The Black Woman’s Guide to Coping with Stress: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Skills To Create a Life of Joy and Well-Being

Stress is something everyone experiences—sometimes it’s needed to accomplish goals, but it can also be overwhelming to the point that it has a negative effect on one’s health and well-being. Understanding the good and bad effects of stress is a specialty of registered nurse and psychologist Giscombé, who has dedicated her career and research to healthcare. An active member of her community with a deep desire to help others, she is keenly aware of the healthcare crisis Black women face due to layers of stress. She shares her own battles with overcoming stress. As a result, she developed a foundation of coping with it through seven pillars of mindfulness. The author discusses chronic stress-related conditions and why they occur more frequently in Black women. These conditions include obesity, diabetes, lupus, and cardiovascular disease. She addresses the stereotypes of the Black Superwoman and how it is a barrier that prevents or delays so many Black women from doing what they need for their own health and well-being.