Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Brooks.
Hi Vanessa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Today, I am a successful entrepreneur and Doctoral Candidate. I own and operate Brooks Consulting & Training Solutions, a multifaceted mental, emotional, & wellness consulting and educational training firm.
I was raised in a rural NC county by a relentless and fearless Mother, and while my dad was in the home, he was introverted and not as influential in my life. While I love both of my now-deceased parents, my mother was my role model of resilience, faith, and pursuit.
Today, like my dear Mama, I am relentless, fearless, and in pursuit of effecting change in the lives of others who feel overtaken and overwhelmed by the challenges of life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During a bout with depression, self-hatred, a two-pack-per-day cigarette addiction, and excessive alcohol consumption, I learned I was 20 weeks pregnant with my now 27-year-old son. Despite 20 weeks of no prenatal care, marijuana, alcohol abuse, and a lifetime of self-abandonment, my son’s miraculous birth catapulted me into a spiritual renewal and a successful journey out of the wilderness of poverty, shame, suicide ideation, and depression.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Brooks Consulting & Training Solutions LLC?
I own and operate Brooks Consulting & Training Solutions LLC, a multifaceted mental, emotional, & spiritual wellness consulting and educational firm.
Our mission is to empower and serve high-achieving, spiritual female leaders so they self-actualize as the best versions of themselves
Our triangulated focus on mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness among high-achieving female leaders sets us apart from others in the personal development space. We use a combination of behavioral theory, wellness, personal, and professional development strategies and integrate ancient spiritual faith traditions to help leaders develop overall well-being and vitality.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
As I aforementioned, my late mother, Sarah Yancey, has been the greatest source of inspiration for me. I’ve watched other Black women, such as Dr. Joy DeGruy, speak out courageously on matters of importance and passion for them. I’m her book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, Dr. DeGruy explains how Black people have inherited the traumas of our enslaved ancestors, which affects our well-being. I discuss a similar issue with the religious traumas of African Americans bought on by Christian Nationalism ideologies. Some variation of Christianity have underlying beliefs of White Supremacy and a White God that demands worship. As an ordained minister, part of my ministry calling is reforming those types of traumatizing doctrines. So, it takes the relentless pursuit and resilience I inherited from my mother and other ancestors to be brave enough to confront harmful societal norms, even those wrapped in the protected status of religion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vanessarbrooks.com
