Therapists Next Door

Licensed professional counselors Johanna Dwinells and Sarah Bryski-Hamrick are slowly demystifying and destigmatizing therapy, one episode at a time. Recording and living in the Philadelphia area, Johanna and Sarah work to make therapy feel more accessible, with quirky, sometimes intrusive questions that reveal the human side of healthcare professionals, all while they overcome their own anxieties and internalized stigmas. 

TW: domestic violence, rape, violence against women and children.

Episode summary: Johanna discusses the ins and outs of the rock/mineral collecting and care, Sarah accepts that sometimes ignorance is kind. They read through the heavily violent and unjust history of domestic violence laws in western civilization. Enjoy the noticeable relief when they begin discussing the history of mindfulness and how it has made its way to the west. Guest Rujuta Chincholkar-Mandelia discusses her long history of working with domestic violence victims, primarily women from South Asian countries, navigating the care and responsibility she has for them, while finding balance in her day-to-day life. She discusses her deep dive into nutrition and mindful, phone free activities that helped her survive and thrive during the pandemic. 

Guest Bio: Rujuta Chincholkar-Mandelia is a mental health therapist who works primarily with women and adolescents in her private practice, Mindful Group Practice. She is a trauma-informed, mindfulness and self-compassion practitioner. She has done extensive work in trauma especially in domestic violence. At the Women’s Resource Center, she works with women who are going through separation and divorce and have been traumatized in their relationships. She enjoys running, meditating, gardening and hanging out with her family.

Sources for today’s History Lesson: “Herstory of Domestic Violence: A Timeline of the Battered Women's Movement” by SafeNETWORK staff April Howard and Susan Lewis, updated by Tamsen Stevenson and Cindi Love; “Historical Overview of Domestic Violence” The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center; “History of Mindfulness: From East to West and Religion to Science” by Joaquín Selva, Bc.S., Psychologist.

Resources: 

Women’s Resource Center: (701) 314-(HELP)4357

M-TH 9:30am-6:00pm, FRI 9:30am-3:30pm

www.mindful.org

meditations, resources on mindfulness

Questions/comments/concerns? Want to share your thera-story? 

Email us at [email protected].

Follow us: 

IG: @therapistsnextdoor

Twitter: @therapistsndpod

Do you want bonus features, including episodes, the ability to vote on what questions we ask our guests and ad-free episodes (fingers crossed)? Do you want to help support us as we demystify and destigmatize mental health? Visit our Patreon: 

patreon.com/tndpodcast

Or visit our website: 

tndpodcast.com

Licensed professional counselors Johanna Dwinells and Sarah Bryski-Hamrick are slowly demystifying and destigmatizing therapy, one episode at a time. Recording and living in the Philadelphia area, Johanna and Sarah work to make therapy feel more accessible, with quirky, sometimes intrusive questions that reveal the human side of healthcare professionals, all while they overcome their own anxieties and internalized stigmas. 

TW: Abuse of the disabled, including forced sterilizations, institutionalization, humiliation.

Episode summary: Johanna and Sarah discuss high school track and field before diving into the history of healthcare for the intellectually and developmentally disabled, which can be described as both horrendous and unpredictable. They interview recent Temple University grad and long time friend of Sarah’s, Raquel M. Mangual. Hear all about the challenges of guardianship for Raquel’s brother with IDD, the shortcomings of healthcare and support for folx with IDDs, as well as the complications of drug and alcohol recovery for Latinx and other BIPOC communities and the necessity of breaking apart from white spaces to heal further. 

Guest Bio: Raquel M. Mangual is a BWS and recent graduate of Temple University's School of Social Work, with a focus on the disabled community, specifically adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She has done extensive research on the experience of Latinx disabled folx, examining the many intersectionalities. She has personal and professional experience working with this population as she cared for her older brother who lives with IDD and supported him after their parents died when she was 20. She spent a short period of time working in behavioral health but realized that wasn't where her spirit was. She’s in long term recovery from drugs and alcohol which has had a huge impact on her educational journey and in her spare time, she is an artist.

Sources for today’s History Lesson: “Healthcare for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disability in the Community” by David A. Ervin, Brian Hennen, Joav Merrick, and Mohammed Morad; National Park Service - series on disability; Brief History and Future of Intellectual Disability Services in America - Scott Spreat; The National Council on Disability

Resources: 

Mental Health Delegate Hotline: 215-685-6440

7 days/wk, 24 hrs/day

Mobile crisis, involuntary commitment

Suicide Crisis and Intervention Hotline: 215-686-4420

Open 24/7

Community Behavioral Health Warmline (non-urgent): 855-507-9276

Mon-Fri 4pm-7pm

NAMI Philly Warmline: 267-687-4381

Questions/comments/concerns? Want to share your thera-story? 

Email us at [email protected].

Follow us: 

IG: @therapistsnextdoor

Twitter: @therapistsndpod

Do you want bonus features, including episodes, the ability to vote on what questions we ask our guests and ad-free episodes (fingers crossed)? Do you want to help support us as we demystify and destigmatize mental health? Visit our Patreon: 

patreon.com/tndpodcast

Or visit our website: 

tndpodcast.com