The Woman in the Yard

Listener Discretion Advised - Before we begin, we'd like to ask you to take a moment and consider if this conversation may not be right for you. Our episode this week deals directly with the delicate subjects of mental illness, depression, and experiences of self-harm including suicide. Our conversation is vulnerable, honest, sensitive, and (we hope) ultimately encouraging. But if you are feeling uncertain about being able to engage such a conversation at this time, please prioritize your well-being as a foremost consideration.

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Danielle Deadwyler is a chilling portrait of oppressive grief. Ramona (Deadwyler) is injured, both physically and emotionally from an accident that claimed the life of her husband and the father of her two children. She struggles to sustain her sanity and the basic necessities of care for their remote farmhouse. One morning, when a mysterious woman dressed in black appears on their front lawn, Ramona will soon be forced to confront all that she's been keeping from her children and all that she's been hiding from herself.

We're joined by the curator of this series, Rev DeAnna Daniels PhD, and writer Johnny Lee Brown-Sampayo, whose blog, Black Horrific, merges Black history with social commentary and discussions of Black horror media. The film provides a unique opportunity to raise important questions of ourselves about empathy, struggle, grief, and despair. We present it in the faith that through the gift of seeing our neighbor's struggles more clearly, we can draw closer to a more meaningful understanding and a stronger sense of hope.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling, please consider reaching out to someone you trust or a mental‑health professional. You are not the first person to feel like this and support is available. And if you listen to our discussion, we hope it will uplift you and hopefully feel just a little less alone.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts here..

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