Kick your feet up, grab a glass of wine (or don't, especially if you're driving), and catch up with us! In this episode, we give updates on our lives. You'd think we hadn't seen each other in ages--the fact is, we've seen each other more than once in the past week and just didn't record it. We missed you and are excited to go back to our podcasting roots--just chatting.

We bring in someone from Lacey's Way Back Machine, a friend named Imani who is a sex therapist! She lets us know about common misconceptions about sex therapy, what she's learned in her education and practice, and how yes, even therapists can be manipulated by their clients. There's a lot of laughing, a lot of knowledge, and a lot of conversing about the birds and the bees. Let's talk about sex, freebies.

In honor of Intellectual Developmental Disorder/Disability month, we have a guest we've been waiting a long time to have on the show! Meet Brandon, friend of the pod who lives every day with his disability--but there is SO MUCH more behind the assumptions others may make about him. He talks with us about dating, his advocacy surrounding the disability community, his interest in sports, and much more. Please welcome Brandon, the knowledge he brings, and partner-of-the-pod Matt (slash emotional support person) to learn more about living life with a disability. We all have lots of room to grow.

Welcome our buddy, Hillary! Something we don't learn in depth in grad school (that might have been helpful) is how difficult it can be to take your therapist licensure across state lines. Hillary has lived it firsthand and shares with listeners the trials, tribulations, and gives support to those who might mirror her journey. We love having our friends on the pod, almost as much as we love our listeners for paying us ear service. Thanks for listening!

Sweet dreams are made of us. Most of us have had issues sleeping at one time or another, but do you actually know why? In this episode, we dive into the myths about sleep and how it affects your mental health. And turns out, a lot of us are doing sleep all wrong! Listen to learn more about your sleep health, or maybe our soothing voices can lull you off. Either way, we appreciate you!

This week we have a special friend on the pod: Corey! Corey is a school counselor, drama enthusiast, and hug extraordinaire. He tells us about how school has changed for the teens growing up in a pandemic, and how he has remained a supportive adult and ally through it all. Corey's activist personality and creative ways captivate his students, and his voice is here to captivate your ears! Please enjoy this very special person, and learn more about ways to support the children in your life.

Honestly cannot believe we've never used this title before. Today, we talk about Lacey's new job! (well, if you count being 6 months old as "new"). Working with those addicted to alcohol and drugs is hard, but is even harder (and more rewarding) when clients are so much more than those labels. Listen to the intricacies, difficulties, and the night cap of irony that is guzzling wine while talking about treating people with substance abuse disorders!

We, like many of you, needed some time apart and then a fresh start. Welcome 2021, goodbye to the wild ride that was 2020. We catch up with each other and catch up with you. We missed you. Here's to a more positive, real, and self-care-filled year.

During times of unrest and (rightful) anger within our marginalized communities--particularly the Black community--it seems irrelevant to focus our episodes on much else. People think of Black people as the opposers of police and vice versa. But what's it like to hold both of these identities? We have friend of the pod Marcellus, a young Black man who's also a police offer, explain his position, thoughts, and feelings that arise when he's on and off the line of duty. He's also entertaining as hell. Give us a listen.

With “everything that’s going on in the world” (i.e. one pandemic of a virus and the other of police brutality against Black people), we wanted to take a new approach to the episode this week. We talk about intergenerational trauma, historical trauma, and how it informs the lives of BIPOC today.

If you’re new to this topic, welcome. Keep going. If you’re not, thank you for listening, and hopefully we bring you some new information. If you turn this off because it’s too uncomfortable, or any other judgments you may carry, we urge you to listen. We cannot remain silent on this issue, and we need all the people we can to use their privilege to instill change.

If we get anything wrong, as neither of us experience being Black in America firsthand, don’t be afraid to call us out. Email [email protected], or reach out on instagram.

And, finally, if you on any level don’t believe that people of all color deserve an equitable, nonviolent country--fuck off :).

We thank those who have submitted their therapy stories, and we’ll share those next pod.

Here are the resources we used for this episode:

Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, hosted by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9_qGOa9Go

https://extension.umn.edu/mental-health/historical-trauma-and-cultural-healing

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/generational-trauma-how-we-can-heal-our-selves-through_b_595ba894e4b0c85b96c66482

https://sundial.csun.edu/156293/opinions/stopping-generational-trauma-in-communities-of-color/

https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/intergenerational-trauma-black-women/

https://atlantablackstar.com/2016/06/05/post-traumatic-slave-syndrome-and-intergenerational-trauma-slavery-is-like-a-curse-passing-through-the-dna-of-black-people/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/he-angry-at-46-i-m-angry-at-31-you-angry-at-16-video-shows-trauma-of-protests-in-the-u-s-1.4962931

Mari Andrew’s Instagram, @bymariandrew