Crystal Jones is a licensed therapist, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Trainer, and the founder of Life Source Counseling Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her work creates sacred spaces where BIPOC women can feel truly seen, valued, and supported on their healing journeys.

As an IFS trainer and consultant, Crystal has mentored therapists and practitioners worldwide, guiding them toward deeper self-awareness and inner harmony. She is also a clinical supervisor, Master Reiki Practitioner, and advocate for holistic healing—integrating tools like prayer, sacred movement, and meditation into her practice.

In our conversation, Crystal and I explore what it means to listen to the parts of ourselves we often silence, the unique power of IFS in BIPOC healing spaces, and how honoring every part of who we are—even the ones we’ve judged or pushed away—can be a revolutionary act of self-love.

Connect with Crystal:
Website: https://lifesourcecounselingcenter.com/staff/about-crystal-jones/

Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/

Therapy resources:

 * Loveland Foundation: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/
 * Clinicians of Color: https://www.cliniciansofcolor.org/
 * Therapy For Black Girls: https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/ 
 * Manhattan Alternative: https://www.manhattanalternative.com/ 

Honoring Every Part of Ourselves with Crystal Jones

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down two of the questions I get asked the most: What is somatics? and What’s the difference between coaching and therapy? We’ll explore how your body communicates with your brain (spoiler: it’s way more than you think), why I weave somatic practices into life coaching, and how coaching and therapy can work beautifully together. If you’ve ever wondered which one you need, or how to listen to your body’s wisdom more deeply, this one’s for you.

Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/

What Is Somatics? And Do You Really Need Coaching or Therapy (or Both)?

Chrissy King is a writer, educator, and former strength coach whose voice is helping to redefine wellness—not as a destination, but as a practice rooted in liberation, identity, and radical self-acceptance. In this powerful conversation, Chrissy opens up about her personal path to body liberation and the experiences that inspired her book, The Body Liberation Project.

Together, we explore what it really means to feel at home in your body, the illusion of arriving at "confidence," and why unlearning societal messages about worth and appearance is a lifelong process. Chrissy’s work sits at the intersection of race, body image, and justice, reminding us that healing is both personal and political—and that we are already enough, exactly as we are.

If you’ve ever felt like your body was a problem to solve, this episode will meet you with compassion, truth, and a powerful invitation to take up space.

Connect with Chrissy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamchrissyking/
Website: https://www.chrissyking.com/
Purchase The Body Liberation Project: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-body-liberation-project-how-understanding-race-identity-and-culture-compounds-the-shame-we-feel-and-how-to-shift-the-narrative-to-reclaim-our-worthiness-chrissy-king/18835036

Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/

The Practice of Body Liberation with Chrissy King

Daria Burke has lived many lives—fashion executive, C-suite leader, trauma survivor, and now, debut author. In this powerful conversation, Daria opens up about the moments that shaped her new memoir Of My Own Making and the healing journey that unfolded in the process. From growing up in poverty with an absent father and a mother battling addiction, to finding freedom through therapy, neuroscience, and deep self-examination, Daria reminds us that we are not our origin stories, we are who we choose to become. This episode explores trauma, resilience, reparenting, and the science behind post-traumatic growth. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can rewrite your story, Daria is proof that you can.

Connect with Daria:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dariaburke/
Website: https://www.dariaburke.com/
Purchase Of My Own Making: https://www.amazon.com/My-Own-Making-Memoir/dp/1538766809  [https://www.amazon.com/My-Own-Making-Memoir/dp/1538766809]

Connect with us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald/
Newsletter sign-up: https://shanetta.substack.com/ 

Rewriting the Narrative: Healing, Neuroplasticity, and Owning Your Story with Author Daria Burke

Stay tuned for more updates on Substack [https://shanetta.substack.com/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/iamshanettamcdonald].

My healing journey w/Bulimia, CPTSD... and healing others

Tapping back in! 

Find out what I've been up to and what's in store for the next phase of the podcast. 

Thank you for hanging tight and staying loyal.

Stay tuned for more updates on Substack [https://shanetta.substack.com/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/motifthepodcast/].

It's Been A Minute

Listen in as host Shanetta McDonald shares insights into a quick personal story of Surrender and how we can all invite the shift/perspective into our lives, in the season 3 finale of The Motif Podcast.

Thank you for your support and for being a vital part of keeping this community alive. We can’t wait to share more with you in season 4. In the meantime, don't forget to check out some of our older episodes that you may have missed from previous seasons. And , be sure to visit our Instagram for highlights from some of our favorites.

Connect with us:
Instagram: @ourmotif [http://instagram.com/ourmotif]
Twitter: @ourmotif [https://twitter.com/OurMotif]
Facebook: @ourmotif [https://www.facebook.com/ourmotif]
Newsletter sign-up: ourmotif.co [https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f34393a406ce800267b3f03] 

Feel free to leave us a rating + review if you’ve enjoyed this episode. + remember to subscribe to receive alerts on our upcoming episodes. 

Season 3 Finale - A Lesson In Surrender

Award winning executive marketer, investor and educator Tiffany Hardin inspires women of color to become conscious hustlers, as founder of Gild Creative Group, an influencer marketing agency that focuses on bringing conscious marketing to big ideas.

Some of Tiffany’s client work has included: Airbnb, WeWork, Target, Microsoft, Cobble, Ovia, HBO, Wethos, Black Girl in Om, Heal Haus and more. Additionally, she’s worked with hundreds of influencers and celebrities on branded social campaigns.  

Tiffany considers herself and her team 'Conscious Hustlers'  who spend time focused on serving clients who are innovating and elevating the well-being of culture through strategy, influencer marketing, and partnerships. 

In this week’s episode, Tiffany and host Shanetta McDonald get deep about:

 * Discovering and using our voices to express our experiences as Black women in America.
 * The glorification of entrepreneurship + Tiffany’s advice for women of color embarking on the journey. 
 * Following our spiritual calling and allowing ourselves to be guided to true alignment.

Connect with Tiffany Hardin:
https://www.gildcreativegroup.com/
Gild Creative Group’s Instagram: @gildcreativegroup [https://www.instagram.com/gildcreativegroup/]
Tiffany’s Instagram: @tiffany_hardin [https://www.instagram.com/tiffany_hardin/followers/mutualFirst?hl=en]

Connect with us:
Instagram: @ourmotif [http://instagram.com/ourmotif]
Twitter: @ourmotif [https://twitter.com/OurMotif]
Facebook: @ourmotif [https://www.facebook.com/ourmotif]
Newsletter sign-up: ourmotif.co [https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f34393a406ce800267b3f03] 

Becoming A Conscious Hustler w/Tiffany Hardin

Entrepreneur Telsha Anderson-Boone encourages women of color to confidently enter spaces that lack our representation, as founder and owner of t.a [https://shop-ta.com/]., a luxury boutique based in New York City in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

A former social media consultant for Food & Wine, Hypebeast, and Atlantic Records, and an influencer manager at a Fashion PR firm, Telsha began ideating on the launching t.a., while pursuing her master’s in brand management from NYU. A series of minor thoughts led her to the final moment of creating t.a., including how she was treated in the workplace, her interest in entrepreneurship, and ultimately her desire to share the dialogue surrounding Black ownership. So, she took a leap and allowed her hard work to guide her towards success.

In this week’s episode, Telsha and host Shanetta McDonald get into:

 * The evolution of Black and brown women being a part of the changing narrative in fashion.
 * Using spirituality as a tool for moving through fear.
 * Tips for entrepreneurs in their season of growth.

Connect with Telsha:
https://shop-ta.com/
t.a’s Instagram: @t.a.newyork [https://www.instagram.com/t.a.newyork/?hl=en]
Telsha Anderson’s Instagram: @telshaanderson [https://www.instagram.com/telshaanderson/?hl=en]

Connect with us:
Instagram: @ourmotif [http://instagram.com/ourmotif]
Twitter: @ourmotif [https://twitter.com/OurMotif]
Facebook: @ourmotif [https://www.facebook.com/ourmotif]
Newsletter sign-up: ourmotif.co [https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f34393a406ce800267b3f03] 

Feel free to leave us a rating + review if you’ve enjoyed this episode. + remember to subscribe to receive alerts on our upcoming episodes. 

Creating Our Own Path To Success w/fashion founder Telsha Anderson-Boone

Silicon Valley’s first female African American CEO Shellye Archambeau invigorates women of color to live unapologetically ambitious–in our personal and professional lives. 

An experienced CEO and Board Director with a track record of accomplishments building brands, high performance teams, and organizations, Shellye currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta. 

She is the author of 'Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers and Create Success on Your Own Terms [https://litvideobooks.com/unapologetically],' a book that will help professionals achieve their aspirations and create the life they want. Shellye is also a sought-after speaker on governance, risk and compliance as well as marketing and entrepreneurship and has guest lectured at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and The Wharton School of Business. She has been featured or referenced in major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes and the Financial Times. 

In this week’s episode, Shellye and host Shanetta McDonald cover:

 * How living with intention every day can get us closer to our goals.
 * Creating a life in which we are ready for opportunities when they present themselves.
 * The leverage we have as women of color in the workplace and how we can use it to our advantage.

Get Shellye’s videobook for free w/code: LITMOTIF
https://litvideobooks.com/unapologetically 
Code expires on 4/6.

Connect with Shellye:
https://shellyearchambeau.com/
Shellye’s Instagram: @shelarchambeau [https://www.instagram.com/shelarchambeau/]
Shellye’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellye-archambeau/

Connect with us:
Instagram: @ourmotif [http://instagram.com/ourmotif]
Twitter: @ourmotif [https://twitter.com/OurMotif]
Facebook: @ourmotif [https://www.facebook.com/ourmotif]
Newsletter sign-up: ourmotif.co [https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f34393a406ce800267b3f03] 

Feel free to leave us a rating + review if you’ve enjoyed this episode. + remember to subscribe to receive alerts on our upcoming episodes. 

Living Unapologetically Ambitious w/Silicon Valley's First Black Female CEO, Shellye Archambeau

Feel connected to women of color who are navigating the world just like you on The Motif Podcast. Every week, host and Black creative, Shanetta McDonald will have relatable conversations with women of color, sharing their stories and journeys throughout life, with an emphasis on improving our overall wellness in our mental, physical and spiritual health. We women of color deserve to control our own narrative, and we're starting here.

Shanetta McDonald

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