Down For Disruption

Hiatus

Hey, ya'll! I won't repeat here what's in the recording. So, I'll keep it brief. As I've been saying all week, A LOT of back to back medical crisis have officially taken it's toll and I. am. not. well. So, I'm taking a much needed break from ALL business and creative endeavors for the next 6-8 weeks (roughly) to self-repair. Um, what am I always preaching??? Love ya'll, and I'll "see" everybody in early November. Thanks again for rockin' with me and ya'lls continued support. ***IF you pray to Christ Jesus or Jehovah God, our Abba Father**, please keep me in ya'lls prayers. Monetary support can be sent to  **Cash App** $AJWRITEMENTAL  or or  ------> paypal.me/firstdibsonchange  God bless! Muah! :) AJ

Episode 11 So WHAT! I'm Grown: Mental Health and Arrested Development

Hey, yall! Thanks to those who reached out to me to inquire about my health. Lets just say that Im on the mend. Um, the last 2 weeks have been BRUTAL. BUT, I am taking my pain And anxiety meds as prescribed, while trying my hardest to sit still. Some of yall KNOW how damn near impossible that is for me. Lol Anyhow, on to todays Episode!  Wow! Season 2 is moving right along and today we are joined by thee Scholarly Wellspring, otherwise known as, Fran Harrison, LPCC, @francares4u to walk us through Episode 11 So What! Im grown: Mental Health and Arrested Development Lawwwddd!! Pretty much ALL of you should know by now that this topic is at the top of my soapbox list.  WHY? Because our homes are broken. Our communities are shattered by self-sabotage and misguided little girls posing as grown women. What the hell happened to mamas who behaved like adults? Grown women who werent hosting twerking contests with their 5 year-olds or angrily ramming their vehicle into the side of Popeyes because the kitchen ran out of biscuits? Seriously. WTF? Its like we all became unhinged one day and disqualified ourselves from actively modeling emotion regulation and healthy parenting. If you think about it, our Whole world is ill. Yup! Were all moving robotically in a trance from one trauma to the next. Every good, common sense brain cell that Father God, Himself, created is NOT so common anymore AND each of those brain cells have been replaced by an unknowingly woeful dependence on technology.   Add to that mix, a tragically broken mental healthcare system, overcrowded schools, the virtual non-existence of a morally sound, nuclear family structure AND the Heavily policed expression of free speech and emotional outreach. What we now have is a drastic need for mental and emotional repair that supersedes damn near all available global resources and the inward retreat to clinical despair that is often unrecognizable until much later after death. Were literally living in a George Jetson meets 1984 meets Handmaids Tale, mixed with a little (a Lot) of Behold A Pale Horse thrown in. We need help.  We need understanding. We need meds. We need therapy.  We need safety. WE ALL NEED HELP!! In todays Episode 11, Fran delivers a Keynote Speech about this Arrested Development phenomenon. The literal stuck as she terms it, in a child or adolescent-like stage and a lifestyle of behaviors that are inconsistent with or inappropriate for ones current age. Um, think about the sistas in the viral fight videos from Waffle House to Walmart to Worldstar. Fran holds our hand and walks us through reasons behind Arrested Development and how AD relates to trauma or other unresolved issues. She goes on to explain the ACES study, how a high ACE score factors into AD, and more! Trust, Fran is the Morpheus of clinical counseling and REALLY knows her stuff! She is a living, breathing textbook of modalities from Trauma Focused CBT to Race Based Trauma treatment to Compassion Fatigue and Self-Care. WOW! Talk about a Wide Range of specialties. Trust, Fran has perfected her vast, cradle to the grave assortment of specialties for literally ANY age group over the past 23 years. Listen to how she skillfully analyzes our Rontrise scenario and lovingly applies therapeutic interventions to help this lady we all know too well. That big age somebody who is still clubbing with an AARP card in her purse. The irresponsible one whos emotionally unregulated and fails miserably, at understanding insight insight into her own problems. Thee QUEEN of self-sabotage. God help us. BUT, we thank God for great minds like that of Fran Harrison, LPCC. Wahoo!!! We should ALL be grateful for her contribution to healing the Diaspora :)

Episode 10 "THEY BOUT TO WORK ROOTS!”—Nutrition, Vitamins, Herbs, and Exercise

Happy Saturday, everybody! I hope yall are well. We really do have a magician ?? [https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1fa84/72.png] joining us, today! I swear anyone who works as a Registered Nurse, a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Health Coach, *AND* an Endocannabinoid (Google it) System Nurse Consultant *at the same time* is either related to Copperfield or walks on water for fun. BUT, Marsha Kentish, RN, BSN, CNS, LDN, is SO down to Earth, engaging, and relatable. Trust me, I had a Blast interviewing her! We talked about everything from the nutritional needs of our aging women, preventable diseases, vitamins/minerals/supplements, stress, popular diets, meds & midlife, and MORE! Listen to what she has to say about the gut-brain connection, fluctuating moods, and hormone imbalances. Hmmm... Dont forget yall sparkly red pen and notebook! Thanks SO much for ya'll support, as always. AJ

Episode 9 MY ROOM, MY TABLE, MY TURN: Owning Your Space in Multiple Places After ‘THEY’ Said You Don’t Belong

Maaan! Where are all of my "been put out of better places than this" folks??? Episode 9 is just for us, if no other. *Have you ever questioned your worth or purpose now that you FINALLY have some time to think straight? Maybe the kids are gone, or a parent is now deceased after you've exhausted yourself taking care of them? Maybe you're now divorced or newly graduated. Yay! Could it be that you've gotten your second wind now and ready to soar? Great! Let's explore. *Have you ever been told that you can't cut it somewhere or that you're not good enough? Not the right fit? *Always the candidate, but never the new hire? *Are you suffering from "rejection burnout" because no matter how much experience you have, you keep getting skipped over for some social media geek who's half of your age? *Is Imposter Syndrome kicking in? *Are you newly diagnosed with a mental health or some other disorder and afraid others may find out? *Or do mental illness symptoms have you skating on thin ice at work, church, school, with Bae, the kids, and other people/places/things??? *Wondering how to reinvent yourself? *Are you ready to start or scale a business? Oh, yeah! This episode is for you. Another seasoned, clinical multi-hyphenate, Charmaine Walker, LPC, NCC, will walk us through these very topics and gently reassure us that feelings of inadequacy are pretty common during these after 40, midlife years. BUT, they don't have to rule our lives. Charmaine is skilled at providing a broad spectrum of comprehensive care because not only is she an Imposter Syndrome expert, but she is also a clinical hypnotherapist, career strategist, AND job coach! Say what?! Charmaine is a master at mindfulness because she teaches clients to draw from their inner strengths in any exact moment, to best use the various therapy models that she implements. I'm not sure how much more room Charmaine has on her wall, but would ya'll believe that this clinical Wonder Woman is a certified yoga teacher too?! WOW! What Can't she do? I told ya'll, Charmaine provides a full circle therapy experience. She'll help you to process through depression and unaddressed trauma. She'll help you discover your strengths AND make practical use of her EMDR training to help you overcome anxiety and fears about cutting it in the workplace. Then she'll meditate with you and help to demonstrate how to draw on your own senses and use acute awareness of your different situations and triggers to unpack what's been holding you back. Trust me, Charmaine is THAT good! Lastly, the chronic job jumper, as she relates to mental health diagnosis, reasonable accomodation, and support services will be discussed.Sooo many gems in today's episode. Don't forget to take notes, ladies! :)

Episode 8 Part 2 Managing Meds, Symptoms, and My Marbles: How Not to Lose Your Mind in the Daily Grind

We Did It!!! We Did it, Ladies!! Wahoo!!!! > "Sandbox Champions", TODAY, August 26, 2023 concludes our VERY FIRST SEASON!! Wahoo!! I'm SO thankful. My heart is SO full at all we've been able to accomplish with our 'Down For Disruption' Podcast and all of those wounded hearts that this show has been able to reach. > I could NOT have pulled off *Season 1* without the Collective love, prayers, support, AND financial contribution$ from ALL OF YOU!!! > Please don't forget to Heart (follow), download, subscribe, and share this podcast Here on the App. You may also support the sustainability of 'Down For Disruption' by Cash App at $ajwritemental > Follow 'Down For Disruption' on Instagram at first_dibs_on_change AND @downfordisruption. I truly do LOVE each and every one You, my Women Warrior "Sandbox Champions"!!! "Together, we love; TOGETHER, we heal! > ***-------> Do NOT forget about our End of *Season 1* Celebratory Scavenger Hunt Contest on Instagram! Check out the "Black Screen" post AND my Live from 8/24--the one with the "Call Me By NAME, Not By Label" T-shirt in the Top Left Corner. > THAT T-shirt AND other Great prizes will be awarded for ANSWERING 4 VERY Show-Specific Questions correctly in a VIDEO SUBMISSION (ONLY) ON IG Live. Contest Answer SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT ANY TIME BETWEEN NOW AND Friday, September 1st, at 5:00pm EST. > Mental Health Awareness T-shirts Alone can be purchased on the First Dibs on Change SHOPIFY site https://first-dibs-on-change.myshopify.com/ OR you can access the First Dibs on Change Shopify link in My Bio on the @first_dibs_on_change Instagram page. > First Dibs on Change is my Mental Health Awareness Company, under which the 'Down For Disruption' Podcast is house. REMEMBER, sometimes the word "change" begins with the letter "I". > Come on, Now! Upload those video answers, Ladies!!! I wonder what's in the Coach bag....Hmmm.... Who's been Listening SINCE EPISODE 1 ONE 1??? Let's see who's been taking notes. Love, ya'll!!!! xoxoxo "Your always favorite menopausal Misbehave-her!" AJ >>>>Now, on to TODAY'S EPISODE 8, Part 2, "Managing Meds, Symptoms, and My Marbles: How Not to Lose Your Mind in the Daily Grind! This will be an in-depth discussion about psychotropic medications, the need for them, how they affect the brain and aging body, as well as dual neuro trauma. Renowned Forensic Psychiatrist and behavioral impairment educator, Dr. Tracey Marks, MD, will also cover medication side effects and why meds with harmful side effects are prescribed in the first place. She'll tell us all about the pre-frontal cortex of the brain in great deal and how it is affected by mental illness. She will address the "illness means incapable" myth, what others see in certain behaviors vs. what's really going on internally, and uber specific differences between child and adult ADHD. Lastly, Dr. Marks will address the 'Angry Black Woman' trope, as part of her explanation about Borderline Personality Disorder and the raging lack of impulse control often seen in adult women with a substantial trauma history. "Together, we love; TOGETHER, we heal" :)