“Numbers don’t validate the worth of your product or service. If what you are offering is good quality, stay the course and the seeds will grow. Challenge yourself and spend time with and around people who are striving for something bigger than themselves.”
Every so often, we come into contact with those rare birds who exude positive energy, whose very essence demands they devote their lives to the well-being of others. Los Angeles-based therapist, author, and activist Thea Monyeé has that kind of glowing, powerful charisma. “My guiding philosophy,” she says, “is to be of service, to build authentic relationships, and teach others to decolonize joy.”
Thea believes that finding happiness within the standard structures of everyday life may not work for all — and that it’s ok to live your life however you want, no matter what you’ve been told by the dominant culture.
“Decolonizing joy is the key to liberating people while systems of oppression are still in place. You have a right to be happy!”
At the core of Thea’s practices is her belief system. “I practice Afro-spirituality,” she explains, “and my guardian is Ayo. She’s both the eye of the hurricane and the movement of the hurricane. And that’s so perfect, because I’m always spinning up multiple things that seem random until I pull them all together somehow."
Thea initially gained notoriety through her success as a spoken word poet, and her inspiring, defiant performances opened up opportunities to speak and perform in schools, corporations, and at-risk youth in facilities like juvenile halls. That in turn motivated her to go back to school and to become a licensed marriage and family therapist to work in marginalized communities. “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, though some people would hate it because there’s a lot of poverty and struggle — but within that there’s so much creativity.”
From there, Thea began to form a professional philosophy that accepted certain aspects of conventional therapy but needed to be flexible and at times even chart a new course. “I was working with the poor, LGBTQ, those not from the big three major religions like Santeria and Wicca. To help them, my therapeutic style and the content of my writing and public speaking wasn’t typical — it couldn’t be.” At the same time, she’s begun podcasting as a co-host, with other women artists and therapists of color, of Dem Black Mamas, and engaging with her growing community on social media.
With so many artistic and therapeutic gigs in the air, Thea needed a website to show it all off as a holistic, connected system that told her full story — social media content, poetry, podcasting, and consultation. She looked to GoDaddy’s Website Builder.
“I’m not a graphic designer nor do I have cash to burn,” Thea recalls. “I’d used GoDaddy in the past, and I felt like I had all the tips and tools required to make a decent site. I don’t know if people realize how easy it really is to do with GoDaddy’s tools.”
One aspect of Website Builder she loves is the platform’s versatility and affordability. “I didn’t feel like I had to choose between aspects of what I do — the templates allowed me to fully represent who I am. It’s great for folks who are starting out with limited funds and have to wear many hats.”
As Thea’s many-faceted mission to decolonize joy grows, she’s using Website Builder’s marketing tools to foster deeper connections and showcase her writing abilities. “I work better with an intimate community,” she says, “and for those followers of mine on social media that are truly ride-or-die, I want to use email campaigns and the newsletter to have a more intimate conversation."
"I may just cancel my other services and go exclusively with these GoDaddy tools.” Regarding advice for those pursuing their passion, she stresses the importance of thinking from the heart, not the bank balance. “Numbers don’t validate the worth of your product or service. If what you are offering is good quality, stay the course and the seeds will grow. Challenge yourself and spend time with and around people who are striving for something bigger than themselves.”
