Emely Rumble learned early what it meant to keep going.
After losing her grandmother at 14 and entering foster care, she had to grow up quickly. There wasn’t space to slow down or process what she had lost. Life kept moving, and she learned how to move with it.
That pattern followed her into adulthood.
In this episode, Emely shares what it looked like to carry grief without space, to keep showing up, and to handle everything without really stopping to ask what was missing.
From school to work to motherhood, she stayed in motion. Doing what needed to be done. Managing responsibilities. Continuing to push through, even when something deeper was asking for her attention.
There’s a moment she shares about being alone in the emergency room, when her body finally forced her to stop. A moment that made it clear that what she had been carrying for years could no longer be ignored.
She also talks about what it feels like to tell the truth in a relationship and realize that even honesty isn’t always received. That being open doesn’t always mean being heard.
This conversation reflects a reality many women know well. Carrying what needs to be carried. Adjusting to the absence of support. And continuing to move forward, even when something inside is asking for more.
If you’re starting to notice how often you’ve had to keep going without being fully heard, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you begin to understand what kind of support would actually meet you: shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.
About Emely Rumble
Emely Rumble is someone who learned early how to keep going, even when there wasn’t space to process what she was carrying.
After losing her grandmother at 14 and navigating foster care, she had to grow up quickly. That experience shaped how she moved through the world for years, learning how to handle things on her own and keep pushing forward, even when she needed support.
Her work today is rooted in helping people slow down and reconnect with themselves in ways they may not have had access to before.
Emely is a licensed clinical social worker and bibliotherapist who uses books and storytelling as a pathway to healing. Through her practice, she helps people make sense of their experiences, process emotions, and find language for what they’ve been carrying.
Her work has been featured in outlets like Essence, CNN Health, and The New York Times, and her book Bibliotherapy in the Bronx explores how literature can be used as a tool for emotional healing.
At the core of what she does is helping people feel seen, understood, and heard, especially in the places where they’ve learned to carry things on their own.
Connect with Emely Rumble
Website | Instagram |TikTok | Bluesky | Substack
About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.
Resources to Support You:
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Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.
