Blooming, What’s Dying: Garden Lessons for Life, Spirit & Sacred Cycles.”In this one, Ciarra (your wise auntie in the garden) and Cass (budding dirt experimenter with many questions 😂) talk about how gardening mirrors our own journeys:🌱 Why blooming doesn’t always look like we imagined🪓 What pruning teaches us about letting go🧘🏾‍♀️ How nature slows us down to hear from the Creator🕊️ And what it means to compost the past without shameThis is one of those soft, slow episodes that we hope feels like sitting on the porch with sweet tea and good friends. It’s a love letter to transition seasons, and trusting that even decay has a divine purpose.🎧 The full episode is live now. Tap in, grab your journal, and come sit with us in the dirt.✨ Bonus: Patrons can download this week’s Sacred Gardening journal sheet with reflection prompts and a blessing.💚 With messy roots + holy blooms,Cass & Ciarra

🎙️ Perfect Praise: Black Girl Church Recovery & Spiritual Reclamation is live now!This episode is about the sacred, messy, sometimes painful process of reclaiming your spirit outside of church walls. We get real about shame, queerness, belonging, and what it means to build a spiritual life rooted in truth—not tradition.📝 For our paid Patreon members (saplings, seedlings, and gardeners alike), we’ve created a downloadable journal sheet with prompts to guide your own deconstruction and reclamation process. Think of it as a soft landing for big questions.✨ Not a paid member yet? You can still listen to the episode and join the conversation!But if you’re ready to tend your own spiritual garden with us, you can upgrade your tier and grab the journal sheet here: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/checkout/TheGardeningTheologian?rid=22920713Because healing is holy, and our joy is sacred.

Episode Two is live! 🎙️✨This one’s tender, bold, and rooted in truth.In this heart-to-heart, we (Cass & Ciarra) dig into the fertile, messy, and magical ground of self-identity, relationships, and what it means to be a Black woman navigating a world shaped by misogynoir and constant expectation. 🖤We talk about: 🌬️ The pressure to perform (especially in self-employment)💔 The grief that comes with self-acceptance🌈 The joy that grows when we find people who see us🛌🏽 Rest as a form of resistance👭🏾 The power of soft landings with friends who get itThis episode is about letting go of shame, choosing rest over hustle, and embracing sacred dissent—even when it’s uncomfortable. 💫If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing life out loud and in real time, this one’s for you.✨ Tap in and tell us: What does redefining success look like for you right now? How are you practicing sacred dissent in your own life?With care and community,Cass & Ciarra 🖤

In this first episode, we invite you into the heart of our friendship and the vision behind this series. We talk about what it means to build something from love and transformation—especially as two Black women navigating healing, growth, and the layers of showing up as our whole selves.🎙️ This is where we begin: raw, honest, and rooted.🌿 We hope this episode makes you feel seen.Less alone.More held.We hope you hear echoes of your own story in ours.💬 After you listen, we’d love for you to drop into the comments and share:What resonated?What surprised you?What are you still sitting with?❤️ If this episode moved you, like it.📤 If it reminds you of someone, send it their way.✨ Help us grow this space by inviting others into the garden.We’re just getting started, and this isn’t just our story—it’s a space we’re building with you.With deep gratitude and love,Cass & Ciarra 🌼