Meet Janae Strickland | Blogger, podcaster, author, speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janae Strickland and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janae, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you don’t speak out ain’t nobody going to speak out for you.” – Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hammer is a pioneer in civil rights. When she spoke people listened. This quote is the reason why I started blogging. I felt like I was so bent on fitting into a mold and staying bound by the constructs of society that I had to liberate myself in order to liberate others. I wanted to be the voice of those who felt forgotten due to poor mental, emotional and physical health. I began my business as a voice that needed to be heard and then I became that voice for others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My brand Confessions From A Red Couch is all about self-care and mental health and wellness. My brand is all about improving the relationship with yourself, so you don’t take your unresolved issues to others. It is a safe space to work on yourself and your life journey without being judged about your progress and being held accountable. I started out as just a blogger talking about the lessons I was learning about my own self-care and mental health journey while battling a medical condition and an anxiety disorder. It blossomed into an amazing self-care brand that has propelled me into becoming an author, podcaster, and mental health advocate.
This has not been an easy journey, especially navigating how to record and create during the pandemic, but that’s where I feel I succeed. I produce under pressure, I know others may hate it, but it’s where I thrive.
The hardest lesson I have learned is that I can’t do everything on my own, but the things I can, I should do them well. I have learned how to become a podcast producer and sound engineer just off necessity, saving money, and knowing I could do a better job than what I was paying for.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Houston is absolutely amazing, and you can discover new things around every corner. First, I would take them to the museum district and get lost in all the museums and exhibits. My favorite is the museum of contemporary art. I love it because it exhibits contemporary artists worldwide and it’s free, which is always budget-friendly. We would then get great food at two of my favorite places: Lucille’s and have All or Nunn Catering. Lucille’s has a down-home southern upscale cuisine feel that doesn’t skip on the SOUL in their food. All or Nunn Catering has specialties in everything from soul food to fine French cuisine; Christopher Nunn adds the perfect touch of sophistication to every meal. The rest of the week would be filled with trips to the graffiti park, spending time at popular brunch spots like Taste Bar, and just have a great time in my city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
You know how they say “behind every great man is a great woman”, behind me stands my amazing supportive husband. He is the one who pushed me to start the podcast and keeps me to my word when I say I’m going to do anything. He helps me work through the logistics, proof reads my blog entries and books, and gives me real critics. I appreciate him for loving me and being the amazing man that he is.

Website: confessionsfromaredcouch.com

Instagram: @confessionsfromaredcouch

Twitter: @CFAREDCOUCH

Facebook: @confessionsfromaredcouch

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC7ueTmjoXzgd5AEMbyDHXQ