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Leading with Lee™
Meet Mystique Hargrove
Born and raised in North Carolina, Mystique Hargrove chose to take the path of positive wellness and illness prevention in order to not only break the cycle of holistic health tragedies in her family and her community, but also became a testimony to change her past life choices into healthier lifestyle experiences.
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Mystique's background as a yoga instructor, dancer and dance teacher has turned her passion to currently push her path of providing her specialty and “real life” experience of wellness to those in need. Mystique's experience does not stop at the physical but also the mental as well. Earning her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NC A&T State University, she plans to establish her vision of educating the community, especially women and families, about the importance of holistic health and wellness. Mystique holds certifications in Marriage and Family Counseling, Wellness and Nutrition Consulting and Counseling. Mystique is also a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula where she provides emotional and birthing support to pregnant mothers, advocates for birth rights, provides advisement for pregnant mothers and new parents, and guidance on the importance of structuring healthy family dynamics. Mystique has over 3 years’ experience in providing training and consulting in the field of wellness, nutrition, mental health and wellness counseling.
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Mystique currently is enrolled as an Herbal Medicine student and serves the role as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for Alamance County, Support Group Facilitator and Doula Coordinator in the state of North Carolina as well as a Wellness and Nutrition Consultant and Counselor statewide.
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1. What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
My own testimony being a Black body while pregnant. I was a low income mother on WIC when I resided in Georgia and despite my educational background, I was treated “less than” all because I was a Black woman struggling financially on government assistance. I was mistreated not only by the medical staff but the family service professionals who were supposed to provide support for people like me. Both my life and my son’s life were in crisis as we almost lost our lives not only during my pregnancy but also during the birthing process. I then slipped into a deep episode of postpartum depression where although I seemed fine on the outside, inside I was screaming for help and no one noticed. I created my business to serve Black bodies who have similar testimonies like myself but to also prevent Black bodies from running into having these kinds of experiences in the future.
2. What products or services does your business provide and who benefits from it?
I provide holistic wellness focused on womb care and lifestyle changes. I provide teas, tinctures, customized holistic products, fertility services, doula services focused on birth, postpartum and spectrum needs, face to face and virtual consultations, wellness trainings and more. Everyone benefits from my services because I cater to the needs of the individuals who inquire about what I can provide for their lifestyle.
3. Where is your business located?
I am located in North Carolina but I do face to face services in the Triad and RDU area as well as virtual services for long distance clients.
4. Being a mom of a precious three year old, how do you balance out parenting, school, and a business?
Prayer and meditation! (laughs) I think that is the key to keeping myself together and grounded. I make sure to schedule a “self-love and care” ritual once a month because we are always taught to pour into others first but fail to neglect our own selves. I can’t pour into my child and any other needs outside of my own if I don’t take the time to have my selfish moments to recharge and give myself the kind of healing I need.
5. Do you think that your teachings and services are greatly needed for women of color? If so, why?
I feel my teachings and services are for every one of color and not just those who identify as women. I want to bring back the kinship and village mentality that my ancestors provided before. We need that. We need to be taught again how to take care of ourselves better holistically so that we can pass on these teachings to our children or our future children to bring back the knowledge and healing that was taken away and shunned against. I provide services to clients from a range of identities of color and I want to create a space where it is safe and supported for those who are neglected daily.
6. What motivates you to keep going?
Honestly, my child. He sits with me every time I’m creating any healing products for the clients I serve. He naturally gravitates to creation. My son is my motivation due to my vision to build a better life for him where he is safe, protected, educated and informed.
7. Have you come across any roadblocks in your path to success? If so, how did you overcome them?
Of course! That’s the beauty (and sometimes struggle) of being in this field. It’s times where I don’t feel like I’m doing enough or I’m not a good mother because I may be away from my son a lot due to servicing clients in need. Thankfully, I have a supportive kindred who feeds love, light and magic my way to remind me why I do what I do and check me from not being stuck in my “funk” or neglect taking time to myself. It’s truly vital to have your kindred that supports you spiritually, mentally and emotionally with love as well as step in to assist you with carrying the weight of the world.
8. Any upcoming events, projects, or services that we should look out for?
I just launched my fertility services and I am currently raising money to fundraise a project that focuses on providing free womb care and healing services to low income communities of color. I recently have seen that a lot of families of color are neglected due to the lack of accessible holistic care because of issues with transportation, lack of finances and the misinformation provided that persuades them to think they aren’t worthy of healing and support. As soon as I receive the funding for this project, I want to begin launching it in January 2019 with the possibility of sponsors and partnerships for this vision. The link to this fundraiser is: https://www.plumfund.com/fundraising/healing-low-income-communities.
9. Is it safe to say that you are living in your purpose?
I really am. I have been on the journey to find where I was supposed to be and I finally found it. I finally feel free and passionate in the work I do because I’m not restricted to being myself and having to walk differently than I am.
10. What does success mean to you?
Being completely happy. It doesn’t matter about how much you make, it’s about being able to do what you love and surviving. We are always taught that we have to follow this general step by step path or pattern in life in order to be successful, but in the end we are miserable in the process. That’s not the way I view success. Being successful is knowing your worth as well as learning and growing in your passion to give your talent and craft to those in need. I am working on becoming a blessing with my vision from now into the future.
11. What advice can you give to aspiring doula’s who would like to positively touch the lives of Women?
Be open minded. Respect the client’s as they are as well as their identifying pronouns. Be their voice when they feel like they are silent and advocate for their rights. This birth work is not about getting paid. Yes our services are needed and should be compensated but you really can’t put a price on this work because it is priceless. We are needed heavily to communities in need. Check your own biases as well and be open to be inter sectional. Extend yourself to organizations that serve and uplift the communities in need. If you remain so closed minded or stuck in a box to one particular clientele, you aren’t really doing your part. You are doing the bare minimum and neglecting the purpose of why the birth workers before us (i.e. granny midwives and advocates) set this path ablaze for us.
12. Where can our audience find you?
Facebook: Boho Wellness
Instagram: BohoWellnessConsulting
Website: http://bohowellness.com
Email: hello@bohowellness.com
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Interview by: Leading with Lee Magazine