Radical Tenderness is a sacred invitation to slow down, soften, and return to yourself.

Blending personal narrative, gentle guidance, and reflective practices, Dr. Lakeisha Gatling offers a deeply human exploration of what it means to heal after years of surviving, striving, and carrying more than your share. Through stories of childhood responsibility, anxiety, grief, faith, identity, and rediscovering her own voice, she illuminates the quiet ways we learn to shrink, over-function, or stay strong at the expense of our own well-being.

With honesty and compassion, she guides readers through the tender terrain of unlearning hyper-independence, honoring the younger self, reclaiming emotional safety, and choosing healing as a daily act of self-love. Each chapter offers invitations to pause, breathe, reflect, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that have long been silenced or overlooked.

This book is not a manual—it’s a mirror. A soft landing. A companion for anyone who has ever whispered their pain, hidden their needs, or believed they had to hold everything together alone.

Radical Tenderness reminds you that your healing matters, your story deserves space, and you are worthy of rest, softness, and radical self-compassion.

Celebrate Radical Tenderness: The Journey Back to Me-How to pause, heal, and come home to yourself with Lakeisha D. Gatling PHD, LCSW!

EVENT DEETS

When: Friday, October 16 @ 6:30 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How: 

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your spot for the worksop.

• RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your spot for the workshop and purchase a copy Radical Tenderness supporting both the author and our store programming. The book will be available for pickup at the event.

• RSVP (BUT I ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK) to reserve your spot for the workshop and bring your copy of Radical Tenderness that you purchased from another retailer. 

Please Note: Books purchased from other retailers are not permitted in the bookstore and are not eligible for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must either purchase a copy from Kindred Stories or select the RSVP: I Already Have the Book ticket option, which allows you to bring a copy purchased elsewhere. If you already purchased your book from Kindred Stories, you may select the RSVP Only ticket option and bring your Kindred Stories copy to the event.

If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your book. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event. If your book is not retrieved it will be returned to the publisher and will not be available for pick up in the future.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Radical Tenderness is a sacred invitation to slow down, soften, and return to yourself.

Blending personal narrative, gentle guidance, and reflective practices, Dr. Lakeisha Gatling offers a deeply human exploration of what it means to heal after years of surviving, striving, and carrying more than your share. Through stories of childhood responsibility, anxiety, grief, faith, identity, and rediscovering her own voice, she illuminates the quiet ways we learn to shrink, over-function, or stay strong at the expense of our own well-being.

With honesty and compassion, she guides readers through the tender terrain of unlearning hyper-independence, honoring the younger self, reclaiming emotional safety, and choosing healing as a daily act of self-love. Each chapter offers invitations to pause, breathe, reflect, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that have long been silenced or overlooked.

This book is not a manual-it's a mirror. A soft landing. A companion for anyone who has ever whispered their pain, hidden their needs, or believed they had to hold everything together alone.

Radical Tenderness reminds you that your healing matters, your story deserves space, and you are worthy of rest, softness, and radical self-compassion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Lakeisha Gatling is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, inspirational speaker, and visionary healer with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field. She is the founder of LDGatling Counseling & Consulting, PLLC, a Houston-based psychotherapy
practice providing individual mental wellness counseling, psychoeducation, and consulting services tailored for clinicians seeking clarity and soulful alignment in their work.

Dr. Gatling cultivates a non-judgmental, person-centered environment where
clients discover tools for emotional attunement and resilience. Through intentional
guidance, she supports outcomes such as stress reduction, anxiety and depression relief, and burnout recovery—while encouraging work-life balance and
mindfulness.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Chereé Robinson-Lashley is a 200-hour Yoga Healing Arts/wellness practitioner, space
curator, and founder of The Shining Oasis rooted on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. She
creates intentional experiences that invite people to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate ease.

Chereé inspires a more intentional, present, and softer way of living. Through her
mindfulness practices, along with her signature Soft Sunday Letters—delivered straight
to your inbox— she shares reminders of ease and reflection right before your work week.

Her message is simple: Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pause,
breathe, and give ourselves permission to return to ourselves.

A groundbreaking guide to understanding-and transforming-the psychological impact of being Black in America.

Despite centuries of systemic trauma, Black communities continue to demonstrate unmatched resilience, creativity, and strength. Yet the emotional burden of navigating race, identity, and survival in modern America remains one of the most overlooked public health issues of our time.

Healing While Black offers a compelling, research-informed look at how trauma shows up-and how to heal from it. Combining modern psychology, historical analysis, and culturally grounded practices, this book provides a practical roadmap for improving mental health, building resilience, and strengthening overall well-being.

Inside, readers will learn:

* How generational trauma affects the brain, body, and behavior
*
* The psychological effects of racism and systemic inequity
*
* Evidence-based tools for emotional regulation and stress recovery
*
* Culturally relevant healing practices backed by science
*
* How to transform personal healing into empowerment and legacy
*

Engaging, accessible, and deeply relevant, this book is designed for individuals, families, educators, therapists, and organizations committed to supporting Black mental health.

Whether you're looking to understand your own healing, support a loved one, or build healthier communities, this book delivers clear insights and actionable strategies for long-lasting change.

This work reminds you of one truth: Healing is your birthright - and reclaiming it is revolutionary.

Qualified psychotherapist and award-winning content creator, Tasha Bailey, closes the gap between the therapy room and the wider world. Real Talk: Lessons from Therapy for Healing & Living makes a therapist's tool kit available to everyone.

It's time to bring therapy out of the therapy room and into the real world.

In recent years, therapy and self-care have become familiar buzzwords, but it's clear that people are having to face their emotional difficulties without the tools and insight to work through them. Enter Real Talk, A book to enable readers to have genuine, authentic conversations with themselves, and to start the journey of healing their past experiences and cope with the challenges of modern life.

Filled with techniques and wisdom from a therapist's toolkit this is a must-have handbook for optimising your mental health. Drawing on her experience as a qualified psychotherapist and applying her intersectional perspective Tasha Bailey shares the knowledge and skills you need to change your life.

Tasha's straight-talking but compassionate style will help readers hold up a mirror to their present situation and make sense of their past - delving into topics such as:

·      Trauma & inner-child healing

·      Love, trust, and attachment

·      Family: intergenerational cycles of behaviour, rupture, and repair.

·      Self-Esteem, bodies & sex

Real Talk contains a collection of lessons which the reader might typically learn in therapy. Tasha teaches readers modern language and ideas about mental health, exploring self-love and self-understanding. Connecting psychological theory, lived experience, references from modern day media and case studies from Tasha's work to create a more current, creative, and inclusive perspective of mental health.