Not all support is supportive.

In this episode, we dig into how professional development like mentorship, coaching, and training can be misused as a tool for control, especially for Black professionals. What’s often framed as “growth” or “investment” can quickly turn into compliance culture, performance surveillance, and performative care.

We explore:

• The blurry line between support and supervision
• How race and power shape who gets real mentorship vs. forced coaching
• The emotional toll of “development” plans that feel more like disciplinary action
• Strategies for setting boundaries around help that isn’t really helpful

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Please be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review.

Black Leaders’ Mental Health in the Workplace: What’s Really Happening?

It’s not just burnout.

It’s isolation, gaslighting, chronic underestimation, and being the only one expected to “represent” while staying composed.

In this episode, we move beyond surface-level wellness advice to name what’s actually impacting the mental health of Black professionals, especially those in leadership roles inside hostile or indifferent institutions.

We explore:

• The psychological cost of constant visibility and representation
• How harm gets mislabeled as “stress” or “overwork”
• The emotional impact of racism disguised as feedback or leadership strategy
• What it means to advocate for your care in spaces that pathologize your pain
• And why real support has to go beyond access to an Employee Assistance Program

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Please subscribe, share, and leave a review.

For many Black professionals, HR isn’t protection, it’s surveillance.

In this episode, we’re naming the truth that too often gets whispered behind closed doors: Human Resources departments are not neutral. From weaponized PIPs to dismissive responses to harm, Black leaders are navigating systems designed to protect the institution, not the individual.

We break down:

• The difference between HR and real accountability
• How race shapes the narrative around “performance”
• The subtle signs you’re being set up, and what to do next
• How so-called inclusive benefits are often just PR, not policy
• What it looks like to build safety and strategy outside the system

RESOURCES

Are you a woman leader who is depleted, exhausted and looking for a way out? Check out Trenia's 5-part limited series podcast The Burnout Rescue Plan. Click here to listen.

Want to schedule a 1-1 consultation with David? Visit https://strivequity.com/

Be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review.