Thoughts From A Counselor

Lebert & Paul: Happy Saturday everybody! You are currently tuned into another episode of Thoughts From A Counselor. We are your hosts Lebert Lester III and Paul Singleton II. As is usual for this show, we have reinvited an amazing guest to help us have a great conversation. Now, we’ll let our guests introduce themself to you.

Paul: Who are we? (2 min)

Two Black counselors in training who are bridging the gap between what they were taught, what they know, and what they think they know. All through understanding the world by recognizing the world is still being formed.

Paul pass to Lebert to introduce the topic

(Lebert) Intro: Since putting this podcast idea together around December of 2019, we’ve come far. We’ve covered a wide range of topics, and have just passed recording our 40th episode. Honestly, it’s kind’ve shocking to realize how quickly time has passed.

(Paul) Question 1: As we think about the podcast, I think it’d be cool for our listeners to hear what some of our fav bits of being on it are. What about the work we do has stuck out to you?

(Lebert) Question 2: Let’s talk episodes now, cause that is a big part of having a podcast right? So, what are some of your favorite episodes and why?

(Paul) Question 1: Our listeners have heard our thoughts, they’ve heard from our people’s, but you know what? They still don’t really know us. So, what are some neat details about yourself you think our listeners should know about you?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now to discuss how that segues into podcasting, what were some of your ultimate goals and visions when you first thought to yourself “I wanna be a part of a podcast” ?

(Paul) Question 1: A production on any level is only as good as the self-awareness of it’s creators. So, what are some ways you’ve tried to improve the content?

(Lebert) Question 2: In what ways can it be daunting to share a creation with the world? How do you work to overcome such nervousness?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you make room for improvement?

(Lebert) Intro: In order to be sure everyone is on the same page for our discussions, we often go to dictionary.com to provide you a neat definition of what we are using to describe the focus point of the episode. Today, we will be using dictionary.com’s second definition of masculine with defines it as an adjective that means “Having qualities that traditionally ascribed to men, as strength or boldness”

(Paul) Question 1: We always kick off with a review of feelings on the definitions, so what does this definition make you feel?

(Lebert) Question 2: When do you think you were first exposed to masculinity as a concept?

(Paul) Question 1: Toxic masculinity is an important topic, and it wouldn’t be a good conversation if we did not talk about it. What are some ways you have seen toxic masculinity be presented?

(Lebert) Question 2: Masculinity, per its definition, feeds into the gender binary by ascribing specific behaviors to men just as femininity ascribes specific behaviors to women. How do you feel about that?

(Paul) Question 1: As men, there have likely been instances where we have challenged or leaned into masculinity. In what ways have you done so?

(Lebert) Question 2: Who are some individuals in your life that helped you foster healthy views of masculinity, and in what ways did they help?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you define masculinity?

(Lebert) Intro: Like most words, “transition” has multiple definitions. Today, we’ll be using the first definition of “Transition” that can be found on dictionary.com. Transition is defined as a noun that means “movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, concept etc., to another; change.

(Paul) Question 1: Since discussing the whole lifespan might be a little tough with so many wonderful people hear, let’s instead start with a transition that is a little closer. What was the transition from high school to college like for you all? What experiences did you begin to have?

(Lebert) Question 2: Transitions have both positive, and negative components, so what were the simple parts of this transition? What were some of the hard parts of this transition?

(Paul) Question 1: As we go throughout our life span, we eventually learn better ways to navigate the transitions we experience such as transitions in and out of jobs, friends, intimate relationships etc. What is one way of transitioning that you had to really work at to learn?

(Lebert) Question 2: As social creatures, we are always learning from and being built up by each other.

So, what is one way of “transitioning” that you learned from someone in your network?

(Paul) Question 1: While transitions have an outer component, they also have an inner component that relates to our identities. So, what is one way in which you transitioned from the older you to the current you?

(Lebert) Question 2: How did you go about seeking information or support as you transitioned into the current you?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you transition from environment to environment?

(Lebert) Intro: Like we discussed on our first Juneteenth episode (which was episode 16, go play that), Juneteenth is used to commemorate the day when troops went to Galveston Tx to announce to the remaining slaves that they were free. Unfortunately, not *all* of the enslaved people got their freedom. Enslaved folk living with disabilities still were left on plantations, and share cropping continued to be one way slavery lived on past it’s ending

(Paul) Question 1: So, let’s talk current times. Juneteenth is now an official holiday, so how does that make you feel?

(Lebert) Question 2: As we reflect on Juneteenth and it’s significance, it’s always good to ask what a national day, recognized or not, means to us. So, what does Juneteenth mean to you?

(Paul) Question 1: Juneteenth lead to a lot of changes in our society, and more specifically opened the gates for the beloved HBCU’s we attended and graduated from. So, let’s talk about that. What HBCU did you attend, and how did you select it?

(Lebert) Question 2: What significance did attending a HBCU afford you? What were some of the challenges you faced despite being at your HBCU?

(Paul) Question 1: So, with Juneteenth now back in the mainstream, many convos have appeared related to what it means to be Black in America. With Juneteenth in mind, what does being Black in this country mean to you?

(Lebert) Question 2: In what ways did last years Juneteenth influence how you view Juneteenth now?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you craft an identity?

Song Suggestion: Passionfruit - Drake

Lebert & Paul: Happy Tuesday everybody! You are currently tuned into another episode of Thoughts From A Counselor. We are your hosts Lebert Lester III and Paul Singleton II. As is usual for this show, we have reinvited an amazing guest to help us have a great conversation. Now, we’ll let our guests introduce themself to you.

Paul: Who are we? (2 min)

Two Black counselors in training are bridging the gap between what they were taught, what they know, and what they think they know. All through understanding the world by recognizing the world is still being formed.

Paul pass to Lebert to introduce the topic

(Lebert) Intro: So, as some of you may or may not have known, there are multiple counseling/therapeutic orientations that your counselor or therapist may utilize when they are working with you! They also do not exist in isolation, and can often be used together! Some of the approaches include Adlerian, Psychoanalytic, Existential and more.

(Paul) Question 1: Before we get into a discussion of our counseling therapeutic approaches, we have to discuss how we got into the field. So, at what point in time did you realize counseling/therapy was a field of interest to you?

(Lebert) Question 2: How did the conversations with your network go when you were discussing it with them?

(Paul) Question 1: Next, I thought it meaningful to talk about how our learning process within the field looked. What were some things about the field of counseling/therapy that surprised you?

(Lebert) Question 2: In what ways did being within the field of counseling/therapy affect your own self-view?

(Paul) Question 1: Alright, now we’re at the part of the discussion we’ve all been waiting for. What counseling theory or theories are you most oriented towards?

(Lebert) Question 2: How does your identity influence the specific approaches you emphasize in your work as a practitioner?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: What do you know about counseling/therapy?

Segment 1: Intro to Legacy

(Lebert) Intro: Y’all know we love our definitions, and we have a neat one to use to guide today’s conversation. So, we went to dictionary.com and we’ll be pulling from their second definition. Legacy is defined as “anything handed down from the past. As from an ancestor and predecessor

(Paul) Question 1: So, it’s first question time. How do you feel about this definition of a legacy?

(Lebert) Question 2: As a flip of that, now how would you define legacy?

(Paul) Question 1: Legacy is related to our lives, and we are always living them. We also have to be made consciously aware of the legacies we leave. So, when did you first become aware of the fact that you have or will leave a legacy?

(Lebert) Question 2: How was the concept of legacy discussed with you by those around you? This can be anyone from peers to mentors or more.

(Paul) Question 1: Our identities play a key role in how we craft our legacies because of the ways others may seek to make them our guides through stereotypes. In what ways have the views of others influenced your legacies?

(Lebert) Question 2: For our closing question, we now want to ask in what ways you have included others into your legacy?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you craft a legacy?

(Lebert) Intro: Announcing definitions are important because many words have multiple definitions. To make sure everyone understands the definition we are operating on, we are using dictionary.com’s 2nd definition of vulnerability. It defines it as “willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weakness to be seen or known; willingness to risk being hurt or attacked”

(Paul) Question 1: Now, we transition into our first question, what comes to your mind when you hear this definition of vulnerability?

(Lebert) Question 2: While we pulled dictionary.com’s definition of vulnerability, it’s also worth noting that we often define words for ourself all without the help of dictionaries. So, how do you define vulnerability?

(Paul) Question 1: When do you think you were first exposed to vulnerability as a concept? What happened at that time?

(Lebert) Question 2: When was the first time you were purposely vulnerable? How did it go for you?

(Paul) Question 1: So, a variety of factors influence our willingness to be vulnerable. What are some that were present in your life?

(Lebert) Question 2: How has your view of being vulnerable changed over time?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you practice vulnerability?

(Lebert) Intro: “Avatar the Last Airbender” is a 2005 show co-created by Michael DiMartino, Bryan Koneitzko and Aaron Ehasz. It follows the story of Aang, the avatar and the last airbender of his time. In a time of warring states

(Paul) Question 1: Now that we have introduced the topic, we thought it good to start with a quick assessment with how you feel. How did you feel about your introduction to Aang and his world?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now that we’ve set the stage, what did you think of the southern water tribe?

(Paul) Question 1: One of the first things Avatar does is introduce us to our hot headed antagonist, Zuko. What did you think of him when you first met him?

(Lebert) Question 2: Of course, we also can’t talk about Zuko without talking about uncle Iroh. What did you think of our tea drinking sort of antagonist?

(Paul) Question 1: Here, as is typical for segment 3, we wanted to discuss the ways in which we saw ourselves reflected in them. We typically do not see many brown characters, and this was a village full of them. How did seeing that make you feel?

(Lebert) Question 2: We learned so little about the southern water tribe because of how quickly they left. What do you wish you had gotten to see or better know before team Avatar skated off to the next bit of their journey.

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How did you feel after you watched your first episode of Avatar?

(Lebert) Intro: “Kipo and the Age of Wonder Beasts” is a 2020 show created by Radford Secrist that actually started as a webtoon. The story focuses on the story of Kipo Oak, a half-mute half-human girl whom is searching for her lost father and the other missing humans in a post-apocalyptic world

(Paul) Question 1: Now that we have introduced the topic, we thought it good to start with a quick assessment with how you feel. How did you feel about your introduction to Kipo’s world and of course Kipo?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now that we’ve set the stage a little bit, whom is your favorite character and why?

Segment 2: The Age of Wonder Beasts

(Paul) Question 1: Kipo couldn’t live in the age of wonder beasts without of course any wonder beasts. So, what are your thoughts on the wonder beasts nicknamed “mutes” that we have seen throughout the show?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now, what do you think of the humans that Kipo and her crew have met so far?

(Paul) Question 1: This show was praised rather highly both for the casting, with the diverse casting being one such thing reviewers have cited. How do you feel they did in their depictions?

(Lebert) Question 2: In what ways would you have adjusted the story? This can be from any perspective, but preferably focus on season 1.

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: In what ways have you felt represented in television?

(Lebert) Intro: As career students, Paul and I have had a good bit of time being in the classroom. Until last year and sort of this one tho, we have never been in the classroom during a pandemic. So, we thought it good to shoot an episode on the topic! That way, you all can get some meaningful info while Paul and I discuss the state of K-12.

(Paul) Question 1: Now that we have introduced the topic, I’d love to hear how you got into being an educator. What influenced you?

(Lebert) Question 2: As an add on, in what ways are your education processes influenced by your own experiences?

(Paul) Question 1: So, the way education happened when we were younger obviously was different from the way we were educated as we got older. What were some changes you noticed?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now that we have experienced a degree of online, hybrid, and now back in-person due to covid, education has once again changed. What are some of the changes that were challenging for you?

(Paul) Question 1: So, identity plays a lot into our educational processes. In what ways has your identity affected the ways that those who were educating you, as students and now as adults, treated you?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now, how does your identity influence the ways that you educate the students and other people that you work with? How did your undergrad and lower school coursework affect that?

(Paul) Lead by Example: Where we highlight those doing good work, or who did good work

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: What do you know about learning in a pandemic?