Melissa M. Shepherd-Williams, Marriage Family Therapist

09/24/2025

09/22/2025

Among my summer 2025 experiences was to have time with family in New York and, finally, visit the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Since I was 21, this has been a goal of mine. The reason why it didn’t happen then is a story for another day… Still, it felt so timely to visit when so many shifts and efforts to heal intergenerational pain are in progress. I thank this Puerto Rican ancestor, Arturo Schomburg, for creating a legacy of protecting our history and highlighting our contributions to the world. After touring the Center, I sat in the courtyard and recorded these reflections.

09/17/2025

Stay tuned for a new edition of From Burnout to Bliss and Jornada del Desgaste a la Felicidad!

09/17/2025

Here's a perfect recipe for burnout.

09/10/2025

Sadly, many of us have experienced the loss and grief in our communities following the death by su***de of loved ones or people we knew. This is a profoundly painful experience to cope with and move through. We all need and deserve support—whether we are contemplating this path due to a sense of hopeless sorrow or are devastated by the loss of someone.

Within our communities, pain has been transmitted from one generation to the next. When that pain goes unspoken in the interest of "staying afloat," it festers and debilitates us. These wounds have gone without much—if any—professional attention for centuries. By this, I’m not referring strictly to psychotherapy, as there are many rich and well-informed resources that support healing journeys.

In the absence of proper and consistent help, pain deepens. It keeps us stuck and unaware of the difference between surviving and thriving. Additionally, our relationships suffer because of our inner conflicts.

Depression, anxiety, loneliness, and burnout are among the roads that can lead to death by su***de when left unaddressed. Suicidality in marginalized communities is an urgent public health issue—rooted in systemic racism, historical trauma, and inequities in mental healthcare.

Since the pandemic, more people in these communities have become receptive to seeking help that was once associated with systems of oppression. Still, more bridges of trust must be built—especially by the growing number of helping professionals who also come from historically excluded communities.

Thankfully, our bodies didn’t only inherit pain. Healing and hope also live within us. We know this through the consciously and unconsciously practiced traditions that stem from our roots. It's in the way we move, the affirming words we speak, the foods we eat, and our natural tendency to prioritize community-building. These are protective factors—and they must be practiced more intentionally so we can move from mere survival into true thriving.

Let’s create lives that, while not devoid of pain or challenges, are filled with tools that allow us to understand and navigate pain in ways that uplift us—rather than deplete us.

Let’s create lives that, while not devoid of pain or challenges, are filled with tools that allow us to understand and navigate pain in ways that uplift us—rather than deplete us. https://conta.cc/45WRHgI

melissamshepherd.com

09/10/2025

Oweee…Listen.

09/09/2025

Let’s be selective about our “yes”. Our lives depend on it. .com

08/15/2025

August 15th, 1519, marks the date that Spain colonized and founded what they called "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Panamá", the first city Spain established on the Pacific coast. Since then, Panama has been a port of commerce surviving and healing from centuries of imperialism...

Coincidentally, today marks 39 years since I moved to the U.S.A., a land that Panamanians share a profoundly painful history with, and in common. The Panama Canal story isn’t the only one written by both countries. We’ve both lived the ravages of invaded indigenous communities, and slavery.

Today, here in the United States, us immigrants continue to endure the plight of oppressive systems. These systems have historically set the tone for the emergence of burnout. Immigrants bring to their daily functioning inherited practices of survival that exclude opportunities for regular pausing to replenish energy. All of this, when negotiating the process of assimilating and/or learning about the culture of a new environment. It’s a lot of work. Choosing to do this work, in an often not preferred journey abroad, and centering health may be a revolutionary act!

We also contribute fiercely to the culture and economy of this country. This, too, is true of the immigrant community now making Panama their home.

May we continue healing and going deeply into our history to create space for continued thriving. As we deepen our insights and stand firmly in the knowledge of our value, the present can be examined and the future envisioned with optimism. Our ancestors brought us to this moment. Let’s meet it with courage and in community 🙏🏾❤️






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07/31/2025

May our choices honor our wellness and that of others.

07/15/2025

A million thanks to all who participated in Community First, as well as those who sent their best wishes! Thank you, Ligia M. Grenald R., Lily Rodriguez, Tony El Pana Welch, Sonia Smith-Kang, Dr. Makisha Lawrence, and Kimiko Warner-Turner for your delicious contribution to the creation and experience of this event! A special thank you to my sweetheart, Brad L. Williams, for always supporting me in everything I do. I love you beyond words. A huge shout out to my Tía Aurelia and Sister Maritza Collins of MCollins Events for helping to coordinate this memorable gathering. As always, thanks to Plaza de la Raza for your consistent support.

07/07/2025

Professor and artist Ligia M. Grenald R. shares some beautiful insights about community! Yes, Ubuntu—I am because we are…What’s your idea of community healing? There's agitation, uncertainty, and confusion...It's time to relieve tension, restore focus, and maintain perspective. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-first-tickets-1335527581949?aff=ebdssbdestsearchWe all need and deserve to feel cared about and have a sense of belonging.All of this requires support from life-affirming experiences in a community environment.So, you're invited to attend "Community First!" on Saturday, July 12th! Music, food, conversation, activities to uplift us—-It’s urgent! Click here for tickets:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-first-tickets-1335527581949?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

07/06/2025

What’s your idea of community healing? There's agitation, uncertainty, and confusion...It's time to relieve tension, restore focus, and maintain perspective.

We all need and deserve to feel cared about and have a sense of belonging.

All of this requires support from life-affirming experiences in a community environment.

So, you're invited to attend "Community First!" on Saturday, July 12th! Music, food, conversation, activities to uplift us—-It’s urgent! Click here for tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-first-tickets-1335527581949?aff=ebdssbdestsearch