Onika and J.R. dysh on addiction with lived experience advocate Mike Stroh. He opens up about his family history with addiction and mental health. He talks about the first time he used magic mushrooms and marijuana and the downward spiral it led to. He reveals he used drugs to chase the ability to change how he felt. He discusses his biggest coping mechanism of lying when he was using. He shares the rock bottom that made him seek help. He talks about how his addiction effected his mental health.

Onika and J.R. dysh on the latest Toronto shooting on the Danforth. They talk about the wave of violence and the propaganda in the media. They discuss how the shooter’s mental health has come into question and what role mental health plays in these tragedies. Onika gives her opinion on how the system failed this young man in every way. They dysh on standards when it comes to the men and women. Onika expresses her belief that young women today have very low standards and their bench marks need to change.

Onika and J.R. Dysh on Onika’s hair frustrations. She talks about her relationship with perm and opens up about what it would mean to go natural. They try to define what it means to have “good” hair. J.R. shares his hair journey and what made him decide to add product to his life. Onika talks about her reaction when white people want to touch her hair. They dysh about bad work ethics and how getting comfortable can lead to complacency. They talk about the importance of routine when building good habit

Onika and J.R. dysh on conflict and how people’s passive aggressive nature can get in the way of change. Onika talks about conflict in her work. They talk about the importance of conflict when it comes to resolution and why women find conflict challenging. Onika shares why she embraces conflict fearlessly because of her mental health. They dysh on the results of their personality tests. They examine whether or not introverts and extroverts can be together in friendships and relationships.

Onika and J.R. dysh on schizophrenia with lived experience advocate Jesse Bigelow. Jesse opens up about the all of the street drugs he experimented with at a very young age. He talks about the onset of his schizophrenia and his experience with psychosis. He tells us about the paranoid delusions he had and the religious voices he would hear in his head. He talks about what it was like to be hospitalized and how he appreciates his freedom. He talks about his diagnosis and how it’s changed his life.

Onika and J.R. dysh on nutrition and why the food baby in Onika’s belly isn’t going away. Onika shares why she hates cooking and J.R. tells tales of his trial-by-error experience. They discuss how challenging it is to maintain your nutrition and Onika shares her recent experience with fad diets and why they started to negatively affect her mental health. They dysh on political correctness and how it has gotten out of hand. Onika shares her frustration about the lack of PC when it comes to mental health.

Onika and J.R. dysh on common sense and how it’s not always common. They try to decide where common sense comes from. They have the great toilet seat debate. They talk what happens when common sense etiquette isn’t followed. They discuss how a person’s education, experiences and values shapes their common sense. They dysh on gratitude and how grateful they are to be living in Canada. J.R. shares his memories of seeing poverty in Guyana. They talk about having an attitude of gratitude and how important

Onika and J.R. dysh with their friend Michael about what it’s like to have a family member with mental health issues. He shares his reason for being on the podcast and why it is so important. Michael opens up about how confusing it was growing up in a household with a family member suffering and how the illness was kept hidden. Michael discusses how he educates himself so he can be part of the solution and gives his recommendation on what we can do to benefit our own mental health.

Onika and J.R. dysh on taking a leap of faith and how challenging it can be. Onika opens up about writing her chapter and how important it was to trust herself through the process. J.R. shares some of the leaps he’s taken over the years and how they have paid off. They dysh on having a balanced life and how difficult it is sometimes. They talk about how important self-awareness is in your quest for balance. Onika shares how she maintains a balanced life.

Onika and J.R. dysh on rumor mills and gossip and how they have changed over the years. J.R. discusses the origins of rumors and how it has evolved into something both positive and negative. They dysh on the rise of mediocrity and how millennials fit in. They examine the ordinary vs. extraordinary character. Onika shares how she never lets her mental health stand in the way of excellence. They explore where mediocrity comes from and decide it’s in the home.