Right Moves: A LiiNK Center for Healthy Play Podcast

Dr. Rhea is back with Marissa Heyl to discuss her journey from anthropology to neurodesign further. This time, though, she will tie together her passion for neurodesign with her business, Inclusive Wellness Design. She will discuss her goal to bring art, interior design, and play together in the workplace to improve whole health benefits for the employee.

Marissa Heyl is a design strategist and neurodesigner who builds environments of belonging for all to thrive at work. Her designs encourage everyday brain-healthy practices and democratize access to multidimensional health in the workplace. Named a Top Creative Entrepreneur in Dallas-Fort Worth, Marissa has been featured as a speaker and workshop facilitator for a range of organizations including Delta Airlines, The Center for Brain Health, TCU, and the U.S. Play Coalition.

She is passionate about leveraging design for social change, having worked with underrepresented artisan partners for the past 15 years in her sustainable retail ventures. Marissa holds a certification in Design Thinking from global innovation firm IDEO and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a dual degree in Journalism and Anthropology.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Inclusive Wellness Design

Symbology Clothing

The Aesthetics of Joy

Your Brain on Art

Snoezelen rooms

Dr. Rhea brings on friend and collaborator, Marissa Heyl, to share her career journey from cultural anthropology to neurodesign in the workplace. Hear how Marissa’s passion to make the world a better place led her to amazing communities and artisans across the world, and how she is bringing art and play together through design in the workplace.

Marissa Heyl is a design strategist and neurodesigner who builds environments of belonging for all to thrive at work. Her designs encourage everyday brain-healthy practices and democratize access to multidimensional health in the workplace. Named a Top Creative Entrepreneur in Dallas-Fort Worth, Marissa has been featured as a speaker and workshop facilitator for a range of organizations including Delta Airlines, The Center for Brain Health, TCU, and the U.S. Play Coalition.

She is passionate about leveraging design for social change, having worked with underrepresented artisan partners for the past 15 years in her sustainable retail ventures. Marissa holds a certification in Design Thinking from global innovation firm IDEO and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a dual degree in Journalism and Anthropology.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Ten Thousand Villages store

Inclusive Wellness Design

It’s no secret that nature has healing powers. The term “shinrin-yoku”, or forest bathing, was coined in Japan in the 1980s as an effective therapy method that involves mindful engagement within a forest or natural environment. In this episode, Dr. Rhea dives into the vast benefits of forest bathing, and the four ways you can experience and engage with the nature around you.

What types of outdoor experiences have you had that gave you a positive sense of self? Do you spend enough time in nature to meditate, reflect, be at peace? Did you know that nature is the game changer for negative emotions and lack of sleep? In this season opener, Dr. Rhea addresses all of these questions and more to help you heal your mind and body through the power of nature, also called ecotherapy.

Dr. Rhea is back with Dr. Daphne Harris to continue their conversation on father daughter play, diving into the effects of intersectionality, mental health, and the importance of a strong support system.

Daphne Chambers Harris, a dynamic speaker, researcher, and dedicated educator, holds a master's degree in clinical community psychology from Texas Southern University and a Ph.D. in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University. She serves as faculty at the University of North Texas-Denton within the College of Education’s Educational Psychology Department. In this role, she teaches courses in human development and family science and instructs courses on the administration and management of youth and family programs. She is also a non-profit consultant with expertise in organization start-up, program design, and implementation. 

Dr. Harris's research is centered on exploring the lived experiences of Black children, families, and communities. Her current speaking topics and academic interests include examining Black men's mental health and masculinity, parenting socialization practices, homeschooling, play, and fatherhood among men of African descent. 

Resources Relevant to this episode:

Dr. Harris' email for inquiries: ⁠[email protected]⁠

⁠MENtal MATTERS⁠ - Their mission is to promote, protect, and prioritize the mental health and well-being of Black men by raising awareness, reducing stigma, providing support, and advocating for equitable access to mental health resources and services.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn: mentalmatters23

⁠Dear Fathers⁠ - A media platform dedicated to telling stories of black fathers from all angles while empowering our community with tangible resources that inspire, heal, and strengthen the black man. Instagram: @dear.fathers 

⁠Therapy for Black Men⁠: aiming to reduce the stigma related to therapy by connecting Black men to therapists. Instagram: @therapyforblkmen

⁠Black Men Heal⁠: Their mission is to provide access to mental health treatment, psycho-education, and community resources to men of color. Instagram: @blackmenheal

Dr. Rhea brings on Dr. Daphne Harris from the University of North Texas, to share how her relationship with her father and the lessons she learned through father daughter play shaped her life and her career.

Daphne Chambers Harris, a dynamic speaker, researcher, and dedicated educator, holds a master's degree in clinical community psychology from Texas Southern University and a Ph.D. in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University. She serves as faculty at the University of North Texas-Denton within the College of Education’s Educational Psychology Department. In this role, she teaches courses in human development and family science and instructs courses on the administration and management of youth and family programs. She is also a non-profit consultant with expertise in organization start-up, program design, and implementation. 

Dr. Harris's research is centered on exploring the lived experiences of Black children, families, and communities. Her current speaking topics and academic interests include examining Black men's mental health and masculinity, parenting socialization practices, homeschooling, play, and fatherhood among men of African descent. 

Resources related to this episode:

Dr. Harris' email for inquiries: [email protected]

MENtal MATTERS - Their mission is to promote, protect, and prioritize the mental health and well-being of Black men by raising awareness, reducing stigma, providing support, and advocating for equitable access to mental health resources and services.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn: mentalmatters23

Dear Fathers - A media platform dedicated to telling stories of black fathers from all angles while empowering our community with tangible resources that inspire, heal, and strengthen the black man. Instagram: @dear.fathers 

Therapy for Black Men: aiming to reduce the stigma related to therapy by connecting Black men to therapists. Instagram: @therapyforblkmen

Black Men Heal: Their mission is to provide access to mental health treatment, psycho-education, and community resources to men of color. Instagram: @blackmenheal

Dr. Rhea brings back Cheryl Potemkin, this time to discuss her other role with Fort Worth Botanic Gardens and the development of the new family garden coming soon! Learn all the exciting features of the garden and how it will promote risky play, curiosity, and confidence in children and a great place for adults to find their inner play as a “Garden of YES!”.

Cheryl Potemkin is the Early Childhood Program Manager at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. At FWBG Cheryl is dedicated to implementing early childhood programs and professional development, teaching science thinking concepts through quality children’s literature and hands-on Environmental-STEM activities. Cheryl is also the lead for the OLE! Texas DFW Coalition, part of the statewide initiative dedicated to improving health and wellness through outdoor learning environments, as well as one of the North Texas Regional leads for the Texas Children in Nature Network.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) | FWBG

FWBG Junior Volunteers

Dr. Rhea brings on early childhood educator and OLE! Texas leadership member, Cheryl Potemkin, to share her expertise on outdoor learning environments. Listen as they discuss the goals of OLE! Texas, the benefits and qualities of outdoor learning environments, and the abundance of resources in Texas and nationwide for the promotion of outdoor learning.

Cheryl Potemkin is currently exploring a love of nature and early childhood education as the Early Childhood Program Manager at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. At FWBG Cheryl is dedicated to implementing early childhood programs and professional development, teaching science thinking concepts through quality children’s literature and hands-on Environmental-STEM activities. Cheryl is also the lead for the OLE! Texas DFW Coalition, part of the statewide initiative dedicated to improving health and wellness through outdoor learning environments, as well as one of the North Texas Regional leads for the Texas Children in Nature Network.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Outdoor Learning Environments - OLE! Texas - Texas Children in Nature

Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE!) Texas | Texas DSHS

https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/bioblitz/tpwd-child-friendly plant-flyer-final.pdf

Texas Tech OLE! Resource List

Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) | FWBG

Cities Connecting Children to Nature

Nature Explore

ECHO, Wildlife Federation

Dr. Rhea continues her discussion from a whole-health perspective and introducing more blurred lines between healthy and unhealthy habits. Tune in as Dr. Rhea discusses more about diets, healthy eating,  and how to manage individual food issues.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Home | Dietary Guidelines for Americans

MyPlate | U.S. Department of Agriculture

In a world that glorifies fad diets and “easy” weight loss trends, how do we keep from blurring the lines between healthy and unhealthy eating habits? Dr. Rhea dives into nutrition from a whole-health perspective, explaining the risk of blurring lines without realizing it and what considerations are needed to eat better and begin to create a healthier lifestyle moving forward.