Lost in a TikTok rabbit hole one evening, I came across of thread of videos discussing why men are not hired for certain professions and even a discussion on historical facts related to the treatment of the mummified bodies of women. Needless to say, the comments section of these videos was filled with many stories, experiences, and examples from modern times and the history of men “behaving badly.” But more so than just men’s behavior, there appeared to be a common root to all these teachings, understandings, and beliefs that contributed to these behaviors, toxic masculinity. Societal beliefs about what it means to be a man or behave manlily appear to be eroding at the morality of men. This eroding also includes how these beliefs affect everyone in this shared world and the repercussion of those behaviors being left unchecked. This open, frank discussion is meant to approach this subject from the perspective of mental health professionals who work with everyone affected by these beliefs. Toxic masculinity has left no stone unturned in the trauma it causes and the lives it affects.

Sexuality is a crucial aspect often overlooked in the realm of trauma work. It forms an integral part of our identity, and true healing cannot be achieved unless we address all facets of our being. Recognizing and acknowledging the role of sexuality in our lives is essential for comprehensive and holistic trauma recovery. Have you ever thought about what your relationship is to sexual well-being, sexual health, or sexual pleasure? Is there any work in your personal sexual life that needs to be completed? Are you comfortable with exploring all parts of who you are? This discussion focuses on exploring the connection between sex positivity and trauma healing, emphasizing the positive nature of this relationship. Recognizing and embracing a sex-positive mindset is not only beneficial but also an essential step in your healing journey.

Healing from sexual trauma is a topic that needs many different realms of exploration. People’s sexual life is just as diverse as the trauma they experience. And healing from those experiences is going to look, feel, and be sensed differently by everyone. “Kink” or fetish forms of sexual exploration are a healthy way for people to explore aspects of healing that may be unreachable through traditional forms of trauma work. In this podcast, we speak with Brynn Dearie to have an open conversation about what kink is, what it’s not, and how it can be a tool for healing and trauma work.

In these episodes, artists put their lives on display and give the world an opportunity to peek into their lived experiences. Experiences that are beautiful, hard, show breakdowns, hold unapologetic scars, and display fruitful delights. In this first episode, I introduce to you someone close to me, my sister Jillian. We discuss her path to becoming a photographer, why representation in art matters, and why these stories matter to the audiences they are meant for.

Want a job where you are the sole food source for a living human being? Required to clock in every 2-3 hours around the clock, with little sleep, routinely responding to crying demands for food, while healing from your recent c-section or vaginal birth and maintaining the other responsibilities of life including the care of your other children. And you will continue this routine for 6 months to 1 year with various changes in your feeding schedule and milk supply while returning to work. And whether you are a person who works out of your home or in your home the demands of life will increase. And if you live in America, you get no societal support, no guaranteed maternity leave, healthcare, childcare, or lactation support all while constantly being pressured to breastfeed. These are some of the realities of breastfeeding. Isabel Reynolds Birth Fit Coach and mom to 3 kids join us for a real talk about breastfeeding, the good, the bad, and the milky.

When you get pregnant the focus is on getting through 3 trimesters. You are guided through each stage of this change and your health and the health of the fetus are monitored with the utmost importance. Then birth happens and you enter into a new stage. But this time, no one is there to guide you, the expectations on your body and mind how increased, and outside of maybe 2 follow-up appointments you are on your own to figure out how to heal and survive the newness of parenthood. Why is there no talk of the 4 trimester ? The trimester the births parenthood.

Porting life into this world is a task that can not be understood unless you have experienced it. It requires tremendous levels of strength, compassion, tenacity, love, and hope for life. Anyone who has chosen(and this should be a person's choice) this experience immediately signs up to lose a part of themselves in order to gain an extension of their life. This comes with the certainty that this process will be challenging and the possibility that it could be traumatic. Because just like with anything in life, trauma happens.

The black church has been a pillar of strength for supporting the needs of the black community. But focused attention to the mental health needs of the black community has always taken on a different context depending on stigma, religious perspective, or just a lack of education available to meet the needs of the congregation. In this episode, we discuss the good, the bad, and the future of mental health as it integrates into a new understanding of faith and the black community.

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthisministry, [email protected]

The effects of addiction and substance use are plaguing our society in devasting ways. But this also many times creates new levels of trauma while in recovery. Individuals have the challenge of entering back into the world under a new sober identity, but continue to face the stigma of this not being enough. In this discussion, we look at the ways in which the impact of drug use, recovery, and sobriety create obstacles of stigma in people’s lives that are societal realities of clean living.

Drew David Breznitsky, MA is the Founder and Director of Clinical Operations of Beachside Recovery Interventions + Consulting and is professionally referred to as a Master’s Level Therapist currently working toward licensure in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy.

www.bricthestigma.com

With the lingering issues of COVID-19, ongoing issues in racial violence and injustice, the recent election, and people dealing with the changing economy the need for mental health services is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, even before the pandemic, there was a need for access to mental health services and affordability. The past year has only accelerated this need into dangerous territories. This episode breaks down current issues with access to care, affordability and starts to talk about solutions one therapist has found to assist with a growing problem.

Susan Dean is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Qualified Supervisor for Mental Health and Marriage and Family Interns. Email: [email protected], www.agapementalhealth.org