“We’re different adults, this is a different situation, and you don’t have to be that child anymore. You can be, for that child, what you needed when you were their age. And we can do that now. And we can do that differently. That’s how healing happens.” - Saed Hill

Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Saed Hill. Saed is a Counseling Psychologist, and the Assistant Director of Prevention and Masculine Engagement at the Center for Awareness, Response, and Education (CARE) at Northwestern University. There, he develops and implements strategies to improve masculine engagement in the prevention of violence. Aside from what Saed sees while working with Northwestern students and with clients in all kinds of industries, Saed has done a lot of self-reflection about his own background. And today, he and Ashanti are granted the space to share - both where they have come from and where they are headed…

(0:25) Ashanti’s introduction.

(4:20) Saed introduces himself, his work as a counseling psychologist at Northwestern University, and his overall passion to help people feel free from the structures of conventional masculinity.

(7:50) Ashanti shares the front of his mask - serious, caring, work-a-holic - and both men connect over insecurities about laziness and rest.

(13:05) Saed shares the front of his mask - funny, reflective, curious - and he looks back on his immigrant childhood.

(17:45) Ashanti and Saed discuss how they get past the pleasantries when asking, “How are you doing today?”

(19:45) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - fear of losing mom, worry, desire for a legacy - and what he’s been thinking about when looking at his family tree. Then, Saed reflects on what it’s been like to not be a father while many of his friends are having children.

(29:55) Saed shares the back of his mask - lonely, numbing, not enough - and how he experiences vicarious trauma in his profession.

(35:00) Saed and Ashanti discuss burnout culture, and how the systems in place make it difficult for us to appreciate simply being human.

(43:35) Saed shares more about what he teaches and how he works with college students.

(51:05) Saed shares how you can get in touch with him.

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Connect with Saed Hill:

Website: dynamiccooperative.com/about

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/saed-d-hill-phd

Instagram: instagram.com/papercutrhymesphd

Create your own mask anonymously at millionmask.org

Email us questions and comments at [email protected] 

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

Instagram: instagram.com/branchspeaks

Facebook: facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

Twitter: twitter.com/BranchSpeaks

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch

Website: branchspeaks.com

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Support the podcast and the work of the Ever Forward Club: anchor.fm/branch-speaks/support