Thoughts From A Counselor

(Lebert) Intro: To introduce our topic as always, we went to www.thespruce.com to pull a grounded definition of life celebration. A celebration of life is a complement to a funeral, and many cultures (shout out to Nola) actually have a variety of ways to celebrate life. As many people in this room approach or have had their birthday this month, we thought this a great episode to have.

(Paul) Question 1: What are some influences in your life that affect how you celebrate it? At what age did you truly begin celebrating your life vs living your life?

(Lebert) Question 2: Since we discussed community in the intro, what are some ways people in your life have affected the way you celebrate your life?

(Paul) Question 1: So we’re all individuals, and collabs are about hearing from individuals. How about we now decide what something that adds value to our lives look like? What does it feel like?

(Lebert) Question 2: To now view this from the other angle, what are some barriers to engaging in valuable life experiences?

(Paul) Question 1: Just like how our thoughts and habits grow through time, so do the things we value and celebrate. So, in what ways have you experienced such changes?

(Lebert) Question 2: Evolution is a process of looking back to compare, but it can equally involve looking forward to comparison. So, what is one thing about where you currently are in life that you hope your future self will be able to celebrate?

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

ADC segment

Paris closing segment

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: How do you celebrate life?

Lebert & Paul: Happy Sunday 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: To introduce our topic as always, we went to dictionary.com to pull a definition of anxiety for you. Today, we will be utilizing the first definition which defines anxiety as a noun characterized by distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune. In addition to that, anxiety is also a psychological condition that is most readily diagnosed via utilizing the diagnostic statistical manual-5.

(Paul) Question 1: Now that we have previewed anxiety, how would you define anxiety?

(Lebert) Question 2: On par with our definitions, let’s now discuss our first encounters with anxiety. At what age did you first experience anxiety? Do you remember what you were doing?

(Paul) Question 1: Anxiety is manifested in many areas of our lives such as in academia, in relationships, and more. Can you detail some ways the way anxiety is expressed can differ?

(Lebert) Question 2: As we explore ourselves and more of our identities, we see that anxiety is also present here. What are some ways in which societal pressures have contributed to any anxiousness you feel?

(Paul) Question 1: We are currently facing a pandemic that of course is collaborating with systemic pressures, and compounding the anxiety many people already faced. What are some ways you have seen or experienced anxiety lately due to these factors?

(Lebert) Question 2: Our society tends to not supply tips that do not further induce anxiety, so as we wrap up we’d love to hear some tips from all of you about how to manage anxiety. What are some that you utilize?

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

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: What conversations have you had about anxiety?

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 guest 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) Question 1: So, growth is a component of our journeys that people love to emphasize. All that considered, growth is pretty important. Growth is also something that has to be bought into as well as chosen. What is the first point in your life that you remember having or feeling growth in yourself?

(Paul) Question 2: Growth touches a lot areas in our life from our work, our relationships, and even our hobbies. What are some of the various areas in your life you’ve experienced growth?

(Lebert) Question 1: A key part of change is the reality that it is a spectrum. There are some parts that are obviously good for us, and other parts that seem relatively uncertain and scary. What are some instances where you were afraid to make a change?

(Paul) Question 2: To take it a step further, change is also a process that does not happen overnight. Change can both happen at a slow pace, as well as be delayed by us. What are some instances where you have hesitated to make a change that you wanted to make?

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(Lebert) Question 1: Because they love us, our people’s always weigh in on the decisions we make. Of course, this can lead to both supportive and detrimental thoughts coming from them. What is some negative input about how you should develop that your network has offered you?

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(Paul) Question 2: To flip it, sometimes our network has positive and even beneficial input to offer to us. What is some positive input about how you should develop that your network has offered you?

(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 grown?

(Lebert) Intro: On our episode 8 on addiction we lightly introduced you all to the topic because, like a class, we want you all to have intro knowledge before we engage in depth on topics. To remind you, we will be using dictionary.com’s first definition. It defines addiction as a noun, and says addiction is the state of being compulsively committed to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

(Paul) Question 1: We’ve previewed the definition of addiction, so now that we have a wonderful guest with a background in addiction training here we wanted to have you tell us how you would define addiction?

(Lebert) Question 2: We previously discussed our first exposure to addiction, so let’s add to that and now discuss our experiences with viewing, discussion addiction etc on college campuses. What sort of conversations did you have at your undergrad alma maters on addiction?

(Lebert) Question 1: As with anything, society plays a role in our view of addiction. To build upon our earlier question of addiction on our alma maters, how did the media you consumed phrase addiction to you on college campuses?

(Paul) Question 2: As people whom have experienced graduate school as well as currently in grad school, let us now talk about how conversations of living with addiction can look in graduate school. In what ways have you heard it discussed?

(Lebert) Question 1: As we have discussed our experiences, we have also discussed the ways in which these harmful cultures society leads us to engage with ultimately hurts us all. As someone whom is now work towards licensure, in what ways have you seen these harmful cultures present even within your profession and sessions?

(Paul) Question 2: Cultures are continually created throughout our lives, and the pandemic has added to the ways in which we seek to cope and navigate our day to day. In what ways has the pandemic lead you to reconsider or re-examine conversations around addiction?

(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 stigma?

Key Takeaways!!!

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 guest 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: “Accountability” sounds like a word many of us know and are familiar with, but it wouldn’t be an episode with us if we didn’t make sure everybody understands what we are talking about today. The definition of accountable we’ll be operating on to discuss accountability is the first definition from dictionary.com. It describes the word “accountable” as an adjective, and says that being accountable is “subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable”.

(Paul) Question 1: We’ve previewed the definition of accountable, so let’s discuss our definitions of accountability. When you hear that word, what ideas come to your mind?

(Lebert) Question 2: When did the idea of accountability first get exposed to you? What are some of your first memories of interacting with accountability?

*Insert snippet from Ep. 19

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(Paul) Intro: On Episode 19: Community Psychology we segued into accountability, and you asked us how powerful it would be if Tory openly came out and apologized for his shooting of Meg Thee Stallion. That it would of meant a lot if we learned as a community from such an event. He didn’t do that, but we thought this was worth exploring.

(Lebert) Question 1: Accountability ultimately has to be paired with the desire to be accountable, and as someone whom has worked in prisons, community groups and academia you have encountered in such individuals. What do you think accountability can look like for him?

(Paul) Question 2: Far too often, conversations of accountability dwindle down to “returning to how things were before” rather than the sequence of acts that truly characterize accountability. In what ways do you feel accountability has been improperly viewed?

(Lebert) Question 1: Accountability is a core part of our interactions, and thus it’s important to make sure space is made for that in our relationships. So, in what ways have peers held you accountable?

(Paul) Question 2: In an equal way, it is important to make sure we show our peers the proper care as far as holding them accountable. So, what does holding your peers accountable look like for you?

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

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: What does accountability look like to you?

Key Takeaways!!!

(Lebert) Intro: Steven’s Universe is a show created by Rebecca Sugar that first began airing in 2013. It centers the story of the main character, Steven Universe. More specifically tho, includes the gems. Mythical, ageless beings who draw their power from the power shards present somewhere on their bodies

(Paul) Question 1: To kick it off with where we left off from last time, let’s open with how we feel about the gems? You can answer for all gems, or discuss one particular one if you have one on your heart.

(Lebert) Question 2: How do you feel about the development of the gems? Is there a specific gem you feel like fell short of, or was way past the growth you saw them capable of?

(Paul) Question 1: Like most social beings, the gems relied on their communities for support, guidance, and even sources of disagreement. How would you describe the bonds of the crystal gems? Now the homeworld gems?

(Lebert) Question 2: The gems were all their own people, and thus we often saw ourselves reflected in them in both good and bad ways. In the name of self-awareness, what is an area of improvement in yourself that you also saw in a gem?

(Paul) Question 1: As the omnipotent leaders, the gems spent a lot of their time serving as antagonists who were mostly disinterested in other beings. How do you feel about the gems and what they do?

Edit fumble paul lol 1:00:00

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(Lebert) Question 2: While we got to see homeworld, we still do not get the full understanding of what all the gems do. What are some conversations about the way gem society works that you feel went unanswered?

(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 view and assess yourself?

Key Takeaways!!!

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 invited two amazing guests 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: “Public Health” sounds like a self-explanatory term and field, but it wouldn’t be an episode with us if we didn’t break down the nuances involved in it. Public health is everything from community health to community health education and more specifically what factors affect communities' health.

(Paul) Question 1: So we have two people here who are currently in the public health field, and so it’s only right that we have you two weigh-in. How would you two define public health?

(Lebert) Question 2: Now that we have loosely defined it, is there a specific facet of public health that you have a particular focus on?

(Lebert) Question 1: While many of us are uniquely aware of public health through our lived experiences, being in a graduate program for it as a specific focus provides proper terms, training and more. In what ways have your views of public health changed since beginning your programs?

(Paul) Question 2: To now pair with the first question, education does not inherently mean we are learning the right things, but that we are merely learning things. What are gaps you have perceived in the field of public health?

(Lebert) Question 1: Our specific journeys are often motivated and supported by our identities, so in what ways has your identity influenced your interest in public health?

(Paul) Question 2: What are some “public health” recommendations you have for our listeners? They can be on an individual basis, as well as recommendations for how to have better conversations on public health.

(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 public health?

Key Takeaways!!!

Intro (1 min)

(Lebert): Happy Sunday everybody! You are currently tuned into another episode of Thoughts From A Counselor. We are your hosts Lebert Lester III and Paul Singleton II. Today’s episode is gonna be a little different from the others because we are recording an ad for the super cool Honey contest for podcasts known as SponsorMeHoney Contest. Before we get into that tho, I wanna bounce it to Paul to remind you who we are.

(Paul): 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. Now, I’ ma toss it to you Lebert so you can discuss Honey a lil bit

(Lebert): Honey is a free browser add-on available on Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and Safari. They are a partner of the Los Angeles Clippers. The way they work is scanning the web for discount codes, and then offering results for you if they’re able to find some for you.

(Paul): Honey has over 10 million subscribers and over 100,000 5 star reviews, unless you hate money, make your day sunny and go install Honey. If you want to install it just go to joinhoney.com, create an account, add it to your desktop, and then get to saving. Now, how do you feel about the idea of saving money, Lebert?

(Lebert): On average, Honey members save $126 dollars, and they come with praise from places that are worth nothing. Business Insider, New York Times, Buzzfeed, and Time have all attested to how good the work Honey does is. Right now, about 30,000+ merchants are a part of Honey’s network. In an age of online buying, how does the idea of better doing it make you feel Paul?

(Paul): Honey has partnerships with a lot of places that many folk shops from like Adidas, Macy’s, Target, Nike, and more. How does that make you feel?

(Lebert): In a time when we are so distanced and unable to be around our people in our typical ways, Honey appears as a neat way to send gifts and show love at a cheaper price. To review our ad, just go to joinhoney.com/besthoney.ad. In what ways might Honey appear for you during these upcoming holidays, Paul?

(Paul): Honey is offering this wonderful contest, but as we have detailed Honey is also a wonderful site that you and your wallet will love.

Edit transition

(Lebert): And who doesn’t love a happy wallet? Now that we are closing out tho, I just wanna remind you all who we are. Again, we are Thoughts From a Counselor and can be found on Instagram @Thoughtsfromcounselors. I am Lebert Lester III

(Paul): And I’m Paul Singleton II unless you hate money, make your day sunny and go installHoney.  Reminder joinhoney.com/besthoney.ad.

Podcast collaboration with After Dinner Conversations podcast collabs with Thoughts From A Counselor to discuss friendships, relationships, and the dynamics we must navigate to maintain them.  

Intro (1 min)

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 invited some amazing guests to help us have a great conversation. Now, we’ll let them introduce themselves to you.

Edit 3:50

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.

Edit

Paul pass to Lebert to introduce the topic

(Lebert) Intro: For today’s definition that we will be operating on is dictionary.com’s 2nd definition of health, which defines health as “soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment”

(Paul) Question 1: When you hear the word health as folk who work in physical health care and mental health care, what ideas come to your minds?

(Lebert) Question 2: What influences your definitions of health? What went into your creation of your definition?

(Paul) Question 1: Many people believe that mental health and physical health are separate rather than combined. What do you think informs this belief that two are not one?

(Lebert) Question 2: In what ways have you seen physical health affect mental health and vice versa? Edit 51:20.

(Paul) Question 1: In what ways has your identity influenced your journey into your area of health be it mental or physical health?

1:15:00

(Lebert) Question 2: What are some tips or suggestions you think that would greatly assist folk in maintaining and improving their mental or physical health?

1:25:00

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

Edit 1:31:05

(Lebert) Listener question of the day idea: What do you know about physical and mental health?

Key Takeaways!!