In this episode of The Unfolding: Presented by The Loveland Foundation Podcast, host Rachel Keener sits down with Denise Francis, Founder and CEO of The Self Love Organization, for a conversation that challenges the way we talk about self-love.

Denise shares how her journey began with going natural more than a decade ago. What started as a hair transition quickly exposed deeper insecurities and led her toward inner child work and intentional healing. She reframes self-love as more than surface-level care, describing it as an umbrella that includes self-trust, self-worth, self-acceptance, and mental, spiritual, and physical wellness.

Together, Rachel and Denise unpack the cultural weight of hair for Black women, the pressure of beauty standards, and how anxiety often hides beneath expectations to be “strong.” Denise shares the rhythms that ground her—rest, faith, gratitude, and small daily rituals that make her a softer place for herself. She also explains why healing shouldn’t happen in isolation and how that belief led her to build spaces from retreats to digital platforms, where Black women can heal together.

Listen in for a thoughtful discussion on redefining self-love, building community, and doing the deeper work that lasts.

More about Denise Francis:

Denise Francis is the Founder and CEO of the HEAL SIS App, a mental wellness platform built for Black women to heal and thrive through affordable therapy and community. She is also the founder of The Self Love Organization INC., creating healing tools rooted in self-love, therapy, and wellness to help end cycles of trans-generational trauma.

A TEDx speaker, author, and educator, Denise is on a mission to transform the narrative of the “strong Black woman” into the healed Black woman. She has spoken before Congress, developed a course on The Psychology of Self-Care and Wellness at The City College of New York, and created therapist-approved tools like her Soul Study Journal. Through Black Girl Healing Socials and Self-Love Healing Retreats, she builds spaces for women to heal in community.

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The Unfolding: Presented by The Loveland Foundation podcast is an additional resource not only to the public but also to our therapy fund cohort members. The Loveland Foundation therapy fund and resources are only made possible through support from our community.

At The Loveland Foundation, we are committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. Since our founding, the Therapy Fund has provided financial support for therapy to over 13,000 Black women, girls, and non-binary individuals across the country.

Links:

Join The Abundance Collective: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/abundance
Support the show: https://give.thelovelandfoundation.org/give/436656/#!/donation/checkout
Follow Denise on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livenaturallylove/
Follow The Loveland Foundation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelovelandfoundation/
Visit the Loveland Foundation’s website: https://thelovelandfoundation.org/

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