Better with Dr. Ericka

This episode discusses working to make the law work for all and be more just, along with taking action to change the plight of marginalized communities. We also discuss steps to maintain your mental health and the mental health of youth around you on your journey to make change in the world. This episode features Alana Mathews who is an attorney with a strong community presence and is running for District Attorney of Sacramento. She has done all of this with grace while raising her 3 children.

You will learn:

-Doing it all

-Giving yourself grace

-Asking for help

-Watching kids turn into adults

-Encouraging mental health in young adults/children

-Looking for the root cause behind “crime”

-Seeing marginalized populations struggle and taking action to do something about it

Get in touch with Alana:

https://facebook.com/alanaforda

https://twitter.com/alanaforda

https://instagram.com/alanamathewsforDA

Resources:

https://alanaforda.com

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles” - https://www.amazon.com/Return-Love-Reflections-Principles-Miracles/dp/0060927488/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3CDJ8JDZNFVSX&dchild=1&keywords=a+return+to+love+by+marianne+williamson&qid=1629114195&sprefix=a+return+to+love%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1

Fix Your Fairytale: A Woman’s Guide to a Great Life, Love, and Legacy - https://fixyourfairytalebook.com

About Alana Mathews:

While raising her three children, Mathews went to night school at McGeorge School of Law. She served

After eight years as a Deputy District Attorney, Mathews was recruited to help start the enforcement unit for the California Energy Commission and was later appointed Public Adviser for the agency by Governor Jerry Brown. In this position, Mathews led organizational change by developing and implementing the agency’s equity initiative to ensure California’s most vulnerable communities were protected. She expanded this work as the Chief Consultant for Climate Change for the California Legislature, continuing to address disparities in policy and practice while protecting vulnerable populations.

She now works for the Prosecutors Alliance of California, an alliance of reform-minded prosecutors working to promote criminal justice reform statewide and teaches law at the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, training the next generation of legal advocates.

In 2020 Mathews founded the Community Justice Collaborative to empower and educate underserved communities throughout Sacramento by hosting free educational legal clinics and supporting frontline civic engagement.

Mathews graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, becoming the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She and her husband, retired Army First Sergeant Eugene Arcurio, live in Elk Grove, California. She has lived in Sacramento County for almost 25 years.

This episode discusses community, mentorship and family with Eric Guster.  He is an attorney, real estate developer, legal and political analyst, along with father and husband. You don’t want to miss a single moment of this episode because the speed round is epic. Let me give you a hint, it’s not so speedy because there is some raw and honest knowledge there.

You will learn:

-The value and strategies of mentorship

-Using your influence for good

-Investing in your Community and paying it forward

-Being present for your family as you build

Connect with Eric:

Https://instagram.com/ericguster

Https://facebook.com/ericguster

Https://twittter.com/ericguster

Resources:

https://www.gusterlawfirm.com

About Eric Guster, Esq.:

Eric L. Welch Guster grew up in Birmingham, Ala.; graduated from Baker Elementary, Bush Middle and Ensley High School; received a degree in Accounting and Finance from Alabama State University; and graduated from Birmingham School of Law. He is married to Jamie Guster and they have one daughter, Erin, and are expecting a second child this Fall.

Eric Guster is founder and managing attorney of Guster Law Firm, LLC where members of the firm handle civil litigation matters. He appears as a legal and political analyst on national networks including CNN, MSNBC, and several other networks. Guster is a real estate investor and developer of commercial and residential real estate in Alabama.

During his years at Alabama State University, Guster pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, and became a member of The Mighty Marching Hornets.

“Never quit,’’ is his motto. He used it when he started his own business in high school, and he still refers to that motto in everything he does today. In his spare time, he travels, volunteers with organizations benefiting youth, moderates legal workshops and mentors young attorneys.

This is a special Olympic episode featuring Dr. Rhadi Ferguson. He brings a unique perspective as a 2004 Olympian, author, speaker, former mixed martial arts professional fighter. If that’s not enough he also runs a dojo and is a coach. We’re talking about current olympics events, mental health, the olympic mindset and how all of this translates over to “regular” life.

You don’t want to miss a single moment of this episode because you’re going to hear insight on big news items from the Olympics from an actual Olympian, along with ways that the mindset of an elite athlete can inspire you to have better mental health.  It doesn't matter if you're an elite athlete or Olympic fan, you're going to hear something useful for you.

What you’ll learn:

-Qualities that transition into “regular life” from being an elite athlete

-Mental toughness vs. mental health

-An Olympian’s view of recent mental health discussions in elite athletics and the Olympics, including Naomi Osaka, Sha’carri Richardson, and Simone Biles

Resilience

-Survival in hostile environments

-The “twisties”

-Merging of pandemic, racial injustice, insurrection, trauma on current events with the Olympics and athletes

Where to find Dr. Rhadi Ferguson:

www.facebook.com/rhadiferguson

www.instagram.com/rhadiferguson

www.facebook.com/tampafloridajudo

www.instagram.com/tampafloridajudo

Resources:

www.EnhanceOrDestroy.com

www.SwitchOnCoach.com

About Dr. Rhadi Ferguson:

Dr. Rhadi Ferguson is a 2004 Olympian, an author, speaker, former mixed martial arts professional fighter and an award winning judo coach. He is professionally called “The Intellectual Warrior” due to his academic approach as a strategist and tactician. He further staples down this moniker by having served as an Adjunct Professor in the sports science departments of the University of Central Florida and the University of Tampa. Dr. Ferguson also served as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts and currently serves as an editorial reviewer for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Dr. Ferguson has been featured on major networks such as Yahoo!, NBC, ESPN and in print media such as UFC Fit Magazine, Ultimate Grappling Magazine, Washington Post and he is a writer for the professional blog ProMMANow.com which is syndicated by the USA Today. Dr. Ferguson has also been published in peer reviewed journals and his motivational speaking and coaching advice can be easily found on his internet show “Coffee With Rhadi” which is a spinoff from his book “Coffee with Rhadi: Herculean Conversations with an Olympian (and some other things that you think about from time to time...)” which can be found with the rest of his publications on www.Amazon.com

Professionally, Dr. Ferguson holds a 6th degree black belt in Judo. He also holds a 4th Degree black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu which is a background that very few martial artists can proclaim. Dr. Ferguson also holds a doctorate and masters degree in area of education and currently runs, teaches and operates his own dojo in Tampa, Florida, Tampa Florida Judo where he coaches, teaches and mentors practitioners at the grassroots level of the art and sport who have been successful on the state and national levels.

Dr. Ferguson resides in Tampa, Florida and is the proud father two children, Rufus (13) and daughter Rhadi Isabelle (9). Both of whom are former National Champions.

This episode explores work-life balance, along with wellness, and features Dr. Jada Moore-Ruffin, nationally recognized weight loss specialist, wellness expert, life coach and physician. She is board certified in family and obesity medicine. You don’t want to miss a single moment of this because work life balance or work life integration was a challenge before the pandemic, but the never-ending pandemic has stretched everyone to their limits.

What you’ll learn:

-what is wellness

-how different areas of wellness all impact each other

-how our capacity is impacted by stress

-the importance of the ability to just “be”

-balancing personal and professional fulfillment

-cycles of productivity

-what is your why

-the value of discernment and how to avoid the comparison trap

-strategies for self awareness

-myths about time

How to find Dr. Jada:

www.instagram.com/drjadamd

www.facebook.com/drjadamd

www.youtube.com/drjadamd

www.linkedin.com/in/drjadamd

Resources:

www.getreadywithdrjada.com

www.startwithreal.com

Fix Your Fairytale: A Woman’s Guide to a Great Life, Love, and Legacy- www.FixYourFairytaleBook.com

About Dr. Jada:

Dr. Jada Moore-Ruffin, widely known as Dr. Jada, is a nationally recognized weight loss specialist, wellness expert, and successful entrepreneur with an award-winning weight loss center. Dr. Moore-Ruffin received her undergraduate degree in biology from Memphis State University and her medical degree from Meharry Medical College, where she graduated with honors. She is certified as both an integrative nutrition coach and a professional abundant life coach; she is also board-certified in family and obesity medicine.

With a passion for personal growth, total wellness, and abundant living, Dr. Jada inspires people to engineer their own happiness, live full out, and create a healthy legacy. In her spare time, she enjoys nature walks, wine tasting, writing, and cooking. She also volunteers with her beloved sisterhood, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, in the Educational Development Youth Initiatives and Physical and Mental Health.

Dr. Moore-Ruffin resides in Atlanta with her forever husband, and their wonderful three children. Affectionately, they are known as Team Ruffin.

This episode features, Dr. Anissa Jones, and discusses spreading wellness through purpose and multiple businesses, along with life lessons and keys to entrepreneurship. Dr. Anissa Jones, aka Dr. Nissa, is a top chiropractor, business coach, and owns multiple businesses beyond her medical practice. Even if you’re not a chiropractor or entrepreneur, you’re going to want to stay on to the last minute of this episode because this episode includes strategies for resilience, utilizing your family for support and inspiration, along with ways to take action on your dreams and finances.

What You’ll Learn:

-The value of family and home for inspiration, identifying your purpose, and keeping you grounded

-Utilizing support of family to be an entrepreneur and reach your goals

-Dr. Nissa’s inspiration to do holistic medicine/chiropractic

-Lessons in resilience in life and business

-The power of budgeting

-Pearls for business

-The value of dreaming and visualizing big

-Benefits of essential oils

Resources:

Totalfuze.com

Drnissa.myshopify.com

From Trauma to Triumph: An Entrepreneurs Guide to Success: https://drnissa.myshopify.com/products/from-trauma-to-triumph-an-entrepreneurs-guide-to-success

Where to find Dr. Nissa:

Drnissa.com

www.facebook.com/drnissadc

www.instagram.com/drnissadc

www.twitter.com/drnissadc

www.linkedin.com/in/drnissadc

About Dr. Nissa:

As one of the nation’s most acclaimed Business Consultant and Strategist, Dr. Anissa M. Jones (a.k.a. Dr. Nissa) is a Nationally Recognized Chiropractor who is also a Best Selling Author and Speaker.

Dr. Nissa consistently works with other Chiropractors to improve their business systems and provide ongoing coaching. With her gregarious personality and ‘bedside manner”, Dr. Nissa creates a pleasant and buoyant environment that also makes her client’s experience comfortable and at ease. It is easy to see why she is ‘America’s Chiropractor.”

As the Founder and Clinical Director of Total Fuze Chiropractic, Dr. Nissa takes a "peace of mind" approach in Business consulting. Dr. Nissa also shares her business expertise via her popular YouTube series “The Boss Up Hub” to help #headbossesincharge pursue their passion. Her mission is simple: To educate and empower.

Dr. Nissa earned her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University and she also has an International MBA from Wesleyan College.

This episode explores the value of truth-telling and legacy building for being an agent of change. My guest is Chuck Hobbs, trial attorney and freelance writer. He has been using his platform of writing to shine the light on truth and issues that others may avoid. You don’t want to miss a minute of this conversation because this is not a conversation about abstract concept, but rather a conversation that is filled with practical information that can help you take action that aligns with your values.

This episode is dedicated to the epic president of Florida A and M University, Dr. Frederick Humphries.

What You’ll Learn:

-Strategies to deal with grief

-Impact of COVID on daily life

-Dealing with your own mortality

-Recognizing and being proactive with mental health

-Living in your purpose

-Using creative written expression to fulfill purpose and activism

Resources:

Mind Matters:  A Resource Guide for Psychiatry in Black Communities: https://DrErickaBooks.com

Hobbservation Point blog: https://chuckhobbs.substack.com/

Where to find Chuck Hobbs:

www.instagram.com/RealChuckHobbs

www.twitter.com/RealChuckHobbs

https://www.facebook.com/RealChuckHobbs

https://www.facebook.com/chuck.hobbs.7

Steel Sharpens Steel: https://www.facebook.com/steelsharpenssteeltcsj

About Chuck Hobbs

Chuck Hobbs is a trial lawyer and award winning freelance writer. A Tallahassee native, Hobbs earned a B.A. in history from Morehouse College in 1994 and an M.A. with a concentration in history from Florida A&M University in 1995. In 1998, Hobbs earned a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

While initially serving as a state prosecutor in Tallahassee, in 2001, Hobbs founded his own law firm, one that handled a number of high profile cases, including two jury trials that aired on Court TV. 

Over the past ten years, Hobbs has been a regularly featured columnist in The Hill, The Grio and the Tallahassee Democrat. His editorials also have appeared in the New York Times, Miami Herald, and Florida Times-Union. 

Hobbs has served as a legal analyst for the TV-One television series “Fatal Attraction,” a political analyst for “The Morning Good with Madelyne Woods” radio show on WAOL Radio in Washington, D.C., and hosts or cohosts several web based shows including "TCR Dialogues," the "Hobbservation Point Roundtable," "Front & Center," and "Steel Sharpens Steel."  Due to his work in the courtroom and as a writer, in 2014, Hobbs was invited by the United States Department of Defense to travel to Naval Base Guantanamo in Cuba, where he observed and wrote extensively about the court proceedings for Khalid Sheikh Mohammad and the 9/11 terror co-conspirators. Hobbs also has provided legal commentary on CNN, Fox News, the “E” network and ESPN on topics ranging from hazing on college campuses to the Duke Lacrosse scandal.

A former legal adviser to the Florida NAACP, Hobbs is an active member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Tallahassee Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, and Valentine Lodge #147, Prince Hall Affiliated Free & Accepted Masons.

This episode explores traveling safety and wellness during the pandemic and features Dr. Yvette McQueen, Emergency Physician and Concierge Travel Medicine Physician. She knows the ins and outs of keeping you safe while you travel, along with having extensive knowledge of travel logistics. You will want to stay on until the very end to hear all of these useful tips to help you travel safely and integrate wellness into your travel as this pandemic rages on. Even if you aren’t planning major travel right now, you’ll still want to hear the tips of integrating wellness into your every day life and places to explore that are local or domestic.

What you’ll learn:

Resources:

Travel 911 (Book): travel911book.com

Wellness Box: stressnwellnessbox.com

Where to find Dr. Yvette:

www.instagram.com/drtravel911

www.facebook.com/yvettemcqueenmd

www.YouTube.com/yvettemcqueenmd

www.linkedin.com/in/yvettermcqueenmd

www.twitter.com/yvettemcqueenmd

Website: www.yvettemcqueenmd.com

About Dr. Yvette:

Dr. Yvette McQueen is a global physician on a mission to educate about health, travel wellness and disease prevention.  She is an Emergency Medicine and Concierge Travel medicine physician; working across the US and the Caribbean.  Dr. McQueen also serves as a travel group physician ensuring healthy and safe travel of the clients before and during their international trip.  Dr. McQueen is a 4x best seller author, speaker, blogger, consultant, CPR and First Aid instructor; wilderness emergency care training and international teaching for the American Heart Association.   She has traveled to 40+ international countries for exploring; organizes medical missions to Africa; hospital training/teaching in Rwanda and Tanzania; and participates in international church missions. She’s also the executive producer on the award-winning travel show Fly Brother; provides Wellness Lifestyle Coaching, Wellness Retreats; and a Board of Directors member of the Wellness Tourism Association.

This episode explores how inspiration, mindset, and being present can all immediately improve your quality of life, along with a discussion of how meditation can bring more happiness.  My guest is Light Watkins, and he has spent years teaching thousands of people how to meditate, along with being an author of books that focus on making happiness, meditation, and inspiration attainable. Don’t worry if you don’t meditate because there is knowledge in this episode for everyone to improve their life immediately. You’re going to want to stay on until the very end to catch all of the tips.

What you’ll learn:

-The importance of listening to your inner voice

-The power of inspiration

-The power and utility of present moment awareness

-The importance of managing stress

-The value of personal and lifestyle habits

-Improving your relationship with meditation

Resources:

Knowing Where to Look: 108 Daily Doses of Inspiration by Light Watkins: https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Where-Look-Daily-Inspiration/dp/168364770X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3C0BMX8VMCF4T&dchild=1&keywords=knowing+where+to+look+light+watkins&qid=1625567572&sprefix=knowing+where+to+look%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-3

Bliss More: ow two Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying by Light Watkins: https://www.amazon.com/Bliss-More-Succeed-Meditation-Without/dp/0399180354/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1516296647&sr=1-1

How to connect with Light:

https://instagram.com/lightwatkins

https://twitter.com/lightwatkins

https://lightwatkins.com

About Light Watkins:

Light Watkins first began attending yoga and meditation classes in the late 1990s in New York City while working as a fashion model. In 2003, after a chance encounter with a very gifted meditation teacher, Light felt inspired to become a meditation teacher himself.

He apprenticed with his teacher for several years in Los Angeles, and in 2007, he joined his teacher in India to be trained in the ancient ways of teaching meditation.

Since 2007, Light has personally taught thousands of people from all walks of life how to enjoy a daily meditation practice in a self-sufficient way, and he’s positively impacted many more practitioners through his books, videos, and popular TEDx talk on the 5 Most Common Meditation Myths.

Light facilitates workshops and retreats around the world, and gives talks on happiness, mindfulness, inspiration, and meditation. He’s written two bestsellers: The Inner Gym: A 30-Day Workout for Strengthening Happiness (L&G Publishing, 2015), and Bliss More: How to Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying (Random House, 2018).

His current book, Knowing Where to Look: 108 Daily Doses of Inspiration (Sounds True, 2021), is based on the popular daily inspirational email that Light has been sending out each morning since 2016.

Reviews mean a lot in this podcast world, so if you like what you heard, please go to https://ratebetterpodcast.com to leave a review.

This episode features, Ellis Dean, as we explore race and what it takes to truly be an ally. We also discuss the importance of not only being open to change, but also being willing to take action to create safe spaces. In addition to this, we also discuss the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Ellis is a talented radio host, director of digital programming and production, and healthcare worker.  No matter your race, ethnicity, or gender, you're going to want to stay on until the very end because you'll hear real world solutions to deal with the improving your ability to connect and be a better for version of yourself by increasing your empathy, being a better ally, giving yourself grace, and being seen.  

What you’ll learn:

-Experience of blackness in America

-Practical aspects of being an ally

-Creating safe spaces

-Recognizing the experiences of others, including gender, and making changes to behavior to be better allies

-Nuances of privilege

-Multiple reasons the pandemic has been traumatic

-The importance of dealing with trauma

Resources:

The Overwhelm Solution Blueprint by Dr. Ericka Goodwin: free ebook at www.overwhelmblueprint.com

Mind Matters: A Resource Guide to Psychiatry in Black Communities: www.DrErickaBooks.com

Where to find Ellis Dean:

Email: [email protected]

www.instagram.com/silliethoughts

www.facebook.com/silliethoughts

www.twitter.com/silliethoughts

www.facebook.com/ThoughtsandMomentsRadio (The actual Thoughts and Moments radio show comes on Thursdays at 5pm EST)

About Ellis:

If "necessity is the mother in invention", then talent, creativity, curiosity, and restlessness must be the mother of reinvention. Ellis Dean is a multi-talented host, public speaker, marketing, and healthcare professional who is comfortable being uncomfortable. Throughout his career of reinventing himself, one thing remained constant. His undeniable love for educating people through his exploits. This pursuit has led him to many careers and to cultivate his passion of writing and hosting.