International psychologist and The Chicago School faculty member Roblyn P. Lewter, Ph.D., delivered a powerful keynote address on breast cancer awareness, trauma healing, and joy at the Black Women’s Breast Health & Wellness Luncheon on July 26 in Washington, D.C. Hosted at the historic St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church and funded by the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in partnership with the Thelma D. Jones Breast Cancer Fund, the event gathered advocates and survivors to promote breast health and radical wellness for Black women.
Representing The Chicago School’s International Psychology Department, where she serves as core faculty, Dr. Lewter delivered her address, “The Healing Power of Joy,” blending soul-centered science, trauma-informed empowerment, and ancestral wisdom. Her words encouraged attendees to reclaim their wellness, embrace joy as essential to healing, and raise their voices for health and wholeness.
“Breast cancer is not just about tissue; it’s about trauma. It’s not just about genes; it’s about generations,” Dr. Lewter said. “And healing? It’s not a privilege. It’s our birthright.”
Drawing from her global experience (particularly the field experiences she often leads to Ghana for international psychology graduate students) and blending neuroscience, psychology, spirituality, and personal narrative, Dr. Lewter created a sacred space for healing and reawakening. She spoke about the mental, emotional, and historical weight Black women carry, illuminating the link between chronic stress, suppressed emotion, and illness. Her speech was not just a presentation; it was a restoration.
A passionate educator and fierce advocate for liberation-centered wellness, Dr. Lewter grounded her message in both research and ritual. She introduced a “soul prescription” for healing, encouraging women to detox toxic relationships, reclaim joy as nonnegotiable, and return to themselves without apology. Through guided breathwork, audience affirmations, and collective reflection, the sanctuary transformed into a site of collective healing.
This moment was also deeply personal. Dr. Lewter spoke about the devastating loss of her grandmother and two paternal aunts to breast cancer, anchoring her message in lived experience and generational resilience. She closed by honoring her late cousin Dionne—her dying wish was for joy, not pity—reminding everyone that words shape reality, and joy is medicine.
As a faculty member at The Chicago School, Dr. Lewter exemplifies the mission of International Psychology to apply culturally responsive, globally engaged, and community-rooted approaches to healing. Her address exemplified what it looks like to lead with brilliance, integrity, and bold compassion, and to honor both data and the divine in the pursuit of justice. For Dr. Lewter, it was yet another step in a lifelong mission to transform systems, rewrite stories, and catalyze global healing one sacred breath at a time.
Dr. Lewter continues to expand this work globally through her writing, research, and speaking engagements at the intersection of psychology, culture, and healing.
For more information on the programs at The Chicago School, please fill out the form below.