Sessions With Bob & Lena

In this episode, Bob and Lena are joined by Dr. Eleanor Mackey, a pediatric psychologist at Children's National Hospital in Washington DC. Dr. Mackey describes the numerous mental health challenges children have experienced and continue to experience since the pandemic begain in 2020. Dr. Mackey offers thoughtful and compassionate advice to parents who are struggling with how they can help their children manage anxiety, trauma, relationships, and more.

In this episode, Bob and Lena are joined by ordained minister and clinical mental health counselor, Ciara Simonson. February not only marks the beginning of a new year, but also the observance of Black History Month, and this discussion centers around how one can create a new narrative, create a more positive vision, and transform that into the life they want to live. Beyond new narratives for our individual lives, Bob, Lena, and Ciara talk about how important it is to hear, and acknowledge Black narratives, and how we need to collectively move beyond acknowledgment and education of Black history and culture, and mobilize that into action in order to courageously create the change we want for a new narrative of racial justice, healing, and equality.

For more ways to take action during Black History Month and beyond, check out the resources at Movement 4 Black Lives (M4BL) here: https://m4bl.org/

Bob and Lena are joined by licensed psychotherapist, Hayley Hoffman, who is also a Polyvagal Informed Therapist (among many other things). Hayley explains what polyvagal theory is, and how people can use it calm their nervous system, deepen connections with others, and transform their lives.

Lena and Bob are joined by licensed and Imago certified therapist, Meredith Janson, to discuss why you still might be feeling off, depressed, anxious, hopeless, or burned out, even if your life feels somewhat or mostly "normal." They discuss a phenomenon they coined, "covid traumatic stress disorder" and explore why people are struggling, 2 years into the pandemic.

Bob and Lena discuss a common dynamic in intimate relationships, where one person has a fear of abandonment and the other has a fear of shame and/or failure.

Are you stuck and don't know what to do? Does it feel like you're banging your head against the wall and nothing is happening? Are you sitting with questions you don't have any answers to? In this episode, Bob and Lena discuss what it means to surrender and let go, and how they help their clients find acceptance with the things they can't control.

It's been one year since Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic. The entire year, but especially recently, has shown an uptick in people seeking therapy. Therapists are booked and people need affordable mental health care more than ever. Lena and Bob discuss what themes they are seeing in therapy as we approach the one year mark of the pandemic, and how they are helping their clients navigate those challenges.

In this episode, Bob and Lena pass the mic to Alison Crockett and Latasha Harrison to discuss the realities of being a black woman in America.

Alison Crockett is a musician, singer, and songwriter in the genre of Nu Jazz, R&B, with 6 records. She is an educator and choral director and a professor at George Washington University in the music department.

Dr. Latasha Harrison has 3 Masters Degrees and a PhD. She works as a counselor at the Imago Center and is an administrator at the Department of Special Education, as well as an adjunct professor at Bowie State University.

Bob and Lena chat with parenting experts and Imago relationship therapists Caroline Bernhardt-Lanier and Tory Joseph on the challenges parents are facing with their children during the pandemic. This episode is focused on listener questions and the topics include: Sibling fighting, managing kids and parents big emotions, anxiety, talking to kids about the realities of a pandemic, distance learning, and more.

Bob and Lena are joined by 3 singles living a socially distant life. The group processes the challenges, the loneliness, the spiritual awakenings, and the gifts of living as a single person during Covid 19.