The Quiet As Kept Podcast With Shawnti Refuge
Join host Shawnti Refuge, Master Certified Mental Health Coach, author the best-selling book, "Quiet As Kept", and journaling enthusiast, as she introduces The Quiet as Kept Podcast. In this first episode, Shawnti shares her personal journey of overcoming severe depression and anxiety, discusses the purpose of the podcast, and sets the stage for what’s to come.
This podcast is a safe space to unpack the conversations we, especially in the African American community, were told to avoid. From mental health and generational trauma to self-love and journaling for healing, Shawnti keeps it real, relatable, and rooted in the belief that healing is possible for everyone.
Whether you’re navigating your mental health journey, looking for balance as a professional, or just ready to start thriving, this podcast is for you. Grab your journal and tune in for honest conversations, actionable tips, and guided prompts that will help you rewrite your story.
Episodes
62 episodes
FEB26-1-Who Am I When I’m Not Performing?
Who are you when you’re not performing for survival, approval, or productivity?In this episode of The Quiet As Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge explores how performance becomes a survival strategy—and why slowing down can fee...
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Season 1
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10:29
2026 EP7: Better Me Is Quieter. Clearer. Unavailable.
The healed version of you doesn’t argue—she moves differently. In the final episode of the New Year, Better Me series, Shawnti reflects on peace, detachment, clarity, and choosing yourself without explanation. This is about integration, not rei...
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Season 1
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3:37
2026 EP6: Discipline Is Self-Respect, Not Punishment
Healing still requires effort. This episode reframes discipline as devotion—not punishment—and challenges the idea that motivation alone leads to change. If you want peace that lasts, this conversation will help you build it intentionally.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 20266
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3:56
2026 EP5: You’re Not Stuck. You’re Scared of What Healing Costs
What if you’re not stuck—just afraid? In this episode, Shawnti unpacks the fear of becoming someone new, outgrowing relationships, and losing identities rooted in pain. Healing has a cost, and this conversation names it.
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Season 1
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Episode 20265
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5:47
2026 EP4: Closure Is a Myth. Heal Anyway.
Waiting for closure keeps you tied to people who may never give it. This episode explores why healing doesn’t require apologies, understanding, or acknowledgment—and how waiting can quietly delay your growth. This is a grounding conversation ab...
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Season 1
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Episode 20264
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3:00
2026 EP3: Being “Strong” Is Not a Flex
Being the strong one is praised—but rarely supported. In this episode, Shawnti talks about survival mode, burnout, and the emotional cost of always holding it together. If rest feels unsafe and exhaustion feels normal, this conversation is for ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20263
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3:58
2026 EP2: You Don’t Need Another Affirmation. You Need Boundaries.
Affirmations without boundaries don’t work—and this episode tells the truth about why. Shawnti explores how guilt, access, and emotional over-availability keep people stuck, even when they’re “doing the work.” This conversation challenges the i...
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Season 1
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Episode 20262
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6:21
2026 EP1: New Year, Same You: Be For Real
New year, same patterns? Let’s talk about it.In this episode, Shawnti Refuge cuts through the motivation fluff and gets honest about why so many people repeat years instead of changing their lives. This conversation is about comfort, avo...
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Season 1
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Episode 20261
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7:05
Healing Through The Holidays Episode 6: Reclaiming Your Peace for the New Year
The new year isn’t about resolutions — it’s about reclamation. In this powerful finale to the Healing Through the Holidays series, Shawnti Refuge guides listeners through reflection, release, and rebirth. Learn how to reclaim you...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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7:18
Healing Through the Holidays Episode 5: Self-Care Ain’t Selfish
Self-care is not selfish. It’s sacred. In this soothing episode, Shawnti Refuge reminds us that true rest is a form of resistance. Through storytelling and guided prompts, she shares how to release guilt, reset your energy, and build new ...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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5:46
The Truth About Estrangement That Oprah Missed.
Oprah opened the door to a powerful conversation about estrangement — but there’s a whole side of this experience that didn’t get covered. The grief, the guilt, the identity shift… the part where mothers are hurting too.Estrange...
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Season 1
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4:57
Healing Through the Holidays Episode 4: Guilt-Free Boundaries & Saying No
Boundaries are not rejection — they’re protection. In this powerful episode, Shawnti Refuge dives into why it’s so hard to say no during the holidays, how guilt is part of growth, and why peace should never come with a price tag. Through...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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6:15
Healing Through the Holidays Episode 3: The Grief We Don’t Talk About
Grief doesn’t always wear black. In this raw and honest episode, Shawnti Refuge opens up about the silent grief that shows up during the holidays — the kind that comes from broken relationships, lost expectations, and the versions of ours...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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5:48
Healing Through The Holidays Episode 2: When Family Ain’t Safe
Some homes feel like healing, others feel like history. In this week’s episode, Shawnti Refuge opens up about the emotional reality of family gatherings during the holidays — and how to protect your peace when family ain’t safe. Learn how...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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6:16
Mental Health Monday: The Mental Health Impact of the Government Shutdown
In this powerful episode of The Quiet As Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge dives into the emotional and psychological impact of the ongoing government shutdown — not from a political lens, but a deeply human one.When the government s...
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Season 1
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30:11
Healing Through the Holidays Episode 1: Healing Through the Holidays: Navigating Joy, Grief & Transformation
The holidays can bring both joy and grief, especially when you’re carrying unspoken pain. In this episode, Shawnti Refuge opens up about her own healing journey after divorce and shares three powerful pillars for finding peace through ...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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10:19
Episode 39: What Are You Carrying That Ain’t Yours?
Ever feel like the “strong one” who carries everyone’s problems? In this episode, Shawnti Refuge breaks down why we take on emotional baggage that doesn’t belong to us, and how to finally set it down. Learn how to love without losing yourself, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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5:16
Episode 38: You Can’t Pour Into Everybody This Fall (And That’s Okay)
Fall is coming — and so is the chaos. If you don’t set boundaries now, you’ll be running on fumes by October.In this episode of The Quiet As Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge breaks down why “yes” has been your default answer, how ov...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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9:34
Episode 37: “Why Peace Feels Unfamiliar When You’re Used to Surviving”
Ever prayed for peace… only to panic when you finally got it?In this episode of The Quiet As Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge breaks down why peace can feel uncomfortable when survival mode has been your normal. From pacing...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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6:13
Episode 36: “The Apology You’ll Never Get – And How to Heal Without It”
In Episode 36 of The Quiet as Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge speaks directly to those still holding onto hurt, waiting on an apology that may never come. She explores how to reclaim your peace when closure isn’t on the table. With real s...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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7:51
Episode 35: “When You Inherit Survival But Crave Softness”
In Episode 35 of The Quiet as Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge explores what it means to transition from survival to softness. If you inherited strength, hustle, and hyper-independence—but now crave rest, joy, and peace—this episode is you...
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6:32
Episode 34: “Joy Ain’t Just for Special Occasions – Making Room for Daily Delight”
In Episode 34 of The Quiet As Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge challenges the idea that joy must be earned. Instead, she reminds listeners that joy is a daily practice, not a reward for suffering. Through storytelling, science, and powerfu...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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7:53
Episode 33: Am I Healing or Hiding? – The Difference Between Isolation and Peace
In Episode 33 of The Quiet as Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge explores the subtle—but powerful—difference between isolation and peace. Is your solitude part of your healing… or a shield from your pain? This episode offers gentle truth, po...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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6:53
Episode 32: What Does Joy Mean to You (and When Did You Lose It?)
In Episode 32 of The Quiet as Kept Podcast, Shawnti Refuge kicks off the Reclaiming Joy series by asking two powerful questions: What does joy mean to you, and when did you lose it? Through storytelling, science, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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6:45
Episode 31: The Mother Wound – What Happens When Mom Isn’t Safe
In this emotionally raw episode, Shawnti Refuge shares her personal experience navigating the mother wound, including going no contact with her mother to protect her mental health. This episode explores what happens when maternal love comes wra...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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4:43