Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnti Boswell.
Hi Shawnti, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey into mental health advocacy and coaching began from a place of personal struggle. In 2018, I experienced a severe mental health crisis that led to diagnoses of depression and anxiety. Like many people, I spent years appearing strong on the outside while silently carrying unresolved trauma, grief, stress, and emotional pain.
Through therapy, guided journaling, self-reflection, and a commitment to my own healing, I began uncovering the root causes of what I was experiencing. That journey transformed my life and inspired me to help others do the same.
Today, I am a Board Certified Master Mental Health Coach, mental health advocate, author, speaker, podcast host, and founder of Shawnti Refuge Journals. Through coaching, workshops, support groups, speaking engagements, and my guided journals, I help people prioritize their mental wellness, process difficult emotions, and develop healthier coping strategies.
What started as my personal healing journey has evolved into a mission to create safe spaces for honest conversations about mental health, especially within communities where those conversations have often been stigmatized. My goal is to help others understand that healing is possible, support is available, and they do not have to navigate their challenges alone.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. The road has been anything but smooth.
One of my biggest challenges was learning that healing is not a straight line. Even after beginning therapy and doing the work, I still had to confront years of unresolved trauma, difficult life experiences, unhealthy patterns, and the pressure of always being the strong one for everyone else.
Building a business centered around mental health has also come with challenges. There were times when I questioned myself, struggled with visibility, experienced financial uncertainty, and wondered whether my message was truly making an impact. Like many entrepreneurs, I had to learn how to balance my passion for helping others with the realities of running a business.
On a personal level, I’ve experienced relationship losses, grief, major life transitions, and moments when I had to choose my own well-being over other people’s expectations. Those experiences were painful, but they also became some of my greatest teachers.
What has kept me going is my belief that our struggles do not have to define us. Every obstacle has strengthened my commitment to helping others prioritize their mental health, embrace their healing journey, and understand that growth is possible even when the road is difficult.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am the founder of Shawnti Refuge Journals, a mental wellness company dedicated to helping people heal, grow, and prioritize their mental health through guided journaling, coaching, education, and community support.
As a Board Certified Master Mental Health Coach, author, speaker, and mental health advocate, I specialize in helping individuals increase self-awareness, process difficult emotions, navigate life transitions, and develop healthier coping strategies. My work focuses heavily on emotional wellness, trauma recovery, stress management, self-compassion, boundaries, and personal growth.
What sets my brand apart is that I don’t just teach mental wellness—I have lived it. My work is rooted in both professional training and personal experience. I understand what it feels like to struggle silently, to carry emotional burdens alone, and to search for a path toward healing. That combination of lived experience and professional expertise allows me to connect with people in a genuine and relatable way.
Through my guided journals, workshops, speaking engagements, coaching programs, support groups, and my podcast, The Quiet As Kept Podcast, I create safe spaces for honest conversations about mental health and healing. My approach is practical, compassionate, and focused on helping people take actionable steps toward lasting change.
What I’m most proud of is the impact. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting hundreds of individuals on their mental health journeys, helping them feel seen, heard, and empowered. I’ve watched people gain confidence, set healthier boundaries, process long-held pain, and begin showing up differently for themselves and others.
I want readers to know that Shawnti Refuge Journals is more than a business—it’s a movement centered on healing, self-discovery, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Whether someone attends a workshop, joins a support group, works with me through coaching, listens to the podcast, or picks up one of my journals, my goal is always the same: to help them understand that healing is possible and that they do not have to walk that journey alone.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t consider myself a reckless risk-taker, but I do believe that growth often requires us to take calculated risks.
One of the biggest risks I ever took was investing in my own healing. That may not sound like a traditional business risk, but it changed the entire trajectory of my life. It required me to be honest with myself, confront painful truths, seek help, and do the work of healing when it would have been easier to stay in survival mode.
Professionally, I’ve taken several major risks. Starting my business, sharing my personal story publicly, writing and publishing my memoir, investing in certifications, launching products before I felt completely ready, and stepping onto stages to speak about mental health all required me to move beyond fear and uncertainty.
Many people see where I am today, but they don’t see the moments when I questioned whether anyone would buy the journals, attend the workshops, listen to the podcast, or connect with my message. There were no guarantees. But I believed that if my story and work could help even one person feel less alone, it was worth the risk.
My perspective on risk has evolved over time. I no longer ask, “What if I fail?” Instead, I ask, “What if this works?” and “What will it cost me if I never try?” For me, the greatest risk isn’t failure—it’s remaining stuck in a place that no longer serves you.
Every meaningful opportunity in my life has required some level of courage. While not every risk has produced the outcome I expected, each one has taught me valuable lessons, strengthened my resilience, and helped shape both the woman and entrepreneur I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shawntirefugejournals.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shawntirefugejournals
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/shawntirefugejournals
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/shawntirefuge
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@shawntirefugejournals
- Other: https://shawntirefuge.com
