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Dr. Jamila Holcomb is a marriage + family therapist, educator + advocate dedicated to helping people heal from both personal and systemic harm. Through her work, she encourages others to challenge the beliefs and structures that perpetuate oppression while creating space for healing, belonging, and collective liberation. Read on to discover how Dr. Jamila is breaking cycles and why she believes none of us are meant to heal alone.
How do you define a "Cycle Breaker?"
A cycle breaker is someone committed to healing what was intended to break them. Cycle breakers can be healing from their own personal experiences and/or from systemic trauma and oppression. A cycle breaker says "enough" and "no more" and dares to imagine and to create something new.
What adversities or experiences have you lived through?
As a Black woman, the most significant adversities I've lived through are interpersonal and systemic misogynoir.
What is a cycle, belief or pattern you’ve worked to break or challenge in your life?
The biggest thing I am currently working on is breaking free from systems of oppression such as white supremacy culture, patriarchy, and capitalism. Things like perfectionism, individualism, urgency, internalized racism, silence about harm/oppression, gender roles, etc. have been very present in my life and as I read more and find my voice, I am actively committed to not only breaking free from these systems for myself but helping others do the same.
What helped you begin healing, growing, or changing that cycle?
Reading, evolving within my racial identity, and building community with like minded individuals, has really helped me continue to grow and break free.
What are your proudest accomplishments?
My proudest accomplishments are becoming a mom of three and creating a beautiful life with my husband, obtaining a doctorate, and owning my own business. Career and family are both very important to me and it means a lot that I have been able to be successful in both in spite of living within systems that don't want me to succeed.
Is there a message, quote, lesson, or reminder you’d like to share with others who may be struggling along their healing journey?
bell hooks said "Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion." I hope we all can remember that we are not alone on our healing journeys. We are all in this together.
Do you have any projects you're working on that you'd like to highlight?
Not right now, but stay tuned! I am still becoming and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Connect with Dr. Jamila:
• Instagram: @dr.jamila.holcomb