We were lucky to catch up with Sharitta Marshall recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sharitta, 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.
As a Black woman recovering from corporate PTSD and dealing with the realities of growing up as a Black woman in the United States, it has been difficult to navigate the life and career I want while dealing with and at times ignoring my mental health. It took me years to 1 realize that I was living with PTSD from corporate gaslighting , macroaggressions and sabotage and 2 that I was ignoring my own mental health for the health and welfares of others While also being physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted from contorting myself into what I believed would be a palatable version of myself that would allow people to except my existence, All of this left me numb, depressed, discouraged and disheartened that I would ever have the life that I truly wanted. It wasn’t until the passing of my mother in 2017 that I made the commitment to myself to no longer try to get people to accept my existence, to no longer settle for anything less than what I absolutely wanted, and to allow myself the grace and space to heal. The commitment to those boundaries as well as others in my life allow me to be able to persist when the mental health issues come up because they always will. We have to be honest and know that when life happens as it does, it can cause mental health issues to arise and there is nothing wrong with that. We just need to the right tools and support to deal with it when it does.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I became a small business owner because of my personal experiences in work environments where I felt overlooked, undervalued, and subjected to harmful behaviors like gaslighting, microaggressions, and macroaggressions. These experiences were not only emotionally damaging but also hindered my professional growth and well-being. I knew that I wanted to make a positive change and prevent others from struggling through similar devaluing experiences.
Combining my MBA, DEI and Instructional Design certifications, project and program management experience, and work background in SaaS, Ed Tech, and executive leadership, I created a framework that addresses the disconnect between Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) support and organizational outcomes. My aim was to provide value to ERG members while also demonstrating the value to organizations.
The origin story of my business, Visionary Development Consulting, is rooted in my passion for creating more equitable workplaces. I partner with visionary leaders globally to support their ERGs and other DEI initiatives. By sharing tools and resources that foster psychologically safe workplaces, my mission is to create environments where all employees feel respected, valued, and empowered.
I will be a speaker at Chezie ERG Summit on October 5, 2023, its a virtual event and I will be speaking on the importance of strategic planning for your Employee Resource Groups that will foster buy-in, commitment and support from your organization.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My commitment to the end goal My willingness to learn
My trauma response of doing things myself because I have been constantly let down by those I trust
See the trees for the forest and understand how each piece paints the bigger picture and hold fast to that.
Always know that there will be things that you don’t know and that’s ok because there is a whole hellva lot that you do know.
Own your dark side and use it fuel the good in you.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My mother instilled in me the resolve to get it done and make it happen. She taught me that dependence on others is unrealistic and I will always have to find a way. Now I know that that sounds unhealthy and to an extent it is yet I had to learn how to rework that advice in a way that allowed me to allow for grace and wondrous things to flow into my life. A lot of the survival traits that were passed down to me were from post traumatic slave disorder that exists within the Black community in the US and understanding that has allowed me to own the strength of my lineage but also raise myself and my daughter in a way that allows us to be soft and have grace in our lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://visionarydevelopmentinc.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharittamarshallmba/
Image Credits
12th Street Studio
