about lenard joshua jackson
Lenard Joshua Jackson is the founder of Rising Roots Emotional Mastery, an emotional healing and coaching practice rooted in Afrikana Studies, somatics, and liberation frameworks.
A graduate of Oberlin College, Joshua studied Afrikana Studies under Professors Caroline Jackson-Smith and Justin Emeka, connecting healing modalities that reconnect us to our histories, ancestors, and elders. Drawing from the artistic genius of Julie Dash, Lauryn Hill, Ntozake Shange, and Kendrick Lamar, he explored storytelling, Hip Hop, and theater as vehicles for liberation.
In his honors thesis, Embodied Liberation: An Offering (April 20, 2023), he defined Embodied Liberation as
“a modality or collection of modalities that work to *fulfill [the] wholeness of one’s self through six pillars: provide a mechanism for personal, cultural, and collective freedom, actively make space for the healing of self and those who lack access, maintain a growing awareness of Black culture and womanism, shed shame and release guilt, deepen one’s relationship to their Afrikanness, and undermine… oppressive forces” (Jackson, 2023).
After graduation, Joshua’s partner introduced him to Re-evaluation Counseling (RC), a practice centered on discharge, deep listening, and reclaiming agency. He began integrating RC and somatic approaches, including Capoeira Angola, to support children and families in Brooklyn’s Ascend Charter Schools and beyond.
His work uniquely blends RC’s principles — gentle, present listening; viewing each person as inherently good; and encouraging emotional discharge — with movement and an Afrikana perspective focused on collective liberation.
At Rising Roots, he helps families move from shutdown to breakthrough, providing tools to free the mind and restore generational connection.
Oberlin Capoeira Angola members in deep rhythm and connection — embodying community, culture, and liberation through movement and music.
Liberation, not suppression.
Especially for global majority communities, emotional mastery is about liberation from generational and systemic oppression, not simply becoming “calm” or “quiet.”
Dr. Joy DeGruy (Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome) shows that enslaved Africans in America were forced to suppress emotions to survive — these survival strategies were passed down, shaping patterns of disconnection and self-silencing.
Dr. Resmaa Menakem (My Grandmother’s Hands) reminds us that Black and Indigenous bodies hold “white body supremacy trauma,” creating chronic tension and freeze responses.
RC and Rising Roots practices offer a path to break these cycles, empowering us to reclaim emotional expression as an act of freedom.
Everyday breakthroughs in action.
Emotional mastery isn’t abstract — it lives in the smallest daily moments:
A child shuts down after an argument.
A teen isolates after feeling excluded.
Academic pressure shows up as headaches or clenched fists.
Without support, these stresses become toxic, damaging brain development and self-regulation (Harvard Center on the Developing Child, ACEs studies).
Through co-regulation, attention-out listening, and somatic practices, Rising Roots helps transform shutdowns into breakthroughs — creating space for connection, clarity, and growth.
🌟 From shutdowns to breakthroughs.
Emotional mastery through Rising Roots is not about control — it’s about embodied liberation, generational healing, and reclaiming joy.
We help families and communities move from survival to wholeness, from silent pain to powerful connection.
💬 Ready to step into this work before bonds break, before shouting becomes the only language, before disconnection becomes permanent?
Book your consultation today, and learn how Rising Roots can help your family move from shutdowns to breakthroughs— together.
🌿 Emotional Mastery in Action
Beyond controlling feelings — toward embodied liberation.
At Rising Roots Emotional Mastery, we believe emotional mastery isn’t about rigidly “controlling” your feelings. It’s about experiencing, expressing, and transforming them in safe, connected spaces — reclaiming your full aliveness.
According to Dr. Susan David (Harvard Medical School), emotional suppression leads to greater anxiety and physical illness. In Re-evaluation Counseling (RC), we understand emotions as information and energy, guiding us toward deeper healing and authentic living.
Imagine this: anxiety around creating isn’t simply a lack of discipline — it’s a message written into your mind and body from every limiting story you’ve ever been told. Without intentionally rewriting those stories, they keep replaying.
Training in balance, strength, and surrender — embodying emotional mastery through movement and breath.
Why it matters for academic and life success.
Research from Harvard SEL and CASEL shows that students with strong emotional skills perform better academically and build healthier relationships.
A landmark meta-analysis (Durlak et al., 2011) found that students in social-emotional learning programs improved their academic performance by an average of 11 percentile points.
At Rising Roots, emotional discharge clears mental "static," unlocking focus, motivation, and trust. We don’t just help children “behave” — we support them in thriving.
Movement is medicine.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score) proves that trauma lives in the body — it can’t be resolved through talk alone.
That’s why Rising Roots integrates movement, shaking, crying, shouting, and Capoeira Angola as core practices. These somatic releases help families reclaim agency over their bodies, heal deeply held ancestral patterns, and embody resilience.
A simple daily tool you can start today.
Try this: “attention-out” listening.
Set a timer for five minutes. One person shares freely — no advice, no interruptions, just warm, present listening. Afterward, shake out your hands, stretch, or move together.
This small practice, backed by the Gottman Institute and RC research, builds trust, strengthens self-regulation, and turns daily moments into micro-healing opportunities.
Contact us
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