Biography
Early Life
Sindile Dlamini grew up in South Africa. She was surrounded by rich traditions and strong family values. She learned early on how important family and culture. They shape a person’s identity. These experiences would later help her understand grief and loss.
Dlamini was always curious. She found herself immersed in reading. She spent much of her time learning about the world around her. Her parents were very supportive of her dreams. They encouraged her to pursue them.
Writing, Activism, & Academia
Dr. Sindile Dlamini Mathebula pursued higher education to deepen her understanding of both spiritual and psychological well-being. She earned her Master’s degree from the Howard University School of Divinity. She studied how faith and culture shape the way people experience emotions. She completed the Ph.D. program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She focused on International Psychology. This program explored how different cultures around the world approach mental health and emotional healing.
Dr. Dlamini is an active writer and thinker. She contributed an important article to the book Proverbs: Wisdom Commentary, titled African Womanist Perspective on Proverbs 31 ‘Abafazi Imbokodo, a Woman Is a Rock’. It examines how African women’s experiences connect with the wisdom in Proverbs. This book won the prestigious Book of the Year Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers.
Dr. Dlamini is also a contributing author of the book, The Roots of Holiday Grief. This book explores how people experience loss and grief during the holiday season. Her insights draw from her studies and real-life experiences. This makes her work both personal and academic.
Her extensive research and writings have been published in several scholarly sources. This includes her comprehensive thesis. It is accessible through Westminster Research, and her dissertation, which can be found on ProQuest.
Religious Faith & Activism
Dr. Dlamini’s faith is central to her work and activism. She is a former Research Scholar Chaplain at Howard University Hospital. Her research focus included maternal mental health and psychosocial stressors like poverty, interpersonal violence, and HIV. She is also a Service-Learning Teaching Associate at the Howard University Center for Drug Abuse Research. She holds leadership roles in various organizations. At Life Restoration Ministry she serves as the is the interim chair. At the Caribbean African Faith-Based Leadership Conference she is the Founding Board Director. At Believe Center for Change, Inc. she is Vice President.
In 2017, she made history by becoming the third South African woman ordained at Michigan Park Christian Church. This reflects her deep commitment to spiritual leadership, ministry, and community empowerment.
She currently serves as a Chaplain Resident at Grady Memorial Hospital. There she provides spiritual care and emotional support to patients and their families facing illness and grief. This role allows for her to apply her background in psychology and ministry to offer holistic care.
Dr. Dlamini is active in her religious community through her involvement with TCPI. This stands for Tower of Praise Church International. There she continues to serve in ministry. Her work in healthcare and religious settings reveals her dedication to helping others through faith, empathy, and healing.