Chooch On The Loose

**Trigger Warning: abuse, sexual assault, molestation, PTSD, mental health, trauma**In this episode, I'm joined by Joey Garza, founder of Above The Stigma, a non profit whose mission is to de-stigmatize mental health. We get real as fuck and shoot the shit about men and mental health, sexual assault, child molestation and the barriers that men face in getting the help they need to thrive mentally. I'm in awe and inspired by Joey. He's an amazingly resilient human being with a heart of gold and I'm so proud of him and honored to be a safe space where he can share his story.  You can follow Above The Stigma on IG @_abovethestigma_ and learn more about their endeavors, donate money (don't be cheap, heaux!), contact Joey at [email protected] and support  this life changing cause at abovethestigma.com. If you're in the Dublin, California area and reading this before 12/20/20 and you're into running and fitness shit, sign up to to join Above The Stigma at the "Santa Claus For A Mental Health Cause 5k"  here: https://tinyurl.com/y5p5qamr . Friendly reminder that you can send me any comments, questions, feedback or hit me up about being a guest on an episode at [email protected] Or on IG @choochontheloose. Lots of love to you all. 

**Trigger  Warning: trauma, abuse, repressed memories** Today's episode is an emotional ass trip to science and psychology class as we walk down memory lane and I share how trauma has personally shaped my memories, relationships and emotional intelligence. You also get to hear an amazing side bar about why I LOVE Black funerals. It was exhausting and cathartic and I cried a little, so if you feel sad about me crying and want to buy me a cookie, cake, coffee, chocolate, whiskey, wine, bath salts and other shit that healthy people indulge in when they have emotional responses to shit, my Cash App is $Sonjacharde and Venmo is @sonjacharde. Oh, and I've got merch coming soon and as soon as it's live, I'll let ya'll know! Friendly reminder that you can send me any comments, questions, feedback or hit me up about being a guest on an episode at [email protected] Or on IG @choochontheloose. Lots of love to you all. 

This week I meet with my friend Cynthia Padilla Pearson to discuss Post Partum Depression which is stupidly called the "baby blues." Cynthia is Puerto Rican (Weeeeeeepppppppaaaaaaaaa) so you get to enjoy us saying some Spanglish, if that's your thing (why wouldn't it be your thing, though?). Cynthia is passionate AF about women's rights as it pertains to safety and is an advocate to end violence against women and is a  leader in victim rights advocacy in Atlanta. She also has a business, Trauma Conflict Consulting that helps people navigate trauma and conflict in the workplace and in life by teaching skills that include more that using Vicks Vapor Rub (read that as "Vi Vapoo Roo" in a Spanglish accent) as the cure all for all of our shit. Bc newsflash - it's NOT the cure. You can follow her business on IG @traumaconflictconsulting to learn more.  This podcast was recorded at a local coffee shop (shout out to Gilly Brew Bar, it's Black owned) because COVID is a cock blocker and we can't be at each other's houses. As a result, there's some background noise. It adds character, and everyone loves character, so please don't let it deter you from listening. Also, Cynthia has a nice angelic voice and mine is loud AF and not angelic at all so sometimes my voice is louder than hers. Please adjust and readjust your volume accordingly, it's worth the listen and I promise I'll learn how to edit audio and cut out background noise and whatnot soonish (send HALP). For resources on Post Partum Depression, search the hashtag #PPD on InstaGram or go to PostPartum.net or https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/depression/index.htm. Be sure to subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Anchor, text a friend or share it to your social media :) Oh, and friendly reminder that you can send me any comments, questions, feedback or hit me up about being a guest on an episode at [email protected] Or on IG @choochontheloose. I love you all. 

Today I share a raw, unedited, unscripted story about my journey as a Black single parent to a special needs child. I struggled about whether or not to do this, because people LOVE to be Judge Ass Judy when it comes to motherhood and I don't have the mental bandwidth to deal with that...but what the fuck ever. Let the Shaming Sheila's shame. I feel like there may be a woman out there who feels the same way I do and she may need to hear my story so she is affirmed that she is not alone, not a bad mother and not a horrible person. As always, email our very official AF email address [email protected] to provide any comments, suggestions or questions or if you wanna be a guest and talk about some shit with me.