We recently connected with Jimanekia Eborn and have shared our conversation below.

Jimanekia, appreciate you joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

My first official job in the field was working in group homes, but not the typical group homes. I worked with a company called CTC, “Children’s Therapeutic Communities”. They had 12 houses at the time, with six boys in each. What made this particular population enjoyable was that all of these boys were juvenile sex offenders.. It was truly a wild ride, and I learned a lot about myself as well as others. I learned a lot about perception, boundaries, communication, anger,,r and, harm. I often worked with a kid who did not assault someone; there was consent. However, there was a year or two difference in the age gap. And the parents did not like it, so they reported them. Throughout my work and life, I have encountered individuals who have left a lasting impression. Well, I am sure it is bad; they have all been harmed, and then they became the perpetrators. What I learned was that I was at a 50/50 split, in which some of these children were oversexualized. While I was working there, I was still going to school. It truly helped set me up and ground me for my future work, which also aligned with my plan to work with a new population every two years. I am thrilled that was my first job, because it grounded me in extreme reality, and it truly prepared me for a wild future.

Jimanekia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Jimanekia Eborn, a Trauma Specialist, Comprehensive Sex Educator, Mental Health Advocate, and the founder of Tending the Garden. This nonprofit supports survivors of sexual assault, especially those who’ve been historically left out of the conversation. I’m also the host of the Trauma Queen podcast and one of the co-founders of CINTIMA, where we’re changing how intimacy and consent are handled in film and media. I stay busy, but it’s all intentional.

I’ve been studying psychology since I was 16 and working in trauma and mental health for over 17 years. I didn’t just wake up and decide to do this one day, yet it’s been a journey. This work found me through my own experiences, and it stuck because I saw a need for real, honest, community-rooted care. So I built what I wish I had: spaces that center healing, identity, sexuality, grief, and all the messy in-between.

What do I do? A little bit of everything:
• I support folks 1-on-1 as they navigate trauma, dating, grief, and reconnecting with their bodies and pleasure.
• I teach classes and run workshops from college classrooms to corporate boardrooms about consent, boundaries, identity, and healing.
• I consult with orgs and productions on how to be trauma-informed, not just say they are.
• And I build communities digital and IRL where people feel safe, seen, and not alone in what they’re carrying.

What sets me apart? I lead with honesty and lived experience. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I ask the real questions. I’m not here to “fix” anyone. I’m here to hold space, offer tools, and remind people that healing isn’t a linear process, but it is possible. I mix education with empathy, sprinkle in humor, and keep it real at all times. You can be healing and be a whole ass human. I permit folks to be both.

What am I most proud of? The way people say, “I felt safe with you.” That right there. That means everything to me.

If you’re finding me, here’s what I want you to know: I’m not for everyone, and that’s okay. But if you’re looking for a space that honors your whole sel,f your grief, your joy, your rage, your pleasure,e you’re in the right place. We’re out here tending our gardens, growing what we need.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I 100% would still be doing this work if I could go back in time. I honestly would have started it probably soon if I really knew, and I would have spent more time really trying to learn. I genuinely believe that this work was chosen for me. I know many people find this work daunting or very challenging. I genuinely enjoy my job; I think it’s a privilege for anyone who wants to work with me and sit with me to help them navigate what’s happening to them or what has happened to them.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honestly? Consistency, integrity, and being my authentic self.

I built my reputation by doing the work, not just talking about it. I’ve spent years showing up for survivors, building resources, creating spaces, educating folks, and saying the hard things when others wouldn’t. I don’t chase trends or try to be palatable for everyone. I stay rooted in community, truth-telling, and care. People feel that. And in this field, especially when you’re working with trauma, you can’t fake the realness. Folks know when you’re in it for the right reasons.

Also? I’ve always made space for nuance. I talk about grief and rage and joy and sex and healing all in the same breath, because that’s real life. That honesty, that range, that refusal to water things down, that’s what builds trust over time.

And let’s be clear: I’m a Black queer woman doing trauma and sexuality work. That alone sets me apart in a world that often centers whiteness and erases nuance. I speak directly to the people who rarely feel spoken to, and that matters.

Word of mouth and community support have been everything. People I’ve supported, whether through one-on-one work, support groups, podcasts, or classes, have shared my name and brought others to me because they felt genuinely held. I remember when I launched Tending the Garden and folks started sharing it everywhere. We didn’t have a big PR push; it was just people who believed in the work and wanted others to experience it too. That kind of love and amplification? That’s community. That’s how this work has grown because people saw the value and wanted others to find their way to it, too.

People trust me because I’m not just showing up when it’s convenient; I’ve been here, and I’m still here, doing the work, even when it’s hard. That’s what’s built my reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TraumqQueen.Love
• Instagram: jimanekia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jimanekia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimanekiaeborn/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thetraumawithin
• Other: Cintima.co , TendingTheGarden.Love

Image Credits

Jreiphoto- J Rei Yamasaki