Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samar Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Samar, thanks for joining us today. Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?

I love businesses that treat you as if you are a partner/collaborator. I worked for the marketing branders, Bold Women Brands, and not only have they been uplifting, but they have used their platform to elevate my work in various ways. There are many traditional ways businesses show their gratitude, but I find this to be unique and one of the most beautiful ways I have felt supported by another business.

Samar, 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 am Samar Jade (they/them) and my identies: Black, fat, gender expansive, former academic, teacher, magician, singer, writer, creative, parent, friend, romantic partner…these collectively inform my work as an Ensoulment Doula. Most people who are familiar with the word doula know doulas who are birth or death doulas. But, there may be doulas of any kind. A doula is simply a guide who helps clients through transitions. I am an ensoulment doula, which means the transitions of my focus are that of guiding the soul, the essential and core part of who we are, back to embodiment in the Self. There are many ways we may be separated from our truest selves at any point in our lives. Our society is designed in such a way that our productivity and abled-ness remain a constant focus. Media messaging has a sinister way of informing us of who we “should” be in order to be digestible. Trauma, in its love letters to our bodies repeats messaging of what we must do in order to remain safe. All of these things contribute to the pushing out of our core self, the soul where it is forced to walk alongside us. But, it’s messaging and voice, and one of our greatest treasures, intuitive gnosis, becomes lost in the noise of everyday life. This makes it difficult for us to know and trust our needs, wants and desires. My work as an Ensoulment Doula is to walk alongside others as they make the journey to coming back to themselves as the first truthseer.

I have found it to be true that no one needs a doula and yet their guidance in huge life transitions is essential. As the ensoulment doula, I am here remind you of the things you already know but need help remembering. I stand beside you as you seek to know and strengthen your voice. Currently, my offerings are guidance readings, one on one 90 day transformation containers, guidance in ritual making, and exploration of the voice through workshop. While my work as an ensoulment doula has only been named this year, it has shown up in the way I have taught in academic spaces, teaching voice technique, and showing up for my family, friends, and communities. I have also made my own personal journey as a collector of personal, intuitive gnosis in the drawing of my soul to my self.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I am a recovering academic. I have been in the academic world for years. And, I bought into the idea that my being an expert made me worthy as a human. One of my mentors and teachers, Britten LaRue recently spoke about this on her latest podcast episode. Her naming of this publically was an essential part in my gathering the courage to name it publically as well in this interview. There is so much shame built into leaving academia. It will tell you that you’ll never be able to make it without them. Academia tells the world that you must be an expert to be credible. It shames you into believing that unless your ideas and thoughts are backed by other white men in power, you’re a scam. You are not credible. You are a charlatan. “evidence” must back things in order to be acknowledged. There is no space for holding questions or the exploration of the preposterous. And, your identity must be within certain parameters in order to be allowed to be named.

None of these things I named are actually true.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I don’t want to trauma dump for your readers. However, I will say my existence as a Black, queer, fat and gender expansive human is an act of resistance and I am grateful to that every single day.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ensoulmentdoula.com
• Instagram: @ensoulment.doula
• Substack: www.samarjadecreative.substack.com

Image Credits
Kevin Nance Samar Jade Nicole Marxen