WHat is SHade it In?

Shade It In, LLC is a Black woman owned business that provides trauma informed life and leadership coaching and consulting. Founded by Dr. Tamara Thomas, who is a speaker, advocate, professor, and life and leadership coach.


Shade it In’s Philosophy and Approach

This business is committed to disrupting imbalances of power and oppression wherever and whenever possible. Shade It In boldly and firmly against every -ism and system of compounded subordination to include but not limited to racism, sexism, trans oppression, ableism, religious oppression, and nationalism.

Shade It In, LLC takes a trauma informed and healing centered approach to coaching and consulting.

What does it mean to be trauma informed and healing centered? It’s a commitment to creating spaces of care for clients and organizations that are non-judgmental and acknowledges that our past and current experiences have led to certain behavioral expressions, brain functions, beliefs, and needs that show up in both our personal and professional lives. It’s creating sustainable and transformative internal and external change by engaging with a client from a lens of what has happened to you and what is right for you?

How we define trauma?

Any experience that is too much, too soon, too fast, too much for too long, or too little for too long. Trauma is not defined by the event, instead your experience of the event. At the root of every one of your reactions and behaviors in your life, is an experience.

More about Tamara

Dr. Tamara Thomas is a Life and Leadership Coach certified through the International Coaching Federation by the Academy of Creative Coaching. She holds a Doctorate of Education from the George Washington University with a focus on human development and healing experiences of Black women.

Tamara’s story!

As a Black woman, I did all the things “they” said would bring me success, joy, and protection. Three degrees, multiple certifications, promotions, a taste of financial freedom. Yet, despite how “great” my life looked, it felt different, I was depleted. As an overachieving Black woman, none of my accolades protected me or afforded me the life that felt good when I was alone with my thoughts. I still had to navigate the tight rope of being too much and not enough, microaggressions, misogynoir, and trauma.

It took me along time to realize that I had wore many masks to protect myself and internalized some limiting beliefs that kept me from pursuing my true goals and heart’s desires. One subconscious belief was “I am only worth what I can do for others and my value comes from how hard I work and what I can produce.” Today, tomorrow, and forever I say and want to support Black women in saying “no more.” No more to the standards, feelings, and expectations placed on Black women. I am enough, you are enough, simply by existing and your needs, insights, body, and humanity are important.

Now its your turn! Let’s work to get you to where you want to be, let’s Shade It In!

“Beyond titles, I'm just Tamara. A Black woman on a journey to break free from overachieving, people-pleasing, perfectionism, which all exist because my needs were unmet for so long.”