Hey! Welcome to Coore Lifestyle, a lifestyle blog that aims to inspire and encourage women affected by depression. This blog was started by us, Adenike & Brittani. We are just two sisters who have each silently struggled with depression. Now we strive to break the silence and overcome each day. Our hope is to provide a multigenerational, safe haven for women like us to the discussion of mental health on Coore Lifestyle. We do this with a genuine desire to help other women overcome the struggles and the stigma of depression. On our blog, you will find our own personal stories, encouragement, mental health resources, and lifestyle tips to make life easier. Keep reading to learn a bit more about us.

Meet Adenike

 

Adenike is a 46 year-old Jamaican immigrant and a devoted single mother of one, whom she raised with a village in the absence of the father whom long aborted his responsibilities. She holds a Bachelors in Social Work, a Masters in Non-Profit & Association Management and a Licensed Practical Nursing degree; with a professional background in pediatric and adult mental health, PTSD and foster care. Her other life titles include: traveler, hiker, photographer and holder of family secrets. From the outside, you wouldn’t know that behind the many accomplishments are experiences of trauma, PTSD, and depression. Adenike’s experiences have uniquely shaped her and she has learned to appreciate each and every part of who she is and her journey, and she wants to inspire women affected by depression to do the same with weekly encouragement and resources. On The Coore Lifestyle Blog, Adenike will share her personal stories of trials and triumphs, growths and setbacks on her journey to the other side of trials and weekly words of encouragement.  Read Adenike’s Depression Story

Adenike’s Philosophy

Adenike holds strongly to the teachings of her ancestors of Jamaica and from the great continent of Africa.

Her values resonate with one of the prominent Adinkra symbol from Ghana, the “Sankofa” an enchanting bird looking over its back. The meaning of Sankofa is to teach us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. To elaborate further, we should reach back to our past and note what our past has to teach us, so that we can reassess our experiences and take what we have learned to achieve our full potential as we move forward, knowing that what so ever we have lost, forgotten, missed out on or have been stripped of, can be reestablished and preserved. Adenike believes that the good, the bad and the bury/burn experiences from her past are her roots; which comprise her unique self.

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Meet Brittani

Brittani is a Certified Health Education Specialist working hard to translate data and evidence-based literature into programs, literature, and resources to promote optimal health. She loves what she does because it empowers people to achieve and maintain a healthy life. However, what you can’t tell is that behind her smile and ambition is trauma, years of depressive symptoms and the diagnoses of Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD and Anxiety. As a millennial Brittani knows what it feels like to go on social media and be bombarded with perfect selfies of perfect lives, and in a world of perfect she wants to show others what imperfect looks and feels like behind the smile the world sees. With the help of Jesus, behavioral therapy, and coping skills, today Brittani can proudly wear each diagnosis as a survival badge; and she wants to empower women affected by depression with the encouragement and tools to do the same. On The Coore Lifestyle Blog, Brittani will share her personal experience with depression, her journey towards healthy, authentic self-growth and translate the evidence into a message that is useful for you. Read Brittani’s Depression Story.

 

Five Facts About Brittani

1. A Christian, baptized in 2008 and recommitted in 2012 after her worst depressive episode
2. Born in Jamaica, but relocated to the U.S. as an infant. If you are also Caribbean you know mental health is taboo, which is all the more reason to speak up.
3. Hates “exercise” and the gym, but she has learned that walking and being active in nature is her best lifestyle tool for managing her depression.
4. Use to have a blog, bbcoily.com, but self-doubt and negative self-talk paralyzed her from really investing into it.
5. Loves to research every and anything, which makes being a health educator even more enjoyable.

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We are Coore Lifestyle. Women Affected by Depression, Like You!