WOUNDED HEALER- A Mental Health Film by a Mental Health Therapist is NOW AVAILABLE!

Mental Health Therapist Turned Filmmaker Releases Debut Film 

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October 22, 2024, Charlotte, NC- It’s not every day that a mental health therapist ventures into filmmaking, but this month, Shamanda Burston, a licensed therapist and now filmmaker, is making that leap. Earlier this month, Burston announced that her book-turned-film, Wounded Healer, has been acquired by Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution arm of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group. The company has secured North American VOD (Video On Demand) rights for the mental health-themed drama, which will be available for rent or purchase on digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms starting October 22, 2024.

Wounded Healer tells the story of Manda, a 30-year-old therapist battling her own mental health struggles while raising two teenage children in Atlanta. As Manda faces the pressures of her career and a resurgence of an autoimmune illness from her childhood, she reluctantly joins “The Wounded Healers Group,” a support group for counselors. This journey leads her back to her North Carolina hometown, where she confronts her past and family, discovering that prioritizing her own healing is key to her well-being.

The film’s release is especially timely, as it debuts during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, offering a unique lens on the intersection of mental health and domestic violence. Directed by Aleshia Cowser Jackson (known for BET’s Bricked and Millennial) and written by Shamanda Burston of Lulu B. Productions, Wounded Healer was produced by Tiffani-MiShelle Johnson and Qulanda R. Moore, with Shamanda Burston and Izylah Collins serving as executive producers. In addition to the crew, Wounded Healer features an ensemble cast that includes Katelynn Bennett (Lifetime’s Breaking Girl Code, BET’s A Christmas Surprise, Paramount’s Zoey 102), Rashan Ali Smith (BET’s All The Queen’s Men, TV One’s Sister Circle), Christal Jordan (OWN’s Iyanla Vanzant: Fix My Life, contributor to Good Day Atlanta and Rolling Out), along with Cheryl Frazier, McKenzie Grace Williams, Asher Robinson, Michael Mau, Dexter Lamont, Dexter Matthews, and Moses Jones.

Reflecting on her film debut, Shamanda Burston shared, "I am incredibly excited for the release of my debut feature film, Wounded Healer, the first of many projects from LuLu B. Productions. As a licensed therapist, professor, and filmmaker, my goal is to create films, TV series, and media content that inspire, encourage, and educate audiences about mental health and wellness."

The official trailer can be viewed by visiting Lulu B. Productions via https://www.lulubproductions.com/ and if you’re interested in speaking with Shamanda, please email sarah@candicenicolepr.com. You can also stay connected with the film on Instagram @WoundedHealerMovie and the writer @ShamandaBurston. For media requests, please email sarah@candicenicolepr.com. 

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