I am so honored and excited to have author, activist, speaker, and founder of Love Beyond Walls, Terence Lester on the Still Becoming Podcast. Terence shares so much wisdom, insight, and frames seeing and helping each other in a way that empowers each of us to find where we are a piece of the whole. We discuss the dignity of each person, and the Dignity Museum - the first museum highlighting the stories and narratives of those experiencing homelessness. We also discuss Love Beyond Walls, the interconnectedness of each of us, the power of seeing people up close, and the power of being proximate. Terence also defines for us that loving your neighbor includes loving their neighborhood, and everything that impacts our neighbor, "If you're going to love your neighbor, you also have to love the place that shaped them, and you have to be concerned with the issues that shaped the neighborhood. You can't just love the neighbor and leave out the neighborhood." Terence describes how there are people willing, but not necessarily available - and he describes service as a lifestyle, not an event. He empowers each listener to not underestimate the impact you can make. No matter how small we feel - as a whole together the impact can be great. Finally, you'll want to listen to the beautiful tribute Terence shares about his wife in the final question about the person who helped him become who he is today.

Terence Lester is a minister, speaker, community activist, author, and founder of Love Beyond Walls, a not-for-profit organization focused on poverty awareness and community mobilization. His awareness campaigns on behalf of the poor have been featured in USA Today, Essence, Black Enterprise, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, NBC, Upworthy, and “The Bright Side” with Katie Couric. They have been viewed by millions of people globally. 

He has spoken on the same platform as other civil rights activists such as Bernice King, Roland Martin, Gina Belafonte, Michael Eric Dyson, Tamika D. Mallory, and many others. Terence’s unique approach combines storytelling and digital media to help illustrate social justice issues with practical approaches to solving these ailments. In 2018, Terence led the March Against Poverty as he walked from Atlanta to Memphis (386 miles) to bring attention to poverty and homelessness. 

He finished the march and spoke at the historic Lorraine Motel for the 50th Anniversary of MLK’s assassination. Terence’s unique approach combines storytelling and digital media to illustrate social justice issues with practical strategies to solve these ailments.

In 2013, Terence founded the non-profit Love Beyond Walls and has helped hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty rebuild their lives. 

In 2019, Terence launched the first museum in the U.S. representing homelessness out of a shipping container, called Dignity Museum. 

Terence has written five books. His new book, “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together,” will be released May 18th, 2021, with InterVarsity Press. He also holds four degrees and is working towards his Ph.D. at Union Institute & University in Public Policy & Social Change. 

He is happily married to his best friend, Cecilia Lester. They have two amazing children, Zion Joy and Terence II.

Find Terence Lester, and his books, including his new book When We Stand here.

Love Beyond Walls

The Dignity Museum

For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣

⁣This month I have put together what I like to think of a the "Greatest Hits of Boundaries," or the "Cliff Notes" of boundaries. These are very cheesy names for some of the most important things I would want you to know about boundaries, AND some of the most common questions I get about boundaries. This is boundaries 101 - how important they are for your mental health, what they are, what they aren't, how they work, internal versus external boundaries, and how good it can feel to have boundaries.

For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram.

I am so honored and excited to have therapist and writer Tiffany Rogers back on the Still Becoming Podcast. In this powerful episode Tiffany shares with us part of her journey out of a corporate America career to becoming a therapist. Tiffany redefines for us what the word "successful" can even mean. This episode is like an anti-5 step plan - this is a deep, heart-centered approach. Tiffany describes for us, and lets us into some of the process, and the deep healing work that can come, with throwing off old narratives and coming more into alignment the truth of who you are. She describes the "ease of alignment." Making a big change of any kind has many layers, that each of us will face - but this way that Tiffany describes the process, and the permission she models for the length of the process, is transformational. If you find yourself in the process of considering a big change in your life, a career change specifically, wondering about bringing your work more into alignment with who you are, or you are just needing inspiration to listen to yourself and make changes that honor what you need - you will not want to miss this episode. Tiffany combines her personal vulnerability, with her wisdom and therapeutic knowledge in a way that will give you courage, hope, and next. steps to take in that journey.⁣

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Tiffany is a Chicago-based therapist and writer. She specializes in helping professional women overcome perfectionism, build self-compassion, and live more authentically. Tiffany has a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. After nearly 10 years in corporate communications and public relations, Tiffany decided to pursue a second career in mental health counseling to become more aligned with her personal values and sense of purpose. She is passionate about working with clients of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, social justice, and advocacy. ⁣

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Find Tiffany here.⁣

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For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram.⁣

Each month, the Still Becoming podcast brings you a Meditative Story episode. They are short, meditative, put to music, and a chance to pause and reflect on your own journey through story. It is like a therapeutic adult story time.

This month memories, versions of ourselves, people we were, and people and moments we've lost. Through the heaviness of this past year, I find many of us are even more reflective. Join my (host Monica DiCristina) own processing of feeling present grief, past grief, joy and the question of "did I appreciate it enough?" as I walk around some gardens with my children. We often wonder - where does it all go? It may all still be there, and the best way to honor that can be being present where you are now.

For more, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so honored and grateful to have author, therapist, and podcaster Carl Binger on the Still Becoming Podcast. In this powerful episode Carl shares with us some of his personal experience, as well as his professional expertise about depression. This combination of the personal and the professional Carl brings is so illuminating, helpful, and hopeful. We talk about men specifically in depression, and how depression can look different in men than women. We talk about the pandemic and depression. We also talk about the different types of stigmas that Carl faced, and we all might face, in getting help for depression. We start the episode off with Carl reading one of his poems about his experience with depression. The creative use of words and writing to describe something like depression is so impactful for the validation of those who have experienced it, and for the understanding of those trying to learn about it. This episode will leave you informed, validated, hopeful, and impacted by the power of vulnerability in sharing our stories, and the power of giving something the right name.⁣

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⁣Carl Binger, LMHC, is a husband to Carissa and the father of Marcus, Derek, and Travis. He has been following Jesus since 2003 and has been practicing counseling since 2014. Carl is the author of his new book the Progessive Darkness: For the Christian Losing Hope in Depression, the founder of the Facebook group and Podcase called Surviving Depression, and the owner of his own practice, Luminance Mental Health Counseling. He hopes to spread a message of hope to anyone struggling with depression. He raises awareness about depression by writing, facilitating educational workshops, counseling, and talking to his community. You can follow Carl's work on his website: https://www.survivingdepressiongroup.com/.⁣

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⁣Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/453905639323274/⁣

⁣Instagram: survivingdepression_fb_group⁣

⁣Twitter: @LuminanceMental

This is a short meditation all about the word "And."

"And" is one of my favorite words because in this simple word we can find an unexpected cure to many of the contradictions we fear it is not ok to be, feel, think or believe. Many of us were taught an "either or" kind of thinking, and the word "and" blows right through that - creating both permission and space.

I hope this short meditation brings your freedom and ease for whatever bookends your "and."

For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I enjoyed every part of this conversation with Laura Tremaine. Laura's new book Share Your Stuff, I'll Go First was the foundation for this helpful conversation. In her book Laura invites all of us in to process and share our own stories by first sharing her own. I loved this book, and I loved this conversation. It is a rare gift when someone shares about their life in a way that invites you in to do the same. Laura's honesty is just like a key that makes you want to unlock and share your own story - whether that is with yourself, a friend, or a therapist. We both share a love for therapy, and discuss this at length - and I know this will be helpful for anyone wanting to know more about what therapy is actually like. Laura's openness really breaks down so much of the stigma some might still hold about therapy. We also discuss how there's always a place to share everything (this is good news), but not everything should be shared in every place.

Laura Tremaine is a writer and podcaster. On her weekly podcast 10 Things To Tell You, she encourages listeners to take the episode prompts to a friend or to their journal, because meaningful connections come from good conversations. Her first book Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. released February 2, 2021. Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and their two children. 

Find Laura, her book, and her podcast 10 Things to Tell You here: lauratremaine.com

For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

It was so fun to interview podcast host Sarah Bragg. She so generously walked us through our technical difficulties for this episode, and made time to share all of her podcast knowledge with me. And that is just the way she shows up in the world. Sarah is disarming in her kindness. In this episode we discuss some of the roadblocks to taking the next step in your life - whether that is a dream, calling, going back to school, or asking for a promotion. We discuss in particular roadblocks women may run into, and roadblocks mothers may run into. Sarah shares insights from her own experience as a podcaster, author, and mother about how we can all learn to listen to ourselves, belong to ourselves, how every "yes" is a "no", and to do the next step - whatever it is - scared. That is where we start to make and see progress towards what we want.

Sarah Bragg is a popular podcast host, communicator, and author. You can find her on iTunes hosting the podcast Surviving Sarah. She is also the author of A Mother’s Guide to Raising Herself: What Parenting Taught Me About Life, Faith and Myself. She is also a wife, mother of girls, and a creative entrepreneur. Sarah is a master at brewing coffee and helping others survive well right where they are. Sarah and her family reside in Tennessee. You can find more from her at SarahBragg.com and @sarahwbragg.

For more information, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣

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⁣This week we are talking your "inner critic," and why that inner critic is wrong. This is a big topic, and there are many different ways to slice this topic - but in this episode I try to break it down into an accessible package for us to think through. Awareness is key when working towards any sort of growth and healing, and I hope this episode will provide some. But even more than that, I hope you walk away from this episode feeling more sure of your worth and lovability, and more ready to disagree with any voice - internal or external - that disagrees with those truths.⁣

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To find Still Becoming on Instagram, follow Monica at @monicadicristina.

This is a short meditation all about validation. I think trying to be good - performing and earning your worth - are the opposite of validation. Love begins by seeing you where you are and naming it.⁣

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In this short meditation we will listen to a poem by Mary Oliver, and walk through putting down things that keep us from validating ourselves...and then naming and making room for how we feel.⁣

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Make room for the truth of where you are. I hope these moments feel loving, and help you to love yourself, receive love, and love others.⁣

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For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.