No Contact, No Shame: Healing Toxic Mother-Daughter Relationships with Dr. Bridgette Peteet

Six years ago, I kept finding myself in wellness spaces that weren't built for me, and honestly, weren't built for us. Black women were absent from the center of a conversation that directly impacts our lives, our bodies, and our health. Be Well, Sis was my answer to that. A space built specifically for us, where our voices lead, our experiences are honored, and our wellness is never an afterthought. What followed was you, showing up week after week, listening and sharing and passing the show along to someone you love. You made this something I never could have built alone. To every guest who trusted this mic with their expertise, their stories, and their heart, thank you from the bottom of mine. And to every single listener who has ever pressed play, whether you found us in our very first season or just this week, thank you. You are the whole reason this existed. I'm not entirely sure if this is goodbye forever or simply goodbye for now. Time will tell. But what I know without question is that this community is real, this work matters, and I am so deeply grateful for every moment of it. The conversation isn't over. I'd love for you to stay close.

Feeling drained, overextended, or like something in your life needs to shift? In this solo episode, Dr. Cassandre Dunbar gets radically honest about burnout, intentional living, and what it really means to outgrow a season of your life. Dr. Cassandre explores why ignoring what you already know costs more than acting on it, how to protect your time, energy, attention, creativity, and peace as true non-negotiables, and why meaningful change doesn't require a full life overhaul. In this episode: Recognizing the exhaustion that comes from overextending yourself Outgrowing rhythms, relationships, and routines that no longer serve you Protecting your energy and attention as a wellness practice Starting small: identifying what doesn't feel good and working from there Embracing stillness, silence, and rest without guilt Moving into a season that feels more aligned, even when it's uncomfortable

You've been more critical of your body lately. The timeline isn't helping. And somehow it feels like the progress we made around body acceptance just... evaporated. In this solo episode, Dr. Cassandre Dunbar names exactly what's happening and delivers the big-sister conversation she always wished she'd had, from body image and hormonal changes to mood, skin, and the relationships that literally extend your life. Drawing from personal experience, therapy, and women's health research, Dr. Cassandre gets honest about her own complicated history with her body and the lessons that took decades to learn, so you don't have to wait as long. In this episode: Why diet culture is surging again and what history tells us about why women are being pushed to get smaller Why your body deserves reverence, not punishment, and how to start practicing that The truth about movement: why exercising as punishment is neither healthy nor sustainable Creative hobbies, flow states, and the parasympathetic nervous system connection your mental health needs Why building a sisterhood isn't just a nice-to-have, it's linked to women's longer life expectancy The 13-year-old and 83-year-old framework for making decisions you won't regret This episode is for you if: You've been more critical of your body lately and can't quite pinpoint why You grew up exercising or restricting food as punishment and are still unlearning it You want practical, science-backed ways to support your mood without overhauling your life You're craving the kind of honest conversation an older sister would have with you

Black women enter perimenopause earlier, experience more severe symptoms, and are significantly less likely to receive adequate treatment. Dr. Cassandre breaks down the research, names what so many women have been living through without language, and gives you the tools to advocate for yourself in any medical setting. What we cover: Why perimenopause can start in your 30s — not just your 50s The symptoms most commonly misdiagnosed as stress, anxiety, or depression What the data says about Black women — earlier onset, more severe symptoms, and a significant treatment gap The connection between chronic stress, structural racism, and accelerated reproductive aging Fibroids, heavy bleeds, and the generational pattern nobody talks about What to say to your doctor and exactly which tests to ask for by name Why normal lab results do not rule out perimenopause

Spring reading season is here and Dr. Cassandre has your wellness reading list covered. Five book recommendations across five categories: romance, memoirs, self-help, historical fiction, and smut. Something on this list will meet you exactly where you are. BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE: Romance: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi Memoirs: The Soul Instinct by Beatrice Dixon and Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith Self-Help Stack: The Black Joy Playbook by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts, Less is Liberation by Christine Platt, and The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor Historical Fiction: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and Some People, Some Other Place by J. California Cooper Smut: Restore Me by J.L. Seegers