Selected Work

Trauma-informed reporting and public health education across mental health, care systems, and equity.

Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pain

For many, chest pain often triggers immediate fear, and the first thing many think about when they experience chest pain is their heart. Though a heart condition doesn’t necessarily cause chest pain, it may also be linked to anxiety. Understanding how anxiety shows up in the body can make these experiences feel less confusing and less frightening. In this article, we walk through the connection between anxiety and chest pain, what chest pain from anxiety feels like, how it compares to heart atta...

Endometriosis Isn't Just Painful Periods—Here's What It Really Is - Blue Life Mag

Across Africa, many women are told their severe period pain is “normal” or “that is just part of being a woman.” But for those living with endometriosis, the pain goes far beyond cramps. 


The chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis can affect your education, career, intimacy, fertility, and emotional wellbeing, long before a diagnosis is made.


Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in places it shouldn’t. Instead of staying inside the ut...

Stages Of Trauma Treatment And Recovery

Trauma can affect both the mind and body. Many people who have experienced a traumatic event report feeling overwhelmed by the various ways that their perceptions of themselves and the world around them have been altered. However, healing is possible and it often occurs through distinct stages or phases.


Understanding the stages of trauma healing can provide you with clarity about your feelings and reactions, help ease guilt and self-blame, and increase your ability to relate to your emotions...

Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Symptoms, Treatment, and Self-Care

Managing hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is possible. With the right treatment and self-care, you can reduce flares, ease pain, and improve your quality of life.Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin condition that causes painful bumps, tunnels, and scars, often in areas where skin rubs together, like the armpits, groin, buttocks, and under the breasts.It’s not caused by poor hygiene or an infection. While there’s no cure, several treatments and lifestyle changes can help manage hidradeni...

What Are Disparities in Trauma Care?

This article examines disparities in trauma care, their causes, and ways to reduce these inequities for better treatment outcomes.Disparities in trauma care can lead to worsened health outcomes, including longer recovery times, chronic pain, and even increased mortality rates. Access to quality trauma care varies across populations, with some facing greater barriers due to systemic biases, healthcare inequalities, and socioeconomic challenges.Disparities in trauma care refer to the unequal acces...

Hi there, I'm Rashida.

I'm a mental health writer and content strategist.  I help health organizations, including nonprofits, advocacy groups, and health brands, create content people can trust—content that protects well-being.

My work begins with a simple truth: in health, words can heal, or they can harm.

I've spent over a decade working as a registered psychiatric nurse, much of it in correctional settings supporting people living with mental health conditions and other vulnerable populations.

That experience has taught me something I carry into every piece I write or edit: 
Words carry weight. They can calm or wound, connect or isolate, build trust or break it.

Online, I see the same patterns play out. Much of health content still talks at people. Too often, it feels cold, overly clinical, or dismissive.

My work speaks with them. So when someone is scared or searching, they don't feel brushed off. They feel understood and respected.

That's why I write.

I help organizations close the trust gap. Whether the topic is mental health, chronic illness, or broader wellness, I make sure content respects people first. 

Because readers aren't just "traffic." They're human beings looking for clarity, comfort, or relief.

When I'm not writing, you'll probably find me sipping chai, spending time by the ocean, making art, or laughing with my family along Kenya's coastline 🌊

At the heart of it all, my mission is simple:

When someone struggling lands on your content, they should leave feeling seen, respected, and safe in your words.

Clients I've worked with: