Enjoli Ford, LPC

03/24/2026

People who are in relationships with men who subscribe to the patriarchy, and do not seek help to manage their emotions are in danger— I’m not sure if they know it, because familiarity and societal norms. You are not as safe as you think you are using proximity to power as a shield.
And let me tell you why.

History says that in families where such men are responsible for upholding patriarchal roles such as the protector and provider, there is a huge weight to “work hard” and “pull yourself up by the bootstraps”.

It is not common for men to seek therapy and work through their issues instead they are conditioned and taught to push through (valid). The other side of that is loneliness and shame. They tend to use substances to cope, use anger/violence as a sense of control, and/or commit su***de.

The way the economy is set up and how it works with the mentioned men and their roles/responsibilities in relationships/marriage helps to boost their pride/ego as it relates to success and their value in the world.

When the economy fails and often their ability to provide financially fails they tend to become hostile, violent, increase substance usage, and/or shut down/isolate.
It is only a matter of time before the spike in violence increases to a point where it can no longer be ignored due to the economy failing and households ran by men who have these core beliefs start to feel the impact. This may also look like a spike in murder-su***des.

There are many additional factors to consider in assessing the level of safety.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=crvaw_reports

02/12/2026

Well that was fun! Thank you Nicholls University Counseling Center and for creating a space to talk about mental health! Thank you for inviting me along with other clinicians to have a deep needed discussion about Black Mental Health and Wellness!
I cannot wait to share more opportunities with the community in the future.

02/05/2026

01/14/2026

Amazing initiative

New Orleans needs more conversations about nervous system regulation and I’m ready to start them.

******Update*******

Save the Date: 1/27/26 6-730pm

Register here: https://luma.com/1q5djhi1

Here’s why:

New Orleans has generational trauma. Katrina. Crime. Systemic racism. Healthcare inequity. Infrastructure failures.

We’re carrying stress in our bodies. And it’s breaking our hearts. Literally.

12/24/2025

Allowing yourself a moment to ask yourself what is it that you are really needing? If it is connection that you need, in what way have you learned that the only way you can connect is through social media?

12/18/2025

“Do as I say, not as I do” is the language of parents who expects their children to become better than them without being willing to become better themselves. They want the results of growth without doing the work, leaving the child to navigate life without guidance, support, or an example of what healthy behavior actually looks like.
The child is then forced to carry what the parent refused to hold which is learning, healing, and fixing what was broke. This allows the parent to continue as they are, which is choice. The child gets to do the labor, absorb the consequences, and create progress, while the parent benefits without changing.
Breaking generational cycles is exhausting when you are doing it alone. Imagine how different life would feel if growth were modeled, shared, and supported instead of demanded from one person in the system. No one should have to carry the weight of both their failures and their success when the system failed them long before they ever had a chance to succeed.
Yes, people can eventually learn how to create better outcomes for themselves. But it is extremely hard when no one ever showed them how. It’s even harder when they are blamed for not already knowing. Then shame tells them “I should know how.”

12/18/2025

While listening to “Beyond The Spot” podcast on Spotify hosted by Episode 20: Al, Technology, and Mental Health
This phrase stuck out to me and I wanted to share it.
If you have time please listen to the Episode please do.
If you do not have time, please create the time you need to learn how social media can be harmful to mental health and the nervous system.

12/15/2025

“Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps”
There is a reason your nervous system cringes at that phrase. And if it doesn’t then maybe you have moved away from a part of you that knows when to rest and be held by others. Maybe you have been conditioned to fend for yourself and find it hard to lean on others for support. Maybe you have loss connection to your support systems.
Originally the phrase was used as an idiom, something that was impossible to accomplish. First, you have to have boots. Second, your boots need to have straps. Lastly, that’s not how physics works.
The phrase “Pull yourself up…” became romanticized by European standards, was pushed as merit based, attainable, and like a realistic goal to move capitalism forward. By doing this it allows systems to ignore the barriers and harm that has historically been done and continues to be done in return for a capitalistic overworked and sick society— it covers up systemic oppression and harm. It creates shame, burnout, and isolation.
The message is if one can’t overcome and overachieve then it is due to personal failure because they are not trying hard enough “Something is wrong with you”. Instead of “Something is happening to you”
It’s a trick to continue weaponizing labor over rest and connection. In no cultural community are people thriving alone, it’s in community and being held by others. Nothing is wrong with you, you are tired due to the years of fighting oppression and for survival.
Rest.

11/14/2025

09/22/2025

Sacred Rage as Liberation:

I recently did a presentation on Intergenerational Trauma and the importance of telling the truth by acknowledging how we got here over time. It was never through “peace”, it has always been through violence, colonization, genocide, war, oppression, displacement, slavery, murder, r**e, class systems, colorism, religions literally killing people if they did not comply and conform. The truth is if Jewish people weren’t predominately white, yall wouldn’t care about them either.

The real grief is in letting go of the denial that is rooted in the lies, twisted stories, suppression of truth, shame, manipulation, bias—until then we will be exactly who we have always been. Justifying and weaponizing religion to oppress and be violent towards anyone who we can persuade the masses to demonize.

I refuse to play nice with or befriend people who are okay with statements that continue to put me and people like me in harm because if I were killed today or tomorrow by a white supremacist minded person cosplaying as a Christian, many of you would deflect and say “It was God’s will” or even “She was living in sin” and choose not condemn the violence done against me because most haven’t grieved the violence done to them and/or their lineage. Many are not that far removed from the epigenetics their ancestors passed down, that pure deep red colonizer blood that continues to thrive through transfusion. I know this because you/they have always remained silent when a non white supremacist cosplaying Christian has been harmed, unless it is to victim blame or deflect from the root of the issue using Black people as the scapegoat.
Although it doesn’t and will never matter if the violence is harm through words, gentrification, hate speech disguised as free speech for some, propaganda, policy, political stances, and just a history of oppression— it would force many of you to look in the mirror and accept that you too are violent and oppressive, and you aren’t as righteous or a “good person” as you think you are. (Full Disclosure) So I refuse to seek safety from anyone who refuses to be honest with themselves.
Seek therapy. Not me

09/12/2025

Collective Grief and Truth as Liberation:

and I are excited to be presenting at the 2025 Regional Trauma Institute.

We will examine how historical oppression, displacement, systemic inequities, and collective grief continues to shape trauma responses across generations in racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse communities.
Learning Objectives:
⛓️‍💥 Highlight the ways intergenerational trauma manifests across different cultural contexts.

⛓️‍💥Identify commonalities and differences in trauma transmission and coping mechanisms.

⛓️‍💥Discuss culturally sensitive approaches to trauma-informed care and intervention.

I cannot wait to share information and our experience.

07/01/2025

In my experience the fight response was responsible for a lot of destruction so a lot of survival was built off of fight for survival. The conditioning is that if you did not fight back, you will most likely continue to be harmed. In some ways the lesson was beneficial, but in other ways it wasn’t. The benefit is that I am still alive and I have not dimmed my rage in the face of injustice.