On the weekends, I try (and usually fail) to unplug and relax from my typical routines of running my therapy practice and consuming/creating mental health content. Luckily for you, what was supposed to be me enjoying a Halle Berry movie led to this essay where I share the mental health insights that I gained from her 2014 film, Frankie and...[ read more ]
For those who don't know, I have a podcast called Perfectly Imperfect: A Podcast on Mental Health for Folx of Color. In an effort to read, write, and podcast more, I'm hosting a summer book club on the podcast. Throughout this virtual book club, I'll dissect books that address injustice and race. The first book of the summer was Post Traumatic...[ read more ]
As a young therapist working primarily with teenagers and young adults, I've come to learn a thing or two about vaping. In this post, I'll share some of the origin story of the vaping industry, my clinical observations, concerns, as well as some tips for parents and role models for this young population. Marketing is Pervasive and Deadly The most...[ read more ]
Chrissy Metz is best known for her role as Kate Pearson on the hit TV show, This is Us. I just finished reading Chrissy Metz's book, This is Me, for the second time and I'm excited to share some of the insights that I gained from her story. Mental Health Themes This memoir covers a multitude of mental health themes...[ read more ]
I read a lot of books and every so often, a truly fantastic one finds me and rocks my world. Man Enough: Undefining my Masculinity by Justin Baldoni is one of those books. What is this book about? Let's start with the author's rationale for writing the book: "I need this book to heal from those formative years where the...[ read more ]
This post is a supplement to the podcast episode, "Art X Mental Health (Part 2) with Figure Painter, Jowarnise" which will air on April 28, 2021. Listen to the episode at anchor.fm/counselor4rva. "And Still I Rise" by Jowarnise Photo credit: Jowarnise.com "Spirit of Sankofa" by Jowarnise and Ian C. Hess Image credit: https://mendingwallsrva.com/walls/spirit-of-sankofa/ "Beauty of Phi" by Jowarnise Photo credit:...[ read more ]
Though I often do reviews on books pertaining to mental health, I thought I'd try something different today. Initially impressed by the trailer for Words on Bathroom Walls, I was excited to watch the entire film; after all, schizophrenia is one of the most stigmatized mental health conditions of them all. In this post, I will give an overview of...[ read more ]
Earlier this week, I shared an excerpt from Lecrae Moore's memoir, I am Restored, on Instagram. In my caption, I shared my thoughts about being both a therapist and a Christian while not identifying myself as a "Christian therapist." I am looking forward to sharing insights that I gained from Lecrae's (stage name) book, as it goes beyond just evangelizing;...[ read more ]
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Recently, I’ve been becoming more interested of the topic of spiritual abuse, so I was intrigued when I found a memoir (my favorite genre) by Anna LeBaron titled The Polygamist’s Daughter. Trauma From hearing LeBaron’s story, I am in awe of how she made it through such complex and recurrent trauma. Her mother was the fourth wife of a polygamist “prophet”....[ read more ]