Alandra’s journey into mental health started in high school, sitting on the porch with her mother’s psychology book and realizing she was genuinely interested in how people feel and what they go through. She describes herself as someone who has always been in tune with her emotions and her environment, and that sensitivity eventually led her into the field as a LMSW licensed mental health therapist with over ten years of experience.

The idea for The Sister’s Couch came years later, in 2018, after a moment that stayed with her. “My sister told me she was going to therapy, and I didn’t even know she was struggling. I was already a therapist, and she never said anything.” That experience made her realize how many Black women keep their struggles to themselves, not because they don’t need support, but because they were never given a space to talk about mental health openly. It planted the seed for a space where those conversations could happen naturally, without stigma or pressure.

Her own life experiences deepened that vision. In 2024, she reached a point of burnout and depression that forced her to stop. She shared openly that she kept pushing through until her body said she couldn’t anymore, a moment that humbled her and reminded her that it’s okay not to balance everything at once. That season pushed her to rethink what truly matters. She stepped away from work and finally gave herself permission to slow down, breathe, and take the time she needed to reset.

During that time away from work, she finally allowed herself to imagine what The Sisters’ Couch could look like as a real, physical space. She wrote the idea in her journal, drove around with her husband imagining possible locations, and eventually got into the ProsperUs program, support she describes simply as “what helped me get the space.” What she once thought was out of reach started to come together.

With opening day in June, The Sister’s Couch is a Detroit‑based wellness space designed with Black women at the center. It offers twice‑monthly programming, a membership model for Black women wellness professionals, low‑sensory work areas, private suites for therapists and holistic practitioners, and a retail section featuring wellness products created by Black women. The space is open four days a week for women who want to drop in, work, rest, or simply have a place where they feel supported.

What inspired you to create The Sisters’ Couch, and how has your own journey as a mental health professional shaped the way you hold space for Black women today?

I created The Sisters’ Couch because I saw a real gap. Black women were navigating so much, but didn’t always have spaces where they could be fully honest about their mental health without feeling judged, dismissed, or misunderstood. As a therapist, I was supporting women one-on-one, but I kept thinking, we need something bigger than that. We need community. We need spaces where healing doesn’t feel clinical, it feels human.

My own journey changed everything. Becoming a mom, going through burnout, navigating my own mental health, it humbled me. It made me less focused on “fixing” and more focused on holding space. I lead from lived experience now, not just training. So when I’m creating spaces, I’m thinking about what I needed when I was struggling. Softness. Honesty. No pressure to perform. Just a place to be.

From your perspective as a mental health professional, what are some powerful ways Black women can begin practicing self‑love and emotional healing in their everyday lives?

Self-love for Black women has to be practical. It’s not just affirmations and bubble baths, even though those are nice. It’s about boundaries, honesty, and choosing yourself consistently.

Some real ways to start: • Get honest about how you actually feel instead of pushing through everything. • Rest without guilt. Not earned rest, just rest because you’re human. • Pay attention to what drains you and what fills you up, and adjust accordingly. • Build relationships where you don’t have to shrink or overexplain yourself. • And if you can, get support. Therapy, community, something. Healing was never meant to be done alone.

When Black women come to The Sisters’ Couch, what do you hope they feel, reclaim, or walk away with, and how does that reflect the kind of support our community deserves?

I want Black women to walk in and exhale. Like really exhale. I want them to feel seen without having to explain themselves.I want them to reclaim their voice, their softness, their boundaries, and their right to take up space. So many of us have been in survival mode for so long that we forget we’re allowed to just be.

When they leave, I want them to feel a little lighter, a little more connected, and a little more grounded in themselves. And honestly, that reflects what our community deserves. Not just access to care, but spaces that feel safe, affirming, and rooted in who we actually are. Spaces that don’t ask us to perform, but allow us to exist.

As The Sister’s Couch opens its doors, it stands as a beautiful reflection of Alandra’s commitment to Black women’s wellness. Congratulations to her for creating a space rooted in care, intention, and community. To learn more about the community she’s building, visit here.