Online Boundaries and People-Pleasing Therapy for Black Women
Do you say yes before you've even checked your calendar, or checked in with yourself?
Do you rehearse how to say no, and then end up saying yes anyway?
Do you feel guilty for days after you finally set a limit?
If you're the one who over-functions, keeps the peace, and makes sure everyone else is okay, boundaries can feel almost impossible. Saying no can feel selfish, risky, or even dangerous.
I offer boundaries and people-pleasing therapy for Black women in Texas and Illinois, online by secure video. You're allowed to have limits.
Prefer to talk? Call or text 309-490-4853.
What People-Pleasing Can Look Like
Saying yes when your whole body is saying no
Over-explaining or apologizing when you set a limit
Feeling responsible for other people's feelings
Doing the work of three people so no one is disappointed
Resentment that builds quietly, then spills over
Losing track of what you actually want
Why Boundaries Can Feel So Hard
Many of us learned early that being easy to be around kept us safe, loved, or included. Some of us were raised to put family, church, and community first, every time. And as Black women, we're often expected to be endlessly available, endlessly capable, and never difficult.
So when you try to set a boundary, it can bring up guilt, fear of conflict, or the worry that people will leave. That isn't a flaw in you. It's a pattern that once protected you, and it can change.
How Boundaries Therapy Can Help
Boundaries aren't walls. They're how you protect your time, your energy, and your peace, so you can show up as yourself. In our work together, we can:
Understand where your people-pleasing started and what it protected you from
Notice your limits before you've gone past them
Practice saying no clearly, without over-explaining
Handle pushback and guilt without backing down
Rebuild trust in what you need and what you want
Prefer to talk? Call or text 309-490-4853.
My Favorite B Word
I care about this work so much that I wrote a book about it. My Favorite B Word is about Black women reclaiming their boundaries and their peace. If you want a free place to start, download the 10 Signs You're Overfunctioning workbook.
How I Work
My approach is informed by psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), narrative therapy, and Black feminist psychology. In practice, that means we look at where your patterns started, build real skills for right now, and hold all of it inside your full context. All sessions are online by secure video, and you need to be physically located in Texas or Illinois at the time of each session. I'm a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas. Meet Tyra
Boundaries often connect to burnout and to always being the strong one.
FAQs About Boundaries Therapy
How do I set boundaries without feeling guilty?
Guilt often shows up when you start doing something new, even when it's healthy. In therapy, we can practice setting limits and staying steady while the guilt settles.
Is people-pleasing a mental health condition?
People-pleasing isn't a diagnosis on its own. It's a pattern, and it can connect to anxiety, burnout, or past experiences, which we can explore together.
Can I work on boundaries with my family in individual therapy?
Yes. We can work on boundaries with family, partners, work, and church in one-on-one sessions. I don't offer couples or family sessions.
What if setting boundaries makes people angry?
Some people may push back when you start setting limits, and that's a normal part of change. We can plan for those conversations and practice holding your ground with care. If someone's reaction ever makes you feel unsafe, that's different from normal pushback. Your safety comes first, and you can find hotlines on our Resources page.
Does insurance cover boundaries therapy?
Coverage depends on the diagnosis and your plan, and we can talk it through in the consultation. If you use insurance, what you pay depends on your plan. See Insurance and Rates.
Your Peace Is Worth Protecting
In a free 15-minute consultation, we'll talk about where boundaries feel hardest for you and whether working together makes sense. If you’re located in Texas or Illinois, you can pick a time that works for you through my secure client portal.
Prefer to talk? Call or text 309-490-4853.
More answers are on the FAQs page. You might also like Discernment vs. Disconnection: How We Lose Ourselves to Stay Connected.
Boundaries Therapy Forney, TX
Online boundaries and people-pleasing therapy for Black women in Forney and across Texas. Explore online therapy in Forney
Boundaries Therapy Bloomington, IL
Online boundaries and people-pleasing therapy for Black women in Bloomington and across Illinois. Explore online therapy in Bloomington
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or call or text 988. 290 Therapy is not a crisis service.