Black Women and Mental Health

The Resilience Reset
Turning Tragedy Into Triumph with Dr. Chantrise Holliman


Writer. Speaker. Educator. Heart Attack Survivor. Bilateral Amputee. Wife. Mother. Sister. Friend. Child of God.

“Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength."
-Dr. Chantrise

Who is Dr. Chantrise Holliman?

I am an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and Resilience Strategist. I define myself as a Strategist, not a Coach, because coaches help train others to do something. Strategists help others plan to be something. Three months after my 45th birthday, I survived a widowmaker heart attack which left me partially paralyzed and a bilateral lower limb amputee. This event marked a shift in how I saw my life’s plan and purpose

What is your favorite affirmation?

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.

What does ‘Save Yourself’ mean to you, and how have you done this in your lifetime?

Some years ago, I stumbled upon a quote: "No one is coming to save you, so you better save yourself.” It took me until I was well into adulthood before I began understanding this phrase. I spent years looking for others to fix what was broken within me and found myself more broken than before. I realized my healing and salvation couldn’t come from anyone or anything outside of what God placed in me. So I began doing the necessary self-work. I reconnected with my faith, started drinking the water, eating the kale, reading books, and minding my business. I was in a good place, and then I got sick and had to start over again. But this time, it wasn’t from scratch.

How does the work that you do help women to ‘Save Themselves’?

Surviving a heart attack at age 45 is one thing. Becoming physically disabled because of complications from said heart attack is entirely different. I not only had to endure the physical healing process, but I had to figure out the emotional healing process too. It came down to me having to answer the question “what now” for myself. As a Gen X woman, I work with other Gen X women (or Gen X adjacent) to help them find a path forward after life hands them a set of cards they didn’t want. In other words, I share the strategies and principles that helped me get my life back with other women so they can begin working on getting back theirs.

How does the work that you do help women to ‘Save Themselves’?

Surviving a heart attack at age 45 is one thing. Becoming physically disabled because of complications from said heart attack is entirely different. I not only had to endure the physical healing process, but I had to figure out the emotional healing process too. It came down to me having to answer the question “what now” for myself. As a Gen X woman, I work with other Gen X women (or Gen X adjacent) to help them find a path forward after life hands them a set of cards they didn’t want. In other words, I share the strategies and principles that helped me get my life back with other women so they can begin working on getting back theirs.

What have been your greatest barriers or struggles in life, business, and personal growth and how did you overcome them?

Over the past five years, the most significant barrier was figuring out who I now was and, more importantly, who I wanted to be. My illness was a setback, but it also felt like a do-over. I felt I had an opportunity to move forward differently. But that involved having enough courage to decide that while I survived the prior 45-50 years, I wanted to thrive in the next. So I set about deliberately fashioning the life I wanted instead of settling for the life I had.

What advice would you give to your younger self about wellness, selfcare, and prioritizing yourself if you could go back in time?

It is not your job to save anyone but yourself. If you don’t care for YOU, you can’t take care of anyone else, either. You can love others better when you love yourself first.

What would you say to a woman who is struggling to find balance in her life between herself, family, and career?

I read an article not too long ago that said what we really want isn’t work-life balance. We want work-life harmony, and that looks different for each of us. Harmony happens when the various aspects of our lives form a pleasing and consistent whole. Read that again, Pleasing and Consistent for your life. Stop comparing your life to what other women do. Their lives aren’t yours. Everything may not be balanced or in order, but if you can look around and be pleased with what you see, you’re good. Give yourself some grace.

What are your favorite ways to pour back into yourself mind, body, spirit?

I begin my day by reading, meditating, and praying, which helps me prepare for my day. My favorite way to pour back into myself is to be still and alone. I am an introvert, so I often need to take time to reset and refuel. Sometimes I take a Staycation and check into a hotel for the weekend. Other times I sit in my car in my driveway and listen to a guided meditation.

What can readers expect from you in the upcoming months?

This month and the next, I am focused on relaunching two courses on The Resilience Reset. The mini-course gives you a high-level overview of the seven Resilience Principles I used to reclaim my life. The other is a deep dive that includes over 120 engaging video lessons, journal prompts, activities, tools, tips, strategies, and examples of how to move past obstacles and challenges.

How can readers connect to you and support your work on social media and other platforms?

You can connect with me by
A) Following me on Facebook at Chantrise Holliman if you want to get a feel for me and my shenanigans.
B) Following me on Instagram at @DrChantrise.
C) Signing up for my email list to receive a motivational message each Monday and a blog to read each Friday
https://drchantrise.com/register/.
D) Heading to my website at DrChantrise.com
E) Sending me an email at info@drchantrise.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

On Key

Related Posts

Cover Story – Dr KTap

Dr. KTap’s Journey and Guide to Empowerment 1. Who is Dr. KTap and what makes your story special? I am Dr. Kathryn Tapper, better known

Online Cover Feature: Cherisse

Cherisse: Self care is the New Sexy Unbox the Detox, Stop the MUSTerbation, and Start Sliving, Babe! While it’s important to have focused life goals