SEASON 03, EPISODE 09: In Our Carefree Era with Oludara Adeeyo
In this episode, Anuli talks with Los Angeles-based mental health therapist, author, and social media content creator, Oludara Adeeyo, about what it means to embrace being carefree, her pivot from working in the media industry to pursuing a career in social work, and the power in moving away from your home base.
Featured speaker: Oludara Adeeyo
Oludara (Dara) Adeeyo is a Los Angeles-based mental health therapist (LSCW), author, and social media content creator who is passionate about encouraging people, especially Black women, to face every day with self-confidence and self-love. Her first series of books, published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, shares specific advice and activities designed to help Black women outwardly express their inner joy: Self-Care for Black Women (2022), Affirmations for Black Women: A Journal (2022), and Mind, Body, & Soul: A Self-Care Coloring Book for Black Women (2024). Her accessible approach to writing and talking about mental health is influenced by her previous professional experience in the media industry as a writer and editor where she worked for popular publications such as Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and XXL. Her writing has also appeared in Women’s Health and WonderMind.
Follow Oludara Adeeyo
@oludaraadeeyo (Instagram), @oludaraadeeyo (Twitter/X), @oludaraadeeyo (TikTok)
Referenced Materials
Adeeyo, Oludara. 2022. Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept & Prioritize Your Mind, Body, & Soul. New York: Adams Media. https://bookshop.org/p/books/self-care-for-black-women-150-ways-to-radically-accept-prioritize-your-mind-body-soul-oludara-adeeyo/17407391?aid=87607&ean=9781507217313&listref=season-3-reading-list
Adeeyo, Oludara. 2022. Affirmations for Black Women: A Journal: 100+ Positive Messages and Prompts to Affirm Your Self-Worth, Empower Your Spirit, & Attract Success. New York: Adams Media. https://bookshop.org/p/books/affirmations-for-black-women-a-journal-100-positive-messages-and-prompts-to-affirm-your-self-worth-empower-your-spirit-attract-success-oludara-adeeyo/18564505?aid=87607&ean=9781507220191&listref=season-3-reading-list
Adeeyo, Oludara. 2022. Mind, Body, & Soul: A Self-Care Coloring Book for Black Women. New York: Adams Media. https://bookshop.org/p/books/mind-body-soul-a-self-care-coloring-book-for-black-women-oludara-adeeyo/20164943?aid=87607&ean=9781507221624&listref=season-3-reading-list
Lorde, Audre. 1982. “Learning from the 60s”. BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1982-audre-lorde-learning-60s/
George, Jessica. 2023. Maame. New York: St. Martin’s Publishing Group. https://bookshop.org/p/books/maame-jessica-george/18965074?aid=87607&ean=9781250282521&listref=season-3-reading-list
Hurston, Zora Neale, Genevieve, West and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 2022. You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays. New York, NY, Amistad. https://bookshop.org/p/books/you-don-t-know-us-negroes-and-other-essays-henry-louis-gates/16764998?aid=87607&ean=9780063043862&listref=season-3-reading-list
Morrison, Toni. 1998. Song of Solomon. London: Vintage. https://bookshop.org/p/books/song-of-solomon-toni-morrison/285447?aid=87607&ean=9781400033423&listref=season-3-reading-list
Thomas, Kecia., Johnson-Bailey, J., Phelps, R.E., Tran, N.M., & Johnson, L. 2013. “Moving from Pet to Threat: Narratives of Professional Black Women.” In L. Comas-Diaz & B. Green (Eds.). The Psychological Health of Women of Color: Intersections, Challenges, and Opportunities. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Thompson-Payton, L’Oreal. “Black women and the glass cliff: ‘I was supposed to bring some kind of Black Girl Magic.’” Fortune. November 6, 2022. https://fortune.com/2022/11/06/black-women-glass-cliff/
Zora’s Daughter’s. “S3 E7: We Call Her Zora.” December 7, 2022. https://zorasdaughters.com/episodes/we-call-her-zora/