Sincerely, Rachel Johnson: Come for the Vibes, Stay for the Healing

In this episode of Sincerely, CNY, Melanie Littlejohn sits down with Rachel Johnson, a licensed mental health therapist, doula, professor, speaker and founder of Half Hood Half Holistic, for a powerful conversation about healing, authenticity, mental health and community wellness.

Rachel shares the journey behind Half Hood Half Holistic and its guiding message: “Come for the vibes, stay for the healing.” Through culturally relevant, healing-centered spaces, Rachel works to help people feel seen, supported and connected as they navigate mental health, trauma, identity and care.

In this conversation, Rachel reflects on what it means to be both real and well, why connection is essential to healing, and how creating safe, authentic spaces can help individuals and communities begin the work of restoration.

This episode reminds us that healing is not separate from community — and that when people feel held, respected and seen, they are more likely to take the next step toward wellness.

Also in this episode: a donor story with Vicki Brackens on estate planning, giving and fueling dreams for the future, and a P.S. The Next Chapter segment featuring Payton Perry, a young leader using service, basketball and advocacy to make an impact.

For more information visit cnycf.org/podcast.

Transcript

Welcome to Sincerely, CNY

Melanie 0:01

Today's episode is a love letter to the people who are shaping Central New York in sometimes quiet but profound ways. I'm Melanie Littlejohn, and welcome to Sincerely CNY. Today's guest is a licensed mental health therapist, doula, professor, speaker, and founder of Half Hood, Half Holistic, where she creates culturally relevant, healing-centered spaces that support personal and community wellness. An author, coach, organizational consultant, she is known for helping individuals and organizations build healthier, more human-centered cultures. Through her work, Rachel has become a powerful voice at the intersection of mental health, leadership, and community empowerment in central New York

Meet Rachel Johnson

Melanie 1:12

and beyond. Please welcome our guest, Ms. Rachel Johnson. Rachel, thank you so much for being here. I have looked forward to this uh for a while. So thank you for coming to join me. You know, every everything I've read or um seen about who you are, the work you're doing, the power in the work that you're doing across Central New York is so inspirational. You know, and a part of this podcast is really about how we inspire um philanthropy. And philanthropy is just giving to another. Um and your work is just so deeply entrenched in giving to um someone else. So can you talk to me about your journey um and the meaning behind half holistic and half hood?

Rachel 2:16

Yeah. Well, first of all, thank you for having me, Melanie. And um not gonna cry, but I'm deeply honored to be in this space and deeply honored to be seen by somebody like you um in this work. We're gonna both cry. I know, because we're gonna get crying. I know. Um, but I think that's really powerful. And um in this, in this world, it's important to see people. Um so thank you for seeing me now. Oh I appreciate that. And thank you for seeing me. Yeah.

Melanie 2:50

Thank

The story behind Half Hood Half Holistic

Melanie 2:51

you.

Rachel 2:51

Okay, now um, so you know, the journey of Half-Hood, Half-Holistic, and even Rachel Johnson is, you know, intrinsically linked. Um, I started this work as a bright-eyed bushy tail person that just wanted to help people, right? And um thought I would do that through the path of social work. Came out here, you know, I'm originally from Buffalo, but came out here to Syracuse for school and have been locked in ever since. Um and uh really, as I was practicing and getting these professional degrees in some way, I was really taken aback by how many people were left out of that conversation. And um, you know, I tell people that I went to school and I got two degrees in child and family studies and social work in my undergrad program. And then I went and I got my master's program, master's degrees in marriage and family therapy and social work. Um, and each of those required their own internship experiences, their own practicums. And at the end of them, I mean, I probably had over 2,000 clinical hours and I could count on my hands how many people of color that I served. Um, and so there felt like a big gap in clinical services, who was being represented, and what kind of care people were able to access. And so I tried to make it this mission to um bring forth this space where people just felt seen, right, and represented in their care. Um, you know, really tried to create a space where people felt like they could be authentic, true, real, but also be well. Um, and I just had not seen that. And so, you know, we're several years into this thing, half hood, half holistic turns five next month. And um, we're still kind of learning and growing, and it's shaped into something beyond whatever I could have imagined. Um, and so I'm grateful and deeply honored to do this work in this community.

Melanie 4:55

You know, you just said something that underscores your work being

Being real and well

Melanie 5:01

real and well. And so sometimes I think communities who when we have to begin to think about what's the difference between real or well, is that where trauma enters in the discussion?

Rachel 5:19

I think that that's a good piece of it. A lot of the work that you'll do is reckoning work and trying to figure out like who are you? Um, I say I ask people to think about who are you without the filters of this world? And um oftentimes uh in communities like this, those filters are things like trauma. Um and so the real, the authentic, the voice, the the searching for those things and being grounded in that often means reckoning with something like uh trauma or um the things that have been placed on us from other people, um, in that authenticity, like being able to show up real, being able to show up true to yourself, true to your community is the path to wellness. Right. Like that is um it's integration work, right? It is what, like when you're consistently fighting through whether it is trauma or a traumatic past or trying to navigate systems that were not built or designed to hold you, when you're doing all of that work and presenting or performing as something else, trying to survive, um, it's disingenuous and your body feels that, right? Um, and so being well for a lot of people is that reclamation of who are you despite or like healed from or moved through these systems, these traumas and the things that have been placed on us.

Melanie 6:54

Wow. When I think about um some of the things that I've heard that I heard my

Mental health and community needs

Melanie 7:04

first two years here at the foundation, my first year um I did several rounds of listening sessions because I wanted to hear and connect with what people were saying were the needs of this region. And to my so and and there were things that I I knew I was going to hear, right? Issues around workforce, childcare, housing, food and security. But the one thing that came up just ten times bigger than I ever suspected it would, it was around mental health and the impact that mental health and lack of wellness what it was doing to um people in this region. And of course, whatever happens here happens across the nation and arguably across the world. Um how have you, and because I'm familiar with a couple of things that you've done, but talk about how you've helped people feel a little bit in communities, black and brown specific in particular, feel comfortable with even broaching the subject around mental health.

Rachel 8:38

Yeah. You know, in this region in particular, it doesn't surprise me that mental health rises up as a main concern because it's not separate than all those other factors that you named, right? Um, and I know we'll kind of talk a little bit about what specifically is happening in this region that lends to that. Um, when we talk about the ways in which we have tried to really normalize these discussions around mental health and bring them to the

Come for the vibes, stay for the healing

Rachel 9:10

forefront. Um, our tagline at Halfwood Half Hallistic is come for the vibes, stay for the healing, right?

Melanie 9:15

Love that.

Rachel 9:16

And it's something that I learned just in practice, right? When I started working at the local community center down the street on the south side, I um started to learn a few things about what people valued. And um, I think in in Syracuse in particular, a very resource-rich um place. There's lots of nonprofits, there are lots of people doing um this community and human service work. Um, but there were lots of low services, people coming in, like at participants. And in my work really started as a doula and it shaped a lot of things. But what I really learned early on is that it's not that people don't want services or care about their health and well-being, that they don't value those things. But what people care about more is connection. They want to feel connected, they want to feel seen. And so we started, you know, half what half holistic was just built on this culmination of my experiences. And I remember doing maternal health work at the time, and we would, you know, host like breastfeeding one-on-one or like baby carrying one-on-one. And, you know, people would come to those things, but it we weren't getting a large amount of people participating in these services. And then we started hosting things like game night and mommy needs me time and spa days. And while they were there, we started talking about things like postpartum depression. And we learned, or I learned, which is the working theory of half-hood, half holistic, is that when people come for the vibes, the connection, when they come for joy, when they come for community, when they come to do the thing that really resonates with them most, they are more well positioned to receive this education or this experience, right? And so come for the vibes and then stay for the healing, right? When you got there, you realized, oh, I feel connected, I feel respected, I feel seen, I feel safe in this space. And so I'm more likely to start to have conversations about things that historically have been stigmatized or seen as taboo in communities. And that's our model, really, right? Is that we really like to show up. What you see is what you get. Um, very authentic. Um, we're very keen on what is the experience that we're curating for people, not just we don't, we don't plan programs. I tell my team all the time, we don't plan programs, we curate experiences where people feel held and seen and safe because that is actually what's necessary for folks to then receive information about mental health or resources or get connected to wherever they need to go next. People are more likely to do that when they feel seen, respected, and held in these spaces. And so that's how we broach these conversations. We make it very real. We try to use, we know clinical language, right? But we try to use language that is relevant and resonates with folks. Um, we try really hard to uh build a pathway to care or entry to care in whatever way people can engage. Accessibility is at the core of our mission. And so whether it is you zooming into a session, we have virtual options, it could be you coming to our social wellness events, it could be you showing up at a retreat, it could be whatever that entry to care looks like, as long as you're connected, you're here, right? Your tribe, and we're gonna support you and and um get you connected where you need to go next.

Melanie 12:53

Is there an instance that you have of um something that

Healing work and real-time impact

Melanie 13:03

through your through your work that's had a profound impact on on you, any of the stories, experiences, how has it shaped you?

Rachel 13:16

That's a great question. And when I say every time I log off of a client meeting or leave a retreat space or leave a workshop, I feel energized. And I always a hundred percent of the time have this deep, profound gratitude that takes me over of like, I am so honored to be able to do this work and more so honored that people trust me to hold them in their journeys. Um, there are several stories. We, you know, uh one of the things that we like to lift up is that in Half-What Half-Holistic, we actually serve a large population of black men and provide services for black men that are not always traditionally represented in these mental health conversations. Um, I we serve couples. I've been working with, you know, some families that for years, watching them try to navigate what it feels like to have a healthy relationship when they themselves never seen that. Um, I'm watching we serve people ages 14 easily to like 64, right? I'm watching, you know, women in their midlife saying, I'm choosing myself and I want to learn what it looks like to be me without needing to caretake or care for someone else. Like there are some, it's a collection or collage of experiences. And the most powerful thing is that they're also connected, right? That there is not one thread of uh or one theme that is not unique to anyone else, right? Like it's linked to other people. And so we do a lot of, we believe that people heal in community. And so we do a lot of saying, this is not unique to you. Lots of people are on this journey. Everyone is trying to figure out what it means to love themselves, what it means to um come home to themselves, what it, what their real or authentic or well self looks like. And so, I mean, I carry stories every single day. And that's the hard part about this work is that that's not um, we can't market that, right? We don't have we we we feel like we make real-time impacts, and it's not as easy as being able to, you know, prop up a device or get a quote, and it's such sacred work that um, you know, we have clients that have they were hesitant, they've never thought about going to therapy, that they never would have uttered things like, I think I have anxiety or depression. We have served people that um have had deep mistrust of the medical and mental health system, rightfully so. Um, and so all of those things count as wins to me. Um, and I really, really, really um deeply honored that I believe that this is the purpose that was downloaded in me and then I get to walk very much aligned in it. Additionally, I have a team that's dope, right? Like something about being able to show up authentically as me. Like half of Apple is the is me. It's an extension of me. I built this place not only where other people could see themselves whole and well and healthy, but where I could see myself whole and well and healthy. And that that to me is my mission. My team is my first mission because when they are well, when the healers that are doing this work are well and held and seen and restored, then that creates these ripple effects for other people to come and say, you know what, I'm gonna go hang out with this, these people over here. Um, and so

Leaning into purpose

Rachel 17:09

yeah.

Melanie 17:10

You know, I have seen you do and stand in parking lots in the middle of grocery stores, wherever you are, you're doing your work. No, no, no, no. You are leaning into your purpose, right? Because anyone who spends any ounce of time and and I hope anyone that's hearing or feeling this discussion knows this is what you were, this was your assignment. This is your assignment, and the one thing about you that I've seen time and time again, you are generous. It's almost like you have this spidey sense that um let me help walk this person close to the healing reservoir. Let me let let me let me help. And you just do it instinctively and that's a gift. What you were doing in this region is and not just this region by the way, nationally. Most people do not know Rachel Johnson is having a national impact on um creating the vibe so that the healing can begin. Keep doing it. We need you, we need this work in ways that help people live good, healthy, and resilient lives that they were always meant for to do. So um I appreciate you, Rachel Johnson. Thank you. I appreciate all you do um to touch the lives of people here. You are truly a bad philanthropist and and healer. Thank you. I'm grateful for the moment that we got a chance to spend. Thank you. Rachel Johnson. Thank you.

Donor spotlight: Vicki Brackens

Vicki 19:40

My name is Vicki Brackens. I'm the owner of Brackens Financial Solutions Network here in Syracuse, New York. I would suggest to everyone, when you're looking at your estate plan, don't stop to just look at the mechanics, but what are the dreams that you would like to fuel for the future in using your estate plan to do so? The Community Foundation and organizations like this are charged with digging deeply into communities to really identify the needs that are going to be uh need to be funded now and in the future. You don't have to have a billion dollars to start. You need to just start.

P.S. The Next Chapter with Payton Perry

Melanie 20:27

Welcome back. I'm so excited to introduce this next segment. P.S. The next chapter is a spotlight series featuring young leaders from across central New York who are creating change through generosity, service, and action. Each conversation offers a glimpse, just a small one, into the passion and purpose driving the next generation of change makers in our community. Our guest this episode is a powerful young man, Peyton Perry. Take a look. So, hello, Mr. Peyton Perry, and how are you today?

Payton 21:08

I'm good. How are you doing?

Melanie 21:09

Good, good. I'm so glad you were gonna spend a little bit of time with me today. You know, Peyton, I was reading your bio. I was looking at all the amazing things that you're doing, um, from being a student at CBA to um working on um with young people, kids on mentoring, um, to your love of music. You're you you're a school leader, man. What and then I also see that you know how to handle the rock a little bit. That you are a baller as well as a scholar and an all around good human being. So I'm so s excited to spend. A little bit of time with you today, but can you start Peyton about telling me who Peyton Perry is and what are the things that he absolutely loves?

Payton 22:15

I feel like as Peyton Perry, I love helping my community out. And I love playing basketball. And I love I love learning new things. And I love to just do different things if that makes sense.

Melanie 22:32

And I like to always just learn and just so you love learning, you love helping your community, you love sports. Tell me and then and then I also see you love music, in particular Rachels and Marvin Gaye, but we'll talk about that in a minute. Some of my favorites as well. But what you just said that touched my heart um is that you love helping people. And that's a part of the story that we think is so important for young people to have their voice and to talk about how important helping other human beings, um, how important it is to you. And one of the programs that

Ties, Tenders and Fries

Melanie 23:31

I heard about or I read about was Ties, Tenders, and Fries. Tell us about that and why that just made you smile.

Payton 23:39

So ties, tenders, and fries are like this. So me and my mom came together and she wanted to make an event happen. And she asked me, What's something that people, well, in my generation or older that they need help with? And I was like, mom, I think I feel like I should teach people how to tie ties. And she's like, okay. I was like, like, we could add food with that, because people like food. And so we came up with ties, tenders, and fries. And then there we taught people how to tie ties. We gave people ties, and me, my uncles, my cousins, we all taught younger people and older people how to tie ties for like important like business or school or anything in like your life you'll need to tie a tie for. I feel like there's so many people out there that just don't know how to tie a simple tie, you know. And I feel like as a man, you should know how to tie a tie.

Melanie 24:44

Tie a tie. Tie a tie.

Payton 24:46

I mean, why not spread awareness to that?

Melanie 24:48

You know, what was some of the reaction you got when you would do that program from people? What did they say to you?

Payton 24:57

Well, a lot of well, a lot of older people didn't expect me to know how to tie a tie. And I was honestly shocked, but I mean, not really. And then other people were fascinated by someone of my age helping all of these people out. And it was just, it was a blast, honestly.

Melanie 25:22

How how often have you done that program?

Payton 25:27

That was my first, and I was so nervous. I I just I don't know. I just I just went with the flow, but at first I was just frozen, but then I just told myself I have to be myself and just help people.

Melanie 25:45

Because you know, when you are yourself, it naturally has people to gravitate to you. I could already tell just by talking to you for a few minutes, you have this really unbelievable positive spirit. And that's important. And that's and that's why we want to feature young people like you, is because you have that spirit of service and spirit of giving. Now, I know a part, one of the things that you absolutely love is basketball, right? What position do you

Leading from behind

Melanie 26:22

play?

Payton 26:22

Well, I play the center position, but I know when I get older, my position might change. But right now I play the center position.

Melanie 26:30

And so playing the center, what's the main what's the main thing you have to do as the center on the basketball team?

Payton 26:39

The main thing I have to do is to talk to my teammates and communicate and to be a leader and to show people where they need to be sometimes and to be loud and vocal and to, I guess, like not organize the floor, but like lead, lead the floor but from behind in a way.

Melanie 27:02

So the most impactful leaders lead from behind.

Payton 27:07

Maybe, yes.

Melanie 27:09

They do. They do. They know how to see things that need to happen. Yes. Tell people where do they need to go to make the most impact, right? As the center.

Payton 27:22

Yes.

Melanie 27:23

Right? And do you also help them by bringing out the best um their best skills and telling them how to handle, look, how to handle the rock. Do you tell them how to do that? How to handle that?

Payton 27:41

Sometimes because I I know I'm not perfect, so sometimes I might be too bossy in a way. But I mean, if I could see like the best in you, I'm obviously gonna help guide you so you can help the team out.

Melanie 27:55

Um, you got me all emotional and stuff over here, Mr. Peyton Perry, because I love that you were taking what you love, basketball and community and leadership, and you're helping to guide um and to nurture people to give and do things that are the most important for themselves. So that is so powerful to me. Um, I think I might know the answer to this question, but who's helped you become the person you are today?

Payton 28:36

Besides God, I would say my mom, for sure.

Melanie 28:39

Mm-hmm.

Payton 28:40

Mm-hmm. Because I feel like my mom has always just set me up in good spots to help me be where I am now.

Melanie 28:49

Yeah.

Payton 28:51

And then God just helped it all come together.

Melanie 28:53

So every day. Every day, every moment, right? Um you

Advocacy, giving and confidence

Melanie 29:00

also have used your voice to advocate um for people who might have a disability. That which you can see, and sometimes that which you can't. Why is that work important to you?

Payton 29:16

I love this question. Um I feel like advocating for like what's needed is always just the right thing to do. Because I feel like there's always gonna be something that's on that's not addressed and that needs to have a voice on it. And knowing that I could be that voice for it feels it feels good.

Melanie 29:45

Yeah. Yeah. Why is giving so important to you?

Payton 29:53

Giving to me is important because I know if I could give, then a positive can come out of it. So I could help change someone's life, and then that person could go do something more, I don't know, something more cooler than me or something more important, all because of my all because of my give, you know? It's just a possibility that can come from my little give that could change someone's life, it just means a lot.

Melanie 30:30

Yeah. My last question, and I wish I had time to sit here and ask you 10 more questions. But what what advice would you give another young person who was trying to develop their confidence? What would what would you tell them?

Payton 30:51

I would tell them to always just stick with their first decision. Like if you have a like an urge to do something, then why not do it? Because you only live once, so why not? And that one choice can always lead to more doors in your life. So I feel like if you have a seal, then just do it. Because you you could always impact your community and your environment.

Melanie 31:15

Yeah. What's the last, and I I know I told you that was the last question, but I got one more that's just nagging at my heart. What would you want people to remember after hearing your story? What do you want them to remember about you and what you've said today?

Payton 31:38

I want people to take away that I am a nice person and I'm here to help and how people like me to help your city or and or community.

Melanie 31:53

Peyton Perry, you're an amazing young man. I appreciate everything that I've heard about you today from advocating and being a voice for disability, for people with disabilities, to using basketball to be that leader on and off the court. Um, to your love of music, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye, some of my favorites, to I know your food choices from chicken tenders and French fries, and oh, by the way, Shirley Temples.

Payton 32:33

Oh, yes.

Melanie 32:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, always, right? Keep making an impact, Peyton Perry. You are doing the work that we are so proud of. And I can't wait to see how you're gonna change the world.

Payton 32:51

Thank you.

Melanie 32:52

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I look forward to seeing so much more from you. It's been a pleasure.

Payton 33:00

It's been a pleasure.

Melanie 33:02

Yes.

Closing reflections: take time for you

Melanie 33:03

If you would like to nominate someone to be featured in our PS the next chapter segment, scan the QR code on the screen or visit cmycf.org backslash podcast. You know, when we do this segment, this podcast, it's really about a call to action. And as we heard um Rachel Johnson illustrate, it's really about um self-discovery. It's about connecting to who you are, it's about taking time to breathe, taking time to breathe, taking time to know that you will be okay, taking time to help be an ally, a partner, a friend in someone else's journey. But most importantly, it's about looking squarely in the mirror every day and doing the work that we have to do on ourselves. Because in order to truly help not only another person but our communities, we need to also heal ourselves. So take time. Take time for you. Because when you do that, philanthropy grows, our community changes, and the world becomes an even sweeter and better place. Thank you once again for joining um sincerely, CNY. I encourage you to carry this message and conversation with you. Stay curious, stay connected and help shape what comes next.

Payton 35:06

Thank you.