In this episode, Robin Douglas, explores a critical question posed by her paper: "In a racially unjust world, what good is mindfulness?" Robin challenges the Westernized, individualistic, and "non-extensive" application of mindfulness, which is often co-opted to serve "discriminatory and depressive logic of mainstream institutions" like schools and workplaces. Instead, she advocates for a culturally grounded, non-appropriative approach rooted in collectivist and ancestral healing practices.

Robin’s work focuses on integrating critical consciousness and civic engagement with healing-centered approaches to address the mental health toll of systemic inequities on youth of color. She explains how Black youth, in particular, can internalize trauma from issues like gun violence, leading to decreased racial self-esteem. The conversation explores practical, revolutionary ways to combat systemic oppression, moving beyond mere individual resilience (which can become "quiet endurance") toward collective liberation. She details intervention examples, where youth use art-based activism to document community issues and strengthen their voice, self-esteem, and connection to their peers and community.

Robyn Douglas’s Contact:

Website - https://www.robynddouglas.com/

Resources:

Douglas, R. D., Alvis, L. M., Rastogi, R., Golden, C., Ouch, S., Maldonado-Morales, M. X., & Gaylord-Harden, N. (2025). “In a racially unjust world, what good is mindfulness?” recommendations for bridging the gap between culturally grounded mindfulness interventions and critical consciousness development programming to support youth of color exposed to ethnic–racial stressors. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000863

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

Mental health is a universal experience, but access to meaningful care is not one-size-fits-all. In this episode, we sit down with Fahad Zahid, the founder and CEO of Sukoon Cares, a pioneering platform that is truly rewriting the playbook for accessible and culturally relevant mental health support for the South Asian diaspora.

Fahad shares his deeply personal journey, from grappling with a lack of language for anxiety growing up in Pakistan to navigating the pressure of a "duty as a son" while helping his immigrant parents acclimate in a new country. He explains why traditional Western therapy, often focused on "individual autonomy," failed to serve his cultural reality of valuing collective harmony over self-focus.

Key takeaways from our conversation:

• The Different Stress Architecture: Fahad breaks down the unique "stress architecture" in South Asian communities, revealing that the potential primary cause of divorce is often issues with in-laws, reflecting the complexities of multi-generational, joint households.

• The Three Pillars of Culturally Adapted Care: Learn how Sukoon Cares is addressing this gap by focusing on:

• • Language: Offering services in 13 South Asian languages.

  • Generational Context: Tailoring care to the distinct stressors of first-generation immigrants (survival) versus subsequent generations (identity).

  • Specialized Training: Ensuring clinicians are trained in culturally adapted models by leading advisors.

• A Community-First Approach: Beyond psychotherapy, Sukoon Cares builds community through nutrition, movement, and awareness events, including screening mental health-focused films.

Find out more about Sokoon Cares and their mission at www.sukooncares.com.Fahad Zahid’s Contact:

Website - https://www.sukooncares.com/our-story/

Resources:

Singh A, Shanbhag T. Parental Interference and Marital Stability: A Scoping Review of Sociocultural Influences on Indian Families. Indian J Community Med. 2025 Oct;50(Suppl 2):S155-S160. doi: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_470_24. Epub 2025 May 30. PMID: 41200687; PMCID: PMC12588131.

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Music Samples:

Intro by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

Dr. Jean discusses her vital work, "Strategically Navigating Anti-Black Racism in Professional Spaces," a new workbook and academic publication offering a crucial decision-making model for Black graduate students and early career professionals.

Key takeaways from the conversation include:

• The Decision-Making Model: This framework is not an algorithm but a guide for Black individuals to assess and consider various factors—especially their mental and emotional well-being—when responding to anti-Black racism in the workplace. It centers the individual's needs over the perpetrator's.

• The Power of Community: Dr. Jean shares how the work was inspired by her own experience of "culture shock" moving from an HBCU to a predominantly white PhD program, highlighting the critical role of Black students and colleagues in providing "navigational capital" and support.

• A Strengths-Based Approach: Dr. Jean reflects on what it means to be a Black psychologist—using her access and privilege to uplift the strengths of the Black community, bridge the gap between embodied knowledge and academia, and provide culturally affirming resources for authentic healing.

Contact Information:

Website - www.drpearisjean.com

Connect with Dr. Jean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pearisjeanphd/

Connect with Dr. Jean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pearis-jean-842108a1

Purchase the book here: https://www.drpearisjean.com/books

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

In this essential episode, Dr. Kelly Moore, a licensed psychologist and co-author of Racial Trauma in Black Clients, shares her insights on trauma-informed, culturally sensitive care.

Key discussion points include:

• Dissemination of Psychology resources: Dr. Moore discusses her dual role as a Director at the Center for Psychological Services at Rutgers, providing low/no-cost mental health services, and her private practice, where she seeks to share psychological information with the wider community in layman's terms.

• The Practicality of Racial Trauma in Black Clients: She explains that a core goal of her co-authored book was to make the challenging topic of racial trauma practical and accessible for anyone, emphasizing its applicability beyond clinical settings.

• Broadening the Scope of Black Client Experiences: Dr. Moore challenges the narrow, stereotyped, and deficit-oriented portrayals of Black clients in psychology. She stresses the vast diversity within the Black community across socioeconomic status and background, noting that mental health challenges can also arise from experiences like being "the only one" in affluent, non-diverse settings.

• Cultural Humility in Supervision: She highlights the critical need for supervisors to practice cultural humility, be comfortable addressing cultural nuances in clinical cases, and acknowledge their blind spots. She offers a powerful example of misinterpreting a Black client's change in appearance (hair styles) as pathology rather than a common cultural practice.

Dr. Kelly Moore’s Contact:

Website - https://www.moorewellnessllc.com/about

Psychology Today - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/kelly-moore-psyd-moore-wellness-llc-burlington-nj/1470725

Resources:

Jones-Damis, J. R., Moore, K. N. (2025). Racial Trauma in Black Clients: Effective Practice for Clinicians. United States: Guilford Publications.

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

In this episode, Dr. Natesha Smith‑Isabell reframes wellness for people of color—not as something we squeeze in when life allows, but as a strategic practice that shapes how we lead, love, and live. She explores what shifts when we stop surviving on empty and start treating our wellness like a source of power, not an afterthought. Listeners are invited to imagine a life where they are not just getting through, but being sustained.

To support this conversation, Dr. Smith‑Isabell offers free wellness resources at: https://arabellawellness.org/resource/

Dr. Natesha Smith-Isabell’s Contact:

Arabella Wellness - https://arabellawellness.org/

Wellness resources - https://arabellawellness.org/resource/

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Sergio Prosvirini - Joyful Whistle

Intro 2 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

In this episode, Dr. Ryan DeLapp, licensed psychologist and author, discusses his work creating the Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Healing Program (REACH) and his workbook, Empowering Yourself Against Racial and Cultural Stress.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• Cultural Stress Defined: Definition of cultural stress as the questioning of whether negative judgment, mistreatment, or denial of opportunity is connected to one's racial, ethnic, or cultural background.

• The REACH Program and Workbook: How this resource emphasizes building community, flexibility, and an iterative process for healing and coping.

• The "BEAT" Diagram: A practical, mindful check-in tool for identifying how cultural stress manifests—Body sensations, Emotions, Actions/urges, and Thoughts—to dictate specific coping needs.

• Three Impacts of Cultural Stress: An outline of the emotional, identity, and crucial agency stress—the feeling of struggling to have a sense of control or impact over the stressful experience.

• Values-Based Coping and Community: Strategies for balancing conflicting values (like justice vs. self-preservation) and the importance of intentionally building an intimate support circle.

Dr. Ryan DeLapp’s Contact:

Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Empower-Yourself-Against-Racial-Cultural/dp/1462553087

Ross Center Profile: https://www.rosscenter.com/team/ryan-delapp-phd/

REACH’s Therapeutic Services link: https://www.rosscenter.com/services/racial-ethnic-and-cultural-healing-the-reach-program/

REACH Resources for Organizations: https://www.rosscenter.com/services/racial-ethnic-and-cultural-healing-the-reach-program/reach-programs-for-schools-businesses-organizations-or-mental-health-clinicians/

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Support this Podcast:

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Sergio Prosvirini - Joyful Whistle

Intro 2 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

Dr. Claire Martin discusses the critical role of educators and therapists in creating safe learning environments amidst socio-political uncertainty. She highlights how current policies, such as funding cuts to mental health services, directly impact both counselor trainees and their marginalized clients, leading to widespread exhaustion and uncertainty. Dr. Martin emphasizes the need for educators to be self-aware, build strong rapport with students from day one, and stay informed about community issues to facilitate authentic conversations. She also stresses the importance of cultural humility, authenticity, and transparency in the classroom. The episode concludes with a powerful reflection on Dr. Martin's personal experiences and her dedication to fostering positive change and support systems for marginalized communities and mental health professionals.

Dr. Claire Martin’s Contact:

Website - https://www.drclairemartin.com/

Psychology Today - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/dr-claire-martin-spring-to-life-counseling-llc-brentwood-mo/752081

Research - https://www.drclairemartin.com/publications

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Support this Podcast:

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Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Mark Felix - Dreaming of Reggae

Intro 2 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Jones-Damis discusses her book Racial Trauma in Black Clients: Effective Practice for Clinicians. She explores the impact of racial trauma in different clinical settings, why it matters for mental health, and how clinicians can play a vital role in healing and advocacy. Dr. J emphasizing that racial trauma is a natural reaction to unnatural societal issues, not a diagnosis. She shares compelling case examples due to systemic issues and a lack of cultural competency in the school environment. Dr. J highlights the importance of direct and validating conversations about race in therapy, urging clinicians to listen to clients' experiences rather than questioning their reality. She also discusses the concept of vicarious racial trauma and its unique symptoms, such as self-seclusion, advocating for healing over mere coping.

Dr. Jennifer Jones-Damis’ Contact:

Email - Dr.JenniferJones@yahoo.com

Resources:

Jones-Damis, J. R., Moore, K. N. (2025). Racial Trauma in Black Clients: Effective Practice for Clinicians. United States: Guilford Publications.

Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom - https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/addressing_race_and_trauma_in_the_classroom_educators.pdf

Continuing Education Courses at The Multicultural Counseling Institute - https://www.tmcinstitute.org/continuing-education/recorded-webinars

Enter “FRIENDS50” for 50% off CE courses!

Support this Podcast:

Donate 1-time any amount - https://checkout.square.site/buy/DFUO7XYMQ27EZ6QVUL6PC6FA

Music Samples:

Intro 1 by Sergio Prosvirini - Joyful Whistle

Intro 2 by Mikhail Smusev - Heroic Quest

Outro by Alex Kizenkov - Inspirational Cinematic Adventure