Diarrablu | Danielle Smith
Chanale D. Propst
Therapist. Healer. Black Girl
Creating space for Black girls to nourish the home within...
Hi, I’m Chanale
a slow living, almost always smiling, lavender loving, deep breathing Black girl....
....using words, empathetic skill, and therapeutic gatherings to create restorative and nourishing space for deep discovery of self for Black womyn and girls navigating life.
I’m a therapist, currently living in the PNW (OR), who seeks liberation for both my blackness and womynness and sinks into Black Feminist works that remind me of my truths, internal wisdom, and inherited joy. I’ve spent the last 8+ years creating spaces for Black folks to be seen and heard, with emphasis on Black womyn, through mentoring, clinical counseling, and wellness related gatherings.
Chanale Propst, NCC, Professional Counselor Associate (#R7151; Supervised by Marceline Bamba, Licensed Psychologist )
Coordinator of Black/African American Student Mental Health & Wellness, Oregon State University
As a Healer...
Why I Do This Work
My desire as a therapist is to help Black folk know that healing is possible and in a manner that is reflective of their intersecting identities, cultural and ancestral histories, and personal interests and goals. Additionally I seek to assist with creating or maintaining a home within that is worthy of settling into and returning to for the sake of THEIR liberation, their peace, and Black collective joy.
My work considers the systems and structures that seek to destroy Black bodies, which often results in daily attacks against our wellness and mental health, and are significant and critical reasons why Black folk experience trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. I seek to understand how we can move from resilience to resistance to liberation with the awareness that we are “complex human beings who are impacted but not defined by institutional racism and White supremacy.” (Leath, et. al, 2021).
How I Do This Work
My clinical work & outreach is deeply rooted in liberation theology, black feminist thought and adheres to a womanist perspective – centering Black folk, specifically womyn, in their autonomy, their choice, and their freedoms. My work prioritizes healing and healing for the sake of liberating our bodies, our voices, our senses to reclaim what society told us wasn’t ours, our being.
My work is intentional, its deep, its purposeful and dedicated to the continued emancipation of Black bodies. Recognizing that if life, situations, experiences feel trapping and unnatural it probably is and Black folk have access to release through community care, deconstruction (and resistance) of oppressive systems, and a devotion to their embodied truths. A reclamation of our humanity.
My Training
Education (link to CV)
M.S. Counselor Education
Specializations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Student Affairs & College Counseling
(East Carolina University, NC)
B.S. Business Finance
(North Carolina A&T State University, NC)
Credentials
Professional Counselor Associate
(License #R7151, Oregon)
National Certified Counselor
(NCC, National Board of Certified Counselors)
“Revolution begins with the self, in the self”
-Toni Cade Bambara
Black Girls, Black Girls, Black Girls...
That’s who I do it for.....
I have a personal responsibility to ensure Black womyn transitioning into and navigating college and adulthood have the chance to learn and grow within their Blackness and womynness reflective of their interests and desires.
Not giving Black womyn that opportunity does them a disservice and they are often left to grapple with self-understanding while navigating a world that seeks to erase their history and nullify their identities – crucifying their ability to be grounded and whole in their truths and bodies.
Therefore I shout loudly at all times and in all places for Black girls...
advocating for them in higher education and the world by systematically and emphatically addressing the effects of oppression and empowering their liberation, joy, and healing.
My work looks like....
using words, research, & visual imagery to convey truth, advocate for, and honor Black college girls....
NBCC Fellowship PSA [preview]
“Listen to Black Women”
Written, Directed, & Voiced by: Chanale Propst
Video Production: Stephen Branch
I came to theory because I was hurting—the pain within me was so intense that I could not go on living. I came to theory desperate, wanting to comprehend—to grasp what was happening around and within me. Most importantly, I wanted to make the hurt go away. I saw in theory then a location for healing.
- bell hooks
My work looks like....
using creativity, systemic understanding, and passion to build programming & curriculum, hold space for, and support Black college girls...
...the system under which we now exist has to be radically changed. This means
that we are going to have to learn to think in radical terms. I use the term radical in its
original meaning--getting down to and understanding the root cause. It means facing a
system that does not lend itself to your needs and devising means by which you change
that system.
– Ella Baker
Honest | Conversations
Mentoring Program
Johnson C. Smith University
2017-2019
Restorative & Nourishing Space...
B.R.B
Embodied Wellness For Black Girls
Sometimes you have to tell the world, B.R.B. so you can
Breathe. Rest & Resist. Belong to self
B.R.B is a suite of program offerings, developed from the B.R.B framework, that supports the mental health, wellness, identity development, and meaning making systems of Black womyn transitioning into and navigating college.
The B.R.B framework was created to to help college womyn reclaim their breath, center themselves and engage in rest & resistance, and honor their internal and collective belonging.
I develop and facilitate:
Retreats/Therapeutic Gatherings
Wellness Workshops
Black Womyn & Mental Health Courses
For college-age Black girls
My Services
An Honest Look
Counseling & Consulting
Helping Black womyn take a deeper look
Individual and Group Counseling, Mental Health Promotion and Outreach, and Wellness Consulting all grounded in Black Feminist Thought, Radical Healing, Narrative Therapy, and Somatic Therapies.
NOTE: Those interested in Individual and Group Counseling must reside in Oregon.
Coming Soon, Summer 2024
What They’re Saying....
Colleagues...
Ireti DeBato-Cancel, Professional Counselor Associate
“Chanale is a natural healer and mentor. Her methods are steeped in mindfulness and a resonant empathy that speaks to the soul, fostering healing and growth. She harnesses these gifts with an unwavering dedication to make access to wellness attainable and just, particularly for marginalized communities in general and Black women specifically.
Chanale's fervent advocacy for social justice is a beacon of hope and a force of change. She carries the fire of justice in her belly, a relentless drive that fuels her work and inspires those around her. Her advocacy is not just vocal; it is active, tireless, and deeply rooted in the principles of intersectionality, always lifting the voices of those who have been historically sidelined.”
Shaznin Darwalla, Licensed Psychologist
“As a therapist and colleague, she fearlessly delves into the exploration, questioning, and deconstruction of harmful collective and personal narratives. She diligently works to build critical consciousness while supporting Black individuals on their path to liberation and healing.
In my capacity as her co-facilitator for the Women of Color support group, I have had the opportunity to observe her facilitation style, which can be characterized as both compassionate and thought-provoking. She skillfully provides support while simultaneously challenging our group members to transcend the restrictive boundaries of Whiteness and White supremacy.”
Here to help Black girls
Bloom
I want Black girls to take deep breaths, have regulated nervous systems, and trust their inner knowing...”
- Chanale
Past & Future Projects
Bloom (Therapeutic Gathering): Fall 2023
A weekly therapeutic gathering for Black girls at Oregon State University that provides a space for dialogue, communion, and psychoeducation so that girls may gain deeper awareness of their emotional, mental, and social selves, while navigating self in college. Facilitated by Chanale Propst
We Gather (Retreat): March 2024
An off-campus retreat for Black womyn and femmes at Oregon State University and University of Oregon. This retreat seeks to address the harmful narratives and systemic oppression that impacts Black womyn and femme’s academic and personal development, by upholding a care and rest ethic through intentionally curated healing and liberatory sessions. Founded by Chanale Propst
The Necessity of the Home Within (Course): TBD
A course that uses Black feminists and womanist works to provide a foundation and a framework for Black womyn’s wellness as illustrated by bell hooks in Teaching to Trangress, who found “...in theory a location for healing..” This course will help Black college women locate the home within and use their bodies (somatic wisdom) as a way to support their mental health and overall wellness. Developed by Chanale Propst
Want to learn more?
Let's talk!
Email:
chnlprpst10@gmail.com
Substack:
Hear me Here:
My Colleague and I talk all things Black students thriving at Predominantly White Institutions