Meet S. Raenae Thompson

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful S. Raenae Thompson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

S. Raenae, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

Overcoming mental health issues is a daily journey. It’s important to always acknowledge that recovery is not a linear process. It’s normal to experience ups and downs or twists and turns along the way.

Despite having social media trauma and cyberbullying towards me from a family member, on multiple social media sites, I have stayed the course in my healing journey. After being diagnosed with major depressive disorder and going into therapy, I learned that my diagnosis does not define who I am.

I have learned to reframe my thinking, plan proactively, seek support and fully understanding why healing matters. I have also learned to remove myself from environments, situations and relationships that do not support my healing journey.

Overcoming doesn’t stop and end in one day. I am overcoming daily.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

From business owner to now social media trauma survivor, I have lived a piece of her adult life leading others into a field of entrepreneurship while under the microscope of public opinion.
Spending the majority of my adult life in Charlotte, NC after graduating from North Carolina A&T in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, I also have achieved 20 years of experience in the education field, while starting her business SociaLight in 2017.

While leading and thriving in my business, in 2021 a family trauma escalated into social media trauma which caused severe depression, social media anxiety and thoughts of suicide.
I decided to turn her trauma into triumph and create her non-profit movement SociaLight Stars, an extension of SociaLight. In 2024 I unfortunately has continued to deal with cyberbullying from the relative and Raenae continues to press forward with her non-profit, no matter the negativity.

SociaLight Stars is a non-profit organization that educates the community and guides those who have been affected by social media trauma and cyberbullying, into a space of healing, through motivational videos, digital citizenship education and the SociaLight Stars podcast on YouTube.

I a firm believer that her story will help those who have experienced the same trauma she has healed from, while also continuously making the public aware of situations that cause a negative impact from social media.
SociaLight Stars also makes the community aware that social media trauma and cyberbullying not only affects youth and children but adults as well.

In my spare time, she enjoys recording her podcast videos, continuing her research on digital wellness and well-being while also spending time with her husband and two wonderful boys.
She also enjoys curating her non-profit, philanthropy events and conducting youth and parent workshops, which focus on her signature topics: digital wellbeing, digital citizenship, social media trauma and the healing process.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey are:
resilience, flexibility and acknowledgement.

The advice that I have to those who are starting a business while going through a healing journey would be the following:

*Healing is a process that takes time, and it’s important to be patient with yourself. Acknowledge that setbacks or challenges are normal and part of the journey. Cultivate self-compassion by treating yourself with understanding and acceptance.
*Be kind and gentle with yourself. Cultivate self-compassion by treating yourself with understanding, forgiveness, and patience. Recognize that healing takes time and it’s okay to have setbacks along the way.
*Remember that while you are trying to save the world, make sure you’re saving yourself too.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The book that has played an important role in my development is “Woman Evolve” by Sarah Jakes Roberts.
Some of the most valuable wisdom I took from “Woman Evolve” are the following:

*Become the woman that God has created me to be
*Step into my power and align myself with God’s plan for me
*My mistake does not define me
*To care for myself regardless of how anyone feels

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Image Credits

Living By Proof Photography

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