Posted on October 27, 2025

We’ve learned to be fluent in silence.
To nod instead of name.
To carry the weight and never say the word.

For many of us, language failed us early, because no one ever taught us how to talk about what hurts. But healing begins the moment we find our words again.

The Silence We Inherited

Our fathers, brothers, and elders didn’t always have the space to speak. Their quiet was protection, a shield in a world that didn’t make room for their emotions. But silence doesn’t dissolve pain. It just stores it.

When we inherit that silence, we inherit the weight too. We learn to communicate through anger, withdrawal, or humor, everything but truth. And after a while, we forget that our emotions were meant to be expressed, not erased.

Emotional Literacy as Liberation

Naming what we feel is power.
It’s saying, “I’m not okay,” and letting that be enough.
It’s having the courage to tell someone, “I’m tired,” before exhaustion becomes breakdown.

Emotional literacy isn’t weakness...it’s freedom. It helps us understand our own inner world and connect with others who are walking through their own.

The Ways We’ve Always Spoken

Even when words failed us, we still found ways to express.
Through rhythm and blues. Through gospel and hip-hop. Through the stories our Elders told, and the prayers whispered under breath.

Expression has always lived in our lineage. We just have to remember that our emotions deserve to live there too.

Reclaiming the Right to Feel

Start simple.
Instead of saying “I’m good,” try saying, “I’m trying,” or “I’m learning,” or “I’m hurting, but I’m healing.”
Each word is a small act of rebellion against the silence that shaped us.

We can’t heal what we won’t name. And every time we speak truth, we reclaim a piece of our power.

At Senti

At Senti, we believe healing begins with language and perspective; the ability to speak, feel, and be fully seen. Our workshops and programs create safe spaces for men to rediscover emotional expression as strength, not shame.

Because when we find the words, we find ourselves.