HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A REIKI MASTER AND ENTREPRENEUR THAT IS HEALING OUR COMMUNITY.

SHARON CAPERS.

SHARON, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> YES.

>> ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE?

>> OF COURSE.

>> I FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMON, AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS PERFORMING.

>> YES.

[LAUGHTER] >> I RECENTLY HEARD A LOT AND HAVE BEEN CHEERING VIA THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, ABOUT A RECENT PERFORMANCE YOU JUST DID AT AUBURN PUBLIC THEATER.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> THE CONFESSIONS.

IT WAS MY FIRST TIME OFF OF LIKE FACEBOOK ACTING.

SO... YEAH I WAS KIND OF NERVOUS AT FIRST.

SO WHEN MELODY AND GWEN ASKED ME TO COME AUDITION, I THOUGHT, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE ASKING ME.

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A WHOLE THING.

SO WHEN I WENT AND I WAS REALLY NERVOUS.

I WAS LIKE, OKAY, JUST ACT LIKE YOU ARE DOING A FACEBOOK REEL.

I WAS LIKE, THAT'S DIFFERENT THOUGH.

YOU PRACTICE THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AT HOME.

>> YOU CAN RETAPE IT, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

YOU CAN DO IT FOR LIKE 20 MINUTES UNTIL YOU GET THE RIGHT ONE.

>> BEING ON STAGE IS DIFFERENT.

>> IT WAS DIFFERENT.

I WAS NERVOUS, LIKE I SAID, THEN I'M LIKE, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO CHOOSE YOU.

AND I'M LIKE, ME?

OH WOW.

OKAY.

SO I WAS SUPER EXCITED.

THEN WHEN WE ACTUALLY WENT FOR THE FIRST TIME TO DO ACTUAL REHEARSAL, I HAD LIKE ACTUAL BUTTERFLIES, NO PUN INTENDED.

>> BUTTERFLY CONFESSIONS, BUTTERFLIES IN THE BELLY.

>> I WAS LIKE, OKAY, OKAY.

AND I THINK I WAS THAT WAY FOR THE FIRST TWO REHEARSALS.

AND THEN WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME UP FOR US TO PRACTICE, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS REAL.

THIS IS REAL.

>> BUT YOU'RE NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, A PERFORMER.

THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ARE TRYING NOW.

TALK TO US ABOUT WHO IS SHARON CAPERS PRIOR TO-- >> BEFORE I GOT FAMOUS?

>> BEFORE YOUR STINT ON THE STAGE.

>> SHARON CAPERS IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I COULD EXPLAIN MYSELF-- I GREW NEWSPAPER CICERO, WENT TO CICERO HIGH SCHOOL.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY NOW, I WAS TELLING MY FRIEND THE OTHER DAY, IT'S DIFFERENT HOW GROWING UP IS.

LIKE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BACK WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, IT WAS NEVER A BLACK WHITE ISSUE.

IT WAS THESE ARE MY NEIGHBORS.

THESE ARE MY FRIENDS.

I CAN COUNT ON MY HAND THE NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE I FELT, YOU KNOW,DISCRIMINATION AS A WHOLE AS THE WAY WE SEE IT NOW.

I WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT AT MY FRIEND'S HOUSES.

IRWOULD EAT DIN WITH THEM.

THEY WOULD COME OVER AND WE WOULD DO SO MUCH TOGETHER.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I BECAME A FULL ADULT AND HAD MY CHILDREN THAT I REALIZED THAT IT WASN'T-- IT WAS DIFFERENT IN A WAY BECAUSE NOW I GRADUATED FROM SCHOOL.

ALL OF MY BEST FRIEND ARE GONE.

AND I'M KIND OF FORGOTTEN ABOUT BECAUSE I SEE PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA GOING ON TRIPS WITH THEIR BEST FRIENDS OR YOU KNOW, GOING TO FUNCTIONS OR BEING INVITED OVER TO THEIR HOUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE ALL OF MY FRIENDS HAVE GONE AWAY.

AND THEN NOW I'M SEEING THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

>> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

I IMAGINE THE FRIENDS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE OTHER PROFESSIONALS, THEY MOVED AWAY AND DIDN'T COME BACK.

THEY STARTED THEIR LIVES SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> YEAH, THEY ALL MOVED AWAY OUT OF THE AREAS THAT WE LIVED IN AND THEY WENT ON, MOVED OUT OF THE CITY.

WE MAY SEE EACH OTHER AND STILL SPEAK.

BUT WE DON'T GO ON TRIPS.

WE DON'T INVITE EACH OTHER TO EACH OTHER'S HOUSES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

OUR REUNION IS NOT LIKE WHAT I SEE PEOPLE GOING TO DIFFERENT EVENTS HERE FOR THE REVIETNAM, AND SOMETIMES IT'S HURTFUL.

LIKE WOW, YOU KNOW.

>> WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALONG AS YOUNG CHILDREN, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU GROW UP.

AND I FEEL THAT.

I FEEL THAT IN A REAL WAY BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK IS THAT IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER OR BECOME A PROFESSIONAL HERE, YOU KNOW, YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THESE ROOMS, OFTEN TIMES WITH FOLKS AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT, WHO DO I HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH?

>> I STRUGGLED WITH IT FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW, WHERE I WOULD BE LIKE, FOR COOKOUTS AND THOSE SEASONS, I WOULD BE DEPRESSED AND SEE PEOPLE.

MAN, I WISH I HAD SOME FRIENDS TO DO THAT TYPE OF STUFF WITH OR MAN, I WISH I COULD GO TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE.

AS I STARTED TO PULL MYSELF OUT OF THERE.

LIKE SHARON, ARE YOU GOING ON TO BE SAD FOREVER?

NO, I'M GOING TO PUT MYSELF IN THESE ROOMS, GO TO THESE PLACES.

LOOKED ON FACEBOOK FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS AND EVENT BRIGHT FOR DIFFERENT THINGS FOR ME TO GO TO, JUST STARTED GOING TO THEM AND SHOWING UP AND SAYING HI.

HI, I'M SHARON.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME.

HEY, HEY GIRL?

UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEY'RE LIKE HEY, SHE'S BACK.

I'M BACK.

>> I'M HERE, I'M DOING IT.

SO TALK TO ME, YOU GREW UP HERE.

YOU ARE STILL HERE AS AN ADULT, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> YOU ARE A ENTREPRENEUR, YOU STARTED SOME NEW VENTURES.

AND YOU ARE HELPING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW HEALTH WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT GOT YOU MOVING TOWARDS THAT PATH AND THAT CAREER.

>> OKAY, SO I HAD MY CHILD EARLY ON, LIKE I WAS AS A TEENAGER.

MY GRANDPARENTS RAISED ME.

SO BACK THEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A BABY, YOU CAN'T-- THE IDEA IS YOU CAN'T GO TO COLLEGE.

YOU CAN'T GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE WHERE IS YOUR BABY GOING TO GO?

YOU CAN'T GET FUNDING AND HOUSING.

AND I SAW SOMEPLACE THERE WAS A PROGRAM AT THAT TIME, IT WAS OCEDI, SCPGA.

I WENT THERE.

I WENT TO NURSING SCHOOL THERE.

THIS PROGRAM PAID FOR ME TO GO TO NURSING SCHOOL.

THEY PAID FOR MY DAYCARE.

THEY GAVE ME A STIPEND JUST TO MAKE SURE I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL.

I HAD A CAR SO THEY GAVE ME, YOU KNOW, LIKE MONEY FOR GAS.

AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T HAVE A CAR, THEY GAVE YOU A BUS PASS.

THEY PAID FOR MY BOARDS, MY CAP, MY GOWN, MY NURSING PIN.

IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.

>> AND AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BECAME A MOM, IT WAS DURING THAT TIME WHERE YOU COULDN'T CHOOSE COLLEGE.

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE TO HELP YOU GET ON A PATH, TO HELP PROVIDE AND BE NEAR YOUR FAMILY.

>> YOU DON'T KNOW THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY OFFERED UP AS MUCH.

SO, YOU KNOW, I STARTED EVERY TIME SOMEONE WOULD DO SOMETHING, I'M LIKE, OH DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A PROGRAM FOR THIS OR A PROGRAM FOR THIS OR YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND GET THIS AND GET THAT.

AND I BECAME THAT GO TO PERSON.

LIKE OKAY.

I KIND OF LIKE THIS.

AND I JUST STARTED REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE, AND GOING PLACES, FINDING OUT MORE STUFF AND SHARING IT AND SHARING IT.

>> BECAUSE YOU COMPLETED THE NURSING PROGRAM.

YOU WORKED IN SOME OF THE HOSPITALS IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO HOW DID YOU GO FROM THERE TO FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND BECOMING A REIKI MASTER?

>> I STARTED MY CAREER AT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IN THE INNER CITY AND IT WAS ABSOLUTE BEST NURSING JOB I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.

>> REALLY?

>> WHAT MADE IT THE BEST?

>> WELL, IN NURSING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FEEL LIKE YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

SO AT THE END OF MY DAY EVERY DAY, I WENT HOME AND I KNOW I MADE A DIFFERENCE.

AND THEN LATER ON IN MY CAREER, I'M LIKE, WELL, I'M TIRED OF ALL THIS POLITICS AND NOT KNOWING-- IT'S THE SAME EVERYWHERE.

I'M GOING TO GO TO A DIFFERENT, LIKE OUT TO A SUBURB AREA.

AND IT'S THE SAME.

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT JOB YOU ARE IN, IT'S POLITICS, YOU KNOW.

YOU HAVE TO LEARN WHERE TO PLACE YOURSELF.

AND I REALIZED THAT THE DYNAMICS, LIKE AT THE HEALTH CENTER, EVERYONE GOT GOOD CARE.

IT DIDN'T MATTER IF YOU WERE WHITE, BLACK, ASIAN, WOMAN, MAN.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

EVERYONE GOT THE SAME CARE.

BUT GOING TO DIFFERENT AREAS, I NOTICED THE DISPARITY, SO THAT STARTED LIKE HITTING HOME.

SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, WHAT CAN I DO?

HOW CAN I EDUCATE PEOPLE?

IF THEY HAVE THE POWER AND THE TOOLS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, THEN IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW.

IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE YOU ARE GETTING DIFFERENT CARE.

YOU ARE JUST GETTING BASIC CARE.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET THIS AND SPEAK UP-FOR-YOURSELF AND THEN YOU ARE JUST GOING TO GET THE BASIC CARE.

BUT WHEN YOU GIVE PEOPLE THE TOOLS, THEN THEY CAN GO AND SAY, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS DONE OR THIS, THEN THE DOCTOR WOULD BE LIKE OH, OKAY.

>> SURE.

SO KNOWING THAT.

YOU GOT TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND SO THAT PUSHED YOU TO FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> TALK TO ME ABOUT REIKI.

>> SO I'M A REIKI MASTER.

HOW I STARTED DOING THAT WAS I NEEDED TO HEAL MYSELF.

IN THE PROCESS OF HEALING MYSELF, I STARTED RESEARCHING AND LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS WITHIN MY COMMUNITY OR IN SYRACUSE TO DO TO HELP MYSELF.

AND I ACTUALLY WANTED TO HAVE A COLONIC BECAUSE I HAD SEEN IT ON THE REALITY TV.

I WAS LIKE, I'M GOING TO TRY THIS.

>> LIKE HOUSE WIVES AND SUCH.

WHEN I.

>> WHEN I LOOKED ON GOOGLE FOR A PLACE TO GO, IT GAVE ME THIS REIKI PLACE.

SO I'M LIKE, WELL, MAYBE THIS IS FOR A REASON.

SO I CALLED, MADE AN APPOINTMENT.

THE APPOINTMENT WAS LIKE 45 MINUTES AND SO I WENT AT 5:45 P.M. AND I LEFT AT ALMOST LIKE 3 IN THE MORNING FROM THAT PLACE BECAUSE I SAT DOWN.

AND THE MINUTE I LAID ON HER TABLE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO COME WITH AN OPEN MIND AND I LAID THERE AND THEN SHE STARTED HELPING ME THROUGH MY PROCESS AND CHANNEL ALL OF MY NEGATIVE ENERGY OUT.

AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT LIKE WITHIN 15 MINUTES, I WAS LIKE BLAH BLAH BLAH.

EVERYTHING JUST CAME OUT.

>> AND SO FOR THOSE-- I'VE NEVER GONE FOR A REIKI SESSION.

AND SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU WENT, YOU SHOWED UP AT THIS PLACE.

WHAT DOES, IF YOU COULD VISUALLY DESCRIBE WHAT DOES A REIKI SESSION LOOK LIKE?

>> SO YOU GO IN AND LIKE A MASSAGE TABLE, IT'S A BASIC MASSAGE TABLE.

YOU ARE FULLY CLOTHED AND YOU LAY ON THERE AND YOU LAY ON YOUR BACK.

AND THEN SHE-- YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES.

YOU CAN KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.

YOU CAN ASK THEM IF THEY TWANT 20 HEAR MUSIC-- IF THEY WANT TO HEAR MUSIC OR JUST SILENCE.

YOU ASK THEY WILL IF THEY WANT TOUCH OR NO TOUCH, BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST HOVER YOUR HANDS OVER THEM.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY HAVE TO TOUCH THEM.

SO BASICALLY YOU ARE JUST DOING THAT.

IT'S OVER YOUR SHAKIRAS.

-- CHOKE RAS.

YOU ARE HELPING TO RELEASE ALL THE NEGATIVE ENERGY SHARON IS PROVIDING SPACE FOR OTHERS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AND PROVIDE CONTINUOUS EMOTIONAL HEALING WHILE FOSTERING A MORE UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY THROUGH AMPLIFYING THEIR STORIES.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT SHARON IS DOING.

>> SO WE ARE HERE AT SIM PLIFTICALLY WHOLE MEDICINE.

THAT IS MY PRACTICE.

TODAY WAS THE PILOT EPISODE OF "THIS IS US" WHICH IS A PLATFORM THAT I'M OPENING UP FOR MEN TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND HOW WE CAN CHANGE THINGS.

I DID THAT BECAUSE ALL THE OTHER EPISODES I MAY HAVE JUST ME AND A MAN TALKING OR A AND A FEMALE OR ME AND KIDS BUT THIS TIME I WANTED TO SOLELY FOCUS MEN BECAUSE WE, AS WOMEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR EVENTS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.

THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON FOR US.

AND WE ARE REALLY NOT LISTENING TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

THAT WAS THE ASPECT OF WHY I WANTED TO DO IT WITH MEN AND I'VE DONE IT CAN KIDS BECAUSE I WANT PARENTS AND ADULTS TO SEE FROM THE KIDS POINT OF VIEW.

I TALK TO BUSINESS OWNERS WHERE THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.

AND I AS A BUSINESS OWNER FOUND SOME INFORMATION FROM THEM THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY VALUABLE SO I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS.

I STARTED DOING PODCASTING BECAUSE I JUST LIKE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE.

IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT, I CAME UP WITH A LOT OF RESOURCES AND EVENTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.

ONE DAY IS WAS LIKE, HEY, MAYBE I'LL TALK ABOUT IT ON FACEBOOK.

I STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT ON FACEBOOK AND MORE PEOPLE STARTED ENGAGING AND I SAID WELL, I THINK I'M GOING TO START A PODCAST.

AND HERE I AM.

IT'S HELPED ME A LOT BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'M A SHY PERSON.

SO IT'S ALLOWED ME TO GO MORE PLACES AND INTERACT WITH MORE PEOPLE.

IT'S ALLOWED ME TO PUSH MYSELF BEYOND LIMITS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD DO BEFORE.

SO HOW I KIND OF INTERTWINE THE TWO TOGETHER, MY HEALING SIDE AND THE PODCAST SIDE IS I'M OPENING UP A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS AND THEIR EMOTIONS.

IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE IS GOING THROUGH, LIKE I HAD A FATHER CAME ON WHO LOST HIS CHILD.

AND THAT SHOW WAS CALLED THE PAIN OF THE FATHER.

AND THAT WAS DRIVEN BECAUSE I WANTED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, WE ALWAYS TALK TO THE MOTHER, YOU KNOW.

WE LISTEN TO THE MOTHER TALKING ABOUT LOSING A CHILD.

BUT WE NEVER SIT DOWN AND ASK THE FATHER HOW HE IS FEELING.

SO I WANTED HIM TO COME ON SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, FATHERS HAVE FEELINGS, TOO, AND THEN THAT WAY HE WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO OTHER FATHERS WHO MAY BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAVE A CHOICE.

IT FEELS GOOD BECAUSE IT FILLS A PLACE IN MY HEART BECAUSE I'M A NURTURER.

I'M A NURSE.

I HAVE BEEN A NURSE FOR 31, 32 YEARS.

I REALIZE THAT NURSING DOESN'T JUST MEAN THAT I NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN THE HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, MY PATIENTS GO HOME AND THEY NEED MORE THINGS AT HOME.

SO THIS IS MY WAY OF GIVING BACK.

I END ALL MY SHOWS SAYING THE SAME THING, THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REACH BACK AND FULL PULL FORWARD.

IF WE SEE SOMEONE STRUGGLING, REACH BACK AND GIVE THEM RESOURCES.

OR IF WE ARE A BUSINESS AND WE ARE HIRING, REACH BACK AND PULL THEM FORWARD.

IF WE, BACK WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER AND YOUR PARENTS WERE WORKING AND YOU COULDN'T GET INTO YOUR HOUSE, COULD YOU GO TO YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE BUT WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

WE NEED TO REACH BACK AND CONTINUE AND GO BACK TO WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND BRIDGE CONNECTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE ARE GOING TO VIBE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

IF I LIVE DOWNTOWN IN SYRACUSE AND MY REACH MAY BE OUT TO CAM CAMILLUS OR BUFFALO OR ROCHESTER.

MY DAUGHTER MAY BE WATCHING IN CAROLINA.

AND THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE MAY HELP SOMEONE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THIS IS WHAT THE PLATFORM IS FOR.

REACH OUT TO ME, REACH OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS, TO YOUR TEACHERS, AND FIND A ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THERE ARE.

>> THAT'S REALLY FASCINATING.

WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU GOT ON STAGE AND TOLD THIS STORY , OKAY.

AND HOW FINDING THE WORDS IN THIS PLAY REALLY HELPED YOU, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT ABUSE.

YOU'VE EXPERIENCED SOME ASPECTS OF THAT, TOO.

AND YOU WERE ABLE TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE.

BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT OFF THE TABLE SO TO SPEAK AND NOW WE ARE CREATING SPACES FOR OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH YOUR PODCASTS, TOO.

YOU ARE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TELL THEIR STORIES.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GOT OFF THE TABLE AND INTO YOUR OWN BUSINESS AROUND REIKI.

>> SO WHEN I REALIZED HOW HELPFUL THAT SESSION WAS, I THOUGHT AT THAT MOMENT OR AFTER THOSE HOURS SPEAKING WITHER HAD, THIS IS FOR ME.

I THINK THIS IS HELPING ME.

SO NURSING DOESN'T JUST MEAN HELPING, YOU KNOW, MY PATIENTS WHEN THEY COME IN OR HELPING THE DOCTOR.

WHEN THEY GO HOME, PEOPLE NEED HELP THEN, TOO BECAUSE THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR THEY GO TO COUNSELING, HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH BRAIN-- WHAT DO THEY DO WITH OPENING PANDORA'S BOX.

I SAID WHAT DID I DO?

IF IT WORKED FOR ME, SHARON, DEVELOP A PLATFORM, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE PEOPLE THESE RESOURCES.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I STARTED WITH THAT.

AND I DID REIKI.

I LEARNED DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, BREATH WORK, DIFFERENT WAYS TO DETOX.

JUST PUTTING MYSELF, LIKE I SAID, DIFFERENT ROOMS TO LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM TO MY FAMILY OR MY COMMUNITY OR MY FRIENDS.

AND DOING THAT, I STARTED TALKING MORE ON FACEBOOK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS I DID OR SAYING HEY, DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD DO THIS OR DO THIS?

I SAID I THINK I'LL START TALKING ABOUT IT MORE.

AND I DEVELOPED MY PODCAST WHICH IS SIMPLY ME, SHARON RENEE WHICH MEANS BASICALLY SIMPLY ME.

I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE MYSELF.

AND I STARTED ASKING PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THINGS THAT HELPED ME, THEY WOULD COME AND SIT DOWN AND TALK TO ME.

>> SO AS YOU ARE SITTING HERE, YOU HAVE YOUR PRACTICE, YOU ARE HAVING THE PODCASTS.

WHEN YOU ARE TALKING WITH FOLKS ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, HOW CAN FOLKS BE HELPFUL?

>> SO I TELL EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT REACHING BACK AND PULLING FORWARD.

AND THEY ASK ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I SAID TO ME, THAT MEANS EVERYONE WHO IS STRUGGLING BEHIND ME OR STRUGGLING BEHIND YOU, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY EITHER WHETHER TALK TO THEM OR IF YOU KNOW A RESOURCE, PROVIDE IT FOR THEM OR TAKE THE TIME AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T SUPPORT THEM, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, JUST TAKE THE TIME TO JUST SEND THEM A MESSAGE AND SAY, I SEE YOU.

YOU KNOW, I SEE YOU.

YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

OR YOU INSPIRED ME BECAUSE WHEN I STARTED TALKING ABOUT MY OWN TRAUMAS AND ABUSE, YOU KNOW, MY DEPRESSION AND, YOU KNOW, I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BEFORE.

WHEN I STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT, THE PEOPLE WHO STARTED REACHING OUT TO ME IN MY INBOX SAYING THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO TRANSPARENT.

YOU KNOW, YOU SMILE ALL THE TIME AND I NEVER EVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WENT THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES ME TALK LOUDER.

MAKES ME STAND TALLER BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WASN'T ANYONE THERE FOR ME WHEN I WAS DOING THAT OR IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH WAS NOT TALKED ABOUT.

IT WAS FORBIDDEN.

IT WASN'T OKAY.

BUT I WANT TO NORMALIZE NOT BEING NORMAL.

LIKE NO ONE IS NORMAL.

ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY'RE PERFECTLY FINE, NO, YOU ARE NOT.

THERE IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.

NO MATTER HOW SMALL IT IS, THERE IS SOMETHING.

WE ARE ALL GOING THROUGH SOMETHING.

>> AND YOU ARE CREATING SPACES FOR FOLKS TO TALK ABOUT IT, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.

SO LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU LET SOMEONE KNOW THAT YOU SAW THEM?

>> RIGHT.

>> RIGHT?

THAT IS SUCH A SIMPLE THING.

BUT IT'S REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO DO.

WHY?

WHY IS THAT SO HARD?

WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR US TO SAY?

>> EVEN TO COME HERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT LIKE AN EMAIL SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED-- I WAS LIKE, SCREEN SHOT IT.

I SENT TO IT MY KIDS IN THE GROUP MESSAGE.

I'M LIKE, DO YOU SEE THIS?

OH MY GOSH.

THEY'RE LIKE MOM, YOU DESERVE IT.

THAT'S GREAT.

I WAS LIKE NOPE, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

SO IT'S-- I DON'T KNOW.

>> IT'S A WHOLE THING.

IT'S VALIDATING.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID THAT, IT'S INTERESTING THE TIME AND PLACE IN WHICH YOU FIND THE SPACE.

ALMOST LIKE HAVE YOU TO GO THROUGH AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, AS I'M GETTING OLDER, I JUST HAD A BIRTHDAY.

AND YOU REALIZE I DIDN'T WANT TO, BUT I PROBABLY NEEDED TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE THINGS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

I SAY THAT ALL THE TIME.

THAT I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU TO TALK IT OUT TO GET IT OUT.

I HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF TRAUMA.

I SUPPRESSED IT ALL, I KEPT SMILING AND SAYING I'M ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S BEHIND ME.

I'M FINE.

BUT THE LITTLE GIRL WAS NOT OKAY.

SHARON, THE ADULT, MY SHELL WAS OKAY.

BUT THE LITTLE GIRL INSIDE ME WAS NOT.

SO I HAD TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, OR DEALING WITH MY DETOXING, DEALING WITH MY HEALING WITHIN MYSELF.

I HAD TO REALIZE THAT I NEED TO GO BACK FOR EACH STAGE OF MY TRAUMA AND ADDRESS IT.

>> AND THAT'S POWERFUL.

SOMETIMES WE JUST ARE RUNNING, RIGHT?

WE ARE JUST GOING THROUGH THE PHASE AND THEN YOU MAKE IT THROUGH AND YOU KEEP GOING, BUT WE DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO BE PRESENT IN WHAT TRANSPIRES.

SOMETIMES, FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BECAUSE YOU REALLY DO WANT TO JUST SOMETIMES PUT IT BEHIND YOU, LIKE I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE.

>> LIKE WHEN YOU ARE BUYING A BIKE, WHEN YOU FALL DOWN AND YOUR PARENTS SAY GET UP.

YOU ARE FINE.

YOU'RE LIKE I'M FINE?

BLOOD DOWN MY LEG, MY KNEE HURTS.

>> THE BONE IS FALLING OUT.

>> WE ARE FINE BECAUSE THEY SAY WE ARE FINE.

WE GET BACK ON THE BIKE AND CONTINUE ON.

BUT WE REMEMBER THAT MOMENT IN TIME WHEN WE FELL, SO IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE FINE.

BUT I'M NOT FINE.

LET'S TRY AGAIN TOMORROW.

>> I'M TIRED.

I'M READY TO SLEEP.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S LIKE A HEALTHY BALANCE OF FIGURING OUT, RIGHT?

AND I THINK-- I KNOW I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, AS BLACK WOMEN, FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE TAUGHT THAT ABOUT YOU GOT TO KEEP GOING.

YOU GOT TO KEEP GOING.

AND YOU ARE STRONG.

>> RIGHT.

>> WE ARE STRONG.

YOU CAN TAKE IT.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT I THINK KNOWING WHEN TO BE LIKE I AM STRONG.

I CAN DO THIS, BUT THEN HONORING WHEN IT'S TOO MUCH.

>> RIGHT.

I'M STRONG.

I'M STRONG ENOUGH TO SAY IT'S NOT OKAY.

SO THAT LITTLE MY NEW PHILOSOPHY.

>> I'M STRONG ENOUGH TO SAY IT'S NOT OKAY.

>> IT'S NOT OKAY RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> RIGHT.

AND I LOVE THAT.

NORMALLY I ASK, WHAT KIND OF ADVICE WOULD YOU LEAVE TO SOME OTHER WOMEN, BUT I THINK THE POINT YOU JUST MADE IS IT.

>> YEAH.

>> AND I THINK BECAUSE I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE CHILDREN AND I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN AND I KNOW KIDS EMULATE WHAT THEY SEE, SO I DON'T WANT THEM TO JUST SEE THEIR MOM AS THIS PERSON WHO CAN DO IT ALL.

I WANT THEM TO SEE THEIR MOM AS THIS PERSON WHO GOT THROUGH IT ALL AND, ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, WOW, YOUR KIDS ALL ARE DOING GREAT.

THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AND LIKE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S OKAY TO PICK UP AND START OVER AGAIN.

>> DON'T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE.

IT'S OKAY.

THAT'S HOW WE GROW.

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE TO FAIL AT SOMETHING TO FIND OUT WHAT WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT.

>> I LOVE THAT.

I WANT TO THANK SHARON FOR JOINING ME ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND ALLOWING TO US LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO SHE IS AND THE WAY SHE IS HEELING AND HELPING THIS COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW TONIGHT'S EPISODE AGAIN, OR WATCH PAST SEASONS OF THE SHOW, GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS DR. JUHANNA ROGERS, AND ON BEHALF OF THE BEHIND THE WOMAN TEAM THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.