Cryin' & Tryin': The Comprehensive Guide to Cultivating Emotional Intelligence in a F*&%ed Up World

I am stepping down for the month of February and instead elevating Black mental health podcasts. Please listen to this episode on Marc Paisant's channel so his channel gets the traffic and he gets his ad revenue. You can listen to the episode on his page here:  S4 - Ep81 - The Uncommon Strength of Black Women with Danese Wright

"We all carry around stress. We all have inner demons that we have the hide under the guise that everything is alright.  We all have to pick our times to be vulnerable while putting on a strong act around the public.  For women, and more specifically black women, the stress and strain that envelops their lives is not only unique but it is harder and heavier than anyone one else's.  Most people know the term "Strong Black Woman" and use it like it is a complement.  However, do you really know how stressful and mentally exhausting it is to have to be STRONG all the time.  When do black women get to rest? When do they get to lighten their load? When is the world going to repay them for the struggle they endure as women and people of color?

On this week's show, I welcome my guest, Danese Wright of Root Insurance, to talk about this important topic.  She is a self-described "Experienced leader with a passion for driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" who takes educating others about the extra stress of being a black women in modern day America very seriously.

I cannot say enough about Danese - she is smart, strong and a voice for change. The show will be available Monday, 9/6, at 5pm on any platform that you listen to podcasts.

You can always support the show by going to https://lnkd.in/dT6pVER and hitting that support button.

Thanks for all your support."

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

Many people in the US are having difficulties obtaining their medication for a variety of reasons. Lexi had to ration their anxiety medication through most of January '23. In this episode, Lexi reflects on the difficulties with not having medication refilled when needed and how they are adjusting their daily life to accommodate for the side effects of medication withdrawal.

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community.

Humans like to put things into categories: good and bad, healthy and unhealthy. While categorizing helps inform us, it also lends itself to bias. When we label the things we do as "bad" or "unhealthy" it's only natural for us to feel guilty for engaging in those behaviors, even when those very behaviors are the only things helping us to survive. Lexi and guest Max share their thoughts on judging our coping mechanisms and how this can ultimately harm us in our journey to healing.

Resources from today's episode:

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community.

In part 2 of the interview with Trey Miller, lead singer of nu-punk band Cherie Amour, continue their discussion of how music has impacted their mental health. Trey reflects on the nuances of being a Black man in the rock scene and the pair discusses the impact of music on the individual and how it connects us all. 

Resources from today's episode:

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.You can find Trey on instagram @treycherie_ and twitter @trey_cherie and the band on insta and twitter @cherieamourband.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community. Trey's portrait on the episode art is courtesy of @saucewithspoons

Lexi and vocalist from nu-punk band Cherie Amour, Trey Miller, discuss how music has helped us to heal, build community, and connect with others. The discussion starts with the themes of mental health and spirituality in the band's debut EP, Spiritual Ascension. Trey and Lexi commiserate over how capitalism has affected our mental health and how we both feel happiest divesting from late stage capitalism and following our passions.

Resources from today's episode:

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.You can find Trey on instagram @treycherie_ and twitter @trey_cherie and the band on insta and twitter @cherieamourband.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community. Trey's portrait on the episode art is courtesy of @saucewithspoons

A gratitude practice has been vital to maintaining peace and wellness for Lexi. It may seem silly, but challenging ourselves to find things to be appreciative of actually changes the neural pathways in our brains. By starting a gratitude practice, you're giving yourself permission to view the world through a new lens. Lexi shares their experience with gratitude and how it has helped change their perspective.

Resources from today's episode: 

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community.

While therapy can be beneficial, and in some cases necessary, the root of the problem is that we continue to uphold oppressive systems by pathologizing normal reactions to living under late stage capitalism.  

Resources from today’s episode: 

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

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Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community.

"It's okay not to be okay" is something we hear all the time. This phrase helps people who are struggling to stop berating themselves for being a human being. However, for those of us who have been struggling for an extended period of time, being OKAY and well is uncomfortable. We are so used to being in fight or flight mode and hyper vigilant of our surroundings. Or we’ve accepted that we will always feel numb and flat. So when the pain and depression subside, we don’t know what to do with ourselves. This episode is a reflection of how Lexi has been dealing with this new experience of being okay.

Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG: @LexGonGivIt2Ya_.

Registered Dietician, Laura Kilcline, is back to talk eating disorders with Lexi. The discussion touches on mindset, habits, and how society impacts our ideas around fueling our bodies. Laura also shares some of her tips and tricks for improving how you approach your relationship with food and nutrition. 

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Resources from today’s episode:

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG: @lex_gon_give_it2ya and Laura and her podcast on instagram: @balanced.fueling and @rhodetofuelingbetter.

Lexi brings Registered Dietitian and friend Laura Kilcine on to continue the discussion about nutrition, eating disorders, and mental health. Laura has always been a foodie and loves that her professional life involves helping people to improve their relationship with food. In this episode, Laura explains what exactly EDs are in clinical terms, what work with her clients can look like, and how one might start treating an ED.

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Resources from today’s episode:

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If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please get help immediately. The resources below are for listeners in the US.

-----

Find us on social media! The pod is on IG: @cryinandtryin_pod, Facebook: @cryinandtryinpod, and Twitter: @cryin_tryin_pod. Email us at [email protected] with episode suggestions, feedback, or anything else you want us to see!

You can find Lexi on IG and twitter: @LexGonGivIt2ya_ and Laura & her podcast on instagram: @balanced.fueling & @rhodetofuelingbetter.

I am a proud member of the PodPros community.