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Immigration is a hot topic and holds a lot of stigma. There are misunderstandings of what immigration looks like. Who are these people? What are their stories? Why did they come here? I asked Mina some questions about his own experiences as an asylum seeker. Mina immigrated to the US as a child and was open about the prejudices of others. Mina has channeled his experiences and now teaches graduate students who are training to become therapists at George Washington University.

Curious who the heck Tamer Hosny is? Yes, he came up a lot.  I'm sorry but also not sorry at all. https://www.instagram.com/tamerhosny/

Mina shared regarding a theater show he experienced, named "Cartography, their new theater piece for young audiences, they mean to get beyond narratives that cast migrants as malicious threats http://kanezaschaal.com/works/cartography/

Want to know more about the host? Amee Mickhael, LCSW. I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

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Addiction. Why does it happen? Where does the stigma come from? We explore these questions and how to manage when you or someone you love is struggling. The judgement and assumptions can make it so difficult to talk about. 

We go there in this episode. Alex challenges me and my own biases. She provides us insight on ways we can support those who are struggling with addiction as well as those around them.

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

Here are some of the resources we discussed in the episode:

Smart Recovery
https://www.smartrecovery.org/

Al-Anon Family Groups
https://al-anon.org/

Nar-Anon Family Groups
https://www.nar-anon.org/

Sesame Street - Parental Addiction
https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/parental-addiction/

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Taking Care of Yourself - Melody Beattie
https://www.amazon.com/Codependent-No-More-Controlling-Yourself/dp/0894864025

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Our vulnerability helps others feel less alone. Alex opens up about the loss of his best friend, Kayode. He dives into the tremendous pain that came with his grief and how he picked up the pieces to keep moving forward.

I feel so grateful for my brother and being able to be part of his journey. Although he is younger than me, in a lot of ways, he has been much wiser and stronger than I am. Also way funnier. But we won't let him know that.

If you or someone you know has experienced grief, this may support you through this journey. I encourage you to reach out for support through friends, family and a grief counselor.

Cardiac Risk in the Young
https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

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I remember being so overwhelmed and intimated with starting grad school. New city and new career, it was a lot! I was lucky enough to connect with some incredible social workers and Nora was one of them. Nora has this rare combination of warmth, brilliance and sass which makes her so relatable and especially great at her job.

We get real about our own struggles with body image throughout the years and how being honest with others about our hurts has given us some sense of relief. Nora flips the script and processes how we can embrace the good times with our body as well as the bad.

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

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Get you a friend like Sam Fam. Sam is the friend who can make you belly laugh then will shift into the meaning of the human experience. Sam provides his  reflections of his own identity, the privilege and challenges he has experienced and grappling with labels throughout his life. Sam grew up in Frederick, MD in a predominately white community and didn't come to terms with his own identity as a person of color until later in life when he immersed himself in diverse communities.

Sam shares his story of being a second generation Egyptian-American and the lessons he has learned along the way.  Feeling this divide in what "box" or "label" you fit into is a common confusion and stressor of children of immigrants. Sam gives us his personal experiences and what has aided him through these nuances.

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

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I came to Deena to ask what she wanted to discuss during her episode. She reflects on this pandemic and how we continue to become all consumed in celebrity life and social media. Is this necessarily a bad thing? We process how this impacts us as well as how children appear to be affected emotionally.

Deena and I have been friends for many years and she continues to inspire my work as a therapist. She works as a licensed social worker in public schools in Washington, DC and I'm sure inspires the little ones over there too.

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com

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Jenna Cotton is my brilliant supervisor and colleague who has been a wonderful support for me throughout my private practice. She was gracious enough to attend the first episode of my podcast and was open about the struggles and misconceptions of motherhood. Jenna reflects on the impact of cultural expectations and family pressures in being a new mother. Jenna is a licensed clinical social worker and owns her own practice in Philadelphia, PA. She brings openness, honesty and reflection in this episode and her unique insight is always such a delight. Jenna has her own podcast “Shift Happens…Cultivating Calm Amidst Great Change” with Cori Gracheck, LCSW. You can find it here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1117271

Our Stories Podcast Host: Amee Mickhael, I'm a therapist, a licensed clinical social worker and private practice owner in Philadelphia, PA. www.ameepsychotherapy.com