Therapist, Alea Jackson, will walk listeners through Complex Trauma 101 and its relation to the black woman in crisis, signs of spiraling, the differences between panic attacks and anxiety attacks, and ways to cope.

What you get when childhood trauma, Mommie Dearest, the peek-a-boo daddy, and arrested development collide with budding mental health diagnosi(s)...

Whew! This is a DOOZY!
Buckle up for one hell of a ride! Welcome to the Down For Disruption Podcast--The "Safe Sandbox" for black and brown women over the age of 40 who are struggling to survive midlife event WHILE battling a mental health diagnosis. Yikes!
Just think--*Hot Flashes AND Bipolar Mania *Empty Nesting AND Schizophrenia *Mammograms AND PTSD *Um, Colonoscopies AND ADHD (yes, seriously) *Hell, Divorce Depression AND Broken Vibrators...Tee Hee
In this Premier Episode, listeners will be able to tell right off the bat that the nucleus of dysfunction and ring leader of generational trauma in any black family, is usually a maternal caretaker. In this case, it's mama; or, "Mommie Dearest", as I call her.
This episode is loaded with one egregious example after another of how unimaginable trauma festers throughout one household. The free world will get a fly on the wall view of the chaos of an unstable childhood, predators running amok, and how my Mommie Dearest groomed undiagnosed mental illness when she looked the other way for years.
I mean everything from one child's rape, to the sexual violation of numerous other children, homophobia that uncles seemed to find funny, drug use, alcohol abuse, threats, brutal corporal punishment, rampant verbal abuse, one kid thrown through a plate glass screen door, neglect, and every other miscreant shenanigan that Mommie Dearest allowed under her roof. 
That's what we're discussing this week on Down for Disruption. Listen, I'm well aware that this episode, and a few others are pretty heavy. And can be triggering. Please believe that my intention with this podcast is not to spiral anyone into emotional distress. BUT, we Gen X ladies Have to unearth the layers of trauma that landed many of us in a therapist's office today.
Look what all of that Latch-key independence and survivalist upbringing did to many of us. So, I have to provide context. Please participate in the shows' breathing and self-repair exercises. They really are a tremendous help.
I thank you so much for your support! Together, we heal :)

AJ
----->Be sure to download the ALIVE Podcast app and select Down for Disruption when subscribing to support this podcast. 

Welcome to the Down For Disruption Safe Sandbox, Ladies!
Eh hem, my "Sandbox Champions" :) Yes, we are all gathering in this safe space, AKA, the "Safe Sandbox" where we support, learn, grow, and heal. What makes us Champions, you ask? Great question! Champions excel, and we do just that. We trauma survivors excel at healing. Many of us are just in progress--AND THAT'S PERFECTLY Okay :) Anyhow, are you tired of hearing about therapy and trauma; trauma and therapy? Do you feel like your life is a very unique jigsaw puzzle that no one seems to be discussing? WELL! Im glad you raised your hand. Grab your favorite journal and sparkly red pen. This Saturday, July 1, the Down for Disruption podcast premieres and were gonna discuss all things midlife and mental health diagnosis. Thats right! Hot Flashes and Bipolar Disorder. Estate Planning and Anxiety. Schizophrenia and Empty Nesting. Colonoscopies and ADHD (yes, seriously). Hell, Divorce Depression and Broken Vibrators. Tee hee...
HUGE DISCLAIMER: Okay, so this podcast is a Very trauma intensive show. My apologies in advance. Why? Because we Gen X ladies are suffering. Everything from losing ourselves as we age with ongoing, undiagnosed/untreated mental health symptoms or just feeling flat out worthless now from a long life of feeling not good enough or invisible, entirely. 
Many of us are running to keep up with this woefully, tech-driven world. Say, how many of you are latch-key kids who were so busy helping to raise other children, that you didn't really get a chance to have a childhood, yourself??? Aaaand we wonder why there are so many 48 year old's in nightclubs trying to outdrink 20 year old's. We'll discuss that.
Um, we must also talk about the unaddressed sexual trauma that applies to far too many of us, sadly. Mama worked. Or mama knew and did nothing to stop it. You weren't believed. And often blamed. Am I the only one who grew up obsessed with sex and masturbated frequently at an early age? Promiscuous from as far back as you can remember? Daddy issues totally effed up your life and every romantic relationship you got yourself into for years? Uh, huh! Me too :(
Yeah, we're gonna swan dive into symptoms and Mental Health 101. We'll uncover why the anger that's been pent up in many of us all out fueled that hurt little girl many of us still harbor. Trust, we'll make sense of who that little girl turned out to be, good or bad, and we can successfully kick a$$ during these midlife years. You get the idea. 
But do not worry. Episodes 1 and 2 are for context. You'll see. And then we'll have a therapist or some other relevant professional to hang out with us in OUR "safe sandbox" to give clinical advice, actionable steps towards coping, and therapy suggestions. Believe me, my goal is NOT to make folks uncomfortable and send them running under the bed. No. Here, at Down For Disruption, we do things in the interest of emotional safety. Trust, TOGETHER, WE will heal :)
Tune in this Saturday, July 1st at 1pm with your new favorite host, the Menopausal Misbehave-her, AJ Write Mental!
Don't forget to like, download, and subscribe to this Down For Disruption Podcast!