Please note that this episode does discuss suicide. With no end in sight, this pandemic has the ability to exaggerate daily stressors. Everyone is experiencing more frequent difficult days and while some people reach out for help, others are losing their lives. We've talked about reaching out for support but who is helping the helpers? In this epis…

Which is better, the "Golden Rule": treat people how you want to be treated, or the "Platinum Rule": treat people how they want to be treated? In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about how we give support to people and how we ask for support. In our society, it's common that people just try to do things on their own, it's almost exp…

Happy New Year and Happy Friday! We're so excited to be back recording for you guys. In this episode we talk about the break that we took last year and the value of taking time for rest and to re-energize. Thank you guys for hanging with us for the past 5 seasons! Season 6 is underway and we're excited about what's to come! --- Send in a voice mess…

Have you heard about Dr. Carl Hart? He's the tenured professor of psychology and psychiatry at Columbia University who is claiming that using heroin in specific doses for limited amounts of time is not harmful. It's quite controversial and scientifically, I understand what he's saying but socially he's missing the mark. In this episode of 2 Elephan…

By now we've all probably figured some small ways to create normalcy in this pandemic. We schedule weekly videochats with family or we made designated work from home space in our homes. As much as we are grateful to still have a home or a job, we can feel like something is still off. We feel sad or anxious and there seems to be no real reason why. …

Grief comes to us in so many ways, through loss and transition or unmet expectations. There is also space where we know that loss or transition is coming and it causes us to begin to grieve in advance. This week's episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, Alicia and Erin explore impending grief, how it's different from immediate grief and ways to manage …

Doing things for the first time can be nerve-wracking. Personally, it has lead to a lot of "productivity paralysis". In this episode, I'm coming to you solo dolo to talk about ways to get over the things that stop you from working out your great ideas and get you closer to exhibiting your full potential. Often we look at the new year as an opportun…

As we're approaching an entire year of being in a pandemic and quarantine, new buzzwords are floating around. This week we discuss C*VID Fatigue and the general sensation of just being "over it". How are we creating new normals so that we feel less restricted in our day to day activities. Listen in and let us know what you're thinking! --- Send in …

It's a new year and an even newer world. We are still in a pandemic and it has caused major shifts in how we socialize and interact with one another. In this episode of 2 Elephants In the Room, we talk about the fear of coughing in public and the underlying issues of assuming others may not care about the safety and wellness of others, the necessit…

The holidays will look different this year. What are traditions you will miss? What traditions will you create? Listen in as Alicia and I discuss self care and ways to celebrate the holidays safely, in a pandemic. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/2-elephants-in-the-room/message…

Figuring out what to do in transitional spaces is easy for some and more difficult for others. Listen in as Alicia and Erin discuss how they manage their anxiety in uncertain times. How do you take care of yourself when you're moving from experience to the next? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/2-elephants-in-the…

The day has come! this entire election season has weighed us all down. Tune in as well process the feelings of apathy and how to overcome it to do our civic duty. After election self-care is a real thing. How are you taking care of yourself during this time? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/2-elephants-in-the-roo…

It's been a tough election season. It feels like our emotions have been pulled in every direction. The sensation to be apathetic has been strong, but it's important to remember to get educated and vote anyway. Listen in as Erin and Alicia process all these emotions and talk about the 2020 Presidential race. --- Send in a voice message: https://podc…

I picked up a new hobby and became a labor and delivery photographer. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to photography Alicia's home birth. Listen as we describe our experiences from the two different perspectives. How do you feel about home births? Would you have one? How would you feel if your partner wanted to have her baby at home? --- Se…

All we ever have in this life is the truth of who we are. What do we lose when we pretend to be something that we're not? What do we gain when we show up as our authentic selves. Listen in as Erin and Alicia discuss the value of authenticity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/2-elephants-in-the-room/message…

2020 has caught us all off guard. For the resolutions we made and all the clear visions we thought were waiting in store for us, we have been gobsmacked with a devastating virus, endless quarantine, surprising deaths, and overwhelming feelings that have left us confused. Self-care has gone from trend to duty and in this episode of 2 Elephants In Th…

It has been a minute, but we are back. Tune in as we chat about updates and how our lives have changed during the pandemic. How are you managing all the changes? How are you staying safe and sane? #podcasts #podcasting #therapy #blacktherapists #podcastshow #soundcloud #iTunes #hbcu #2elephantsintheroom #theworkingclass #internetradio #tunein #DST …

It happens in different ways when you grow up and realize that your parents have to be parented. Maybe they have loose boundaries or they can’t regulate their emotions very well. We are all products of our genetic makeup and environment, parents included. So what do you do? In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about how to navigate p…

“Give yourself permission to feel foolish” was the caption by @rosegoldandlemon, that stopped me in my tracks and left me feeling slightly sad and kind of struck at realizing how safe I tend to play it. In this episode of 2 Elephants in the room, we process what it is to do something with reckless abandon. How does it feel to give your all to somet…

Connection during this time of quarantine is important. We are social creatures and this is a great time to bond with our families and friends. For the sake of sanity, it’s necessary to ensure that we also create and have our safe spaces, whether that be another person, an activity or a literal space. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Ro…

2020 has come in with a vengeance and for many, it has been quite overwhelming. Perspective shifting is very important right now. It will be helpful if we can all look at the gift that this social distancing has brought us- to work on unfinished projects, reconnect with our families, practice those habits that we want to maintain… clean our homes. …

It’s 2020 and the stigma around mental health has decreased significantly. March is the perfect month to celebrate Social Workers and counselors/therapists in general for the work that we do daily to improve the mental wellness of others. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about clinicians taking care of their own mental hea…

An existential crisis is when someone questions their purpose or the meaning of life. It is commonly, but not always, tied to anxiety or depression. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about what it is like to search for purpose. Tune in and share your stories about your experiences. We want to hear from you! --- Send in a vo…

Surprise! We had one more episode in us! It’s only appropriate that our last episode come out on the last day of 2019. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we chat about new year’s resolutions and ways to set reasonable goals that can be maintained. How are you celebrating your accomplishments (big or small)? Thanks for hanging with u…

With the increase of people seeking out therapy, it is important that the number of therapists are growing to the same degree. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, Alicia interviews 2 of her students about their experiences in her class. Erin, then, interviews Alicia about her role as a professor and both share pivotal moments in thei…

We say all the time, that our status as therapists does not take away from our ability to make mistakes and our need to grow. In this episode of 2 Elephants In the Room, we talk about an incident where Erin realizes that she has unintentionally weaponized her intellect and how she uses the experience to look for ways to use her privilege of being e…

Therapy is popular, in ways that it wasn’t just 5 years ago. Therapists around the world are grateful that people are recognizing the importance of taking care of their mental health. However, there is a concern that with all our desire for positivity, we make little space for those who are in the process of their transition. It’s usually a rough t…

On Your Time If you would have told me 15 years ago that my life would be the way it is, I would not have believed you. It takes concerted effort, sometimes, to let go of who we thought we would be and where we thought we would be in exchange for accepting some parts of our lives as they are. In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, Erin sits do…

Women and their sexuality has been misunderstood for forever. Because patriarchy (eyeroll) focused on male satisfaction, leaving women to be called hysterical or far worse, much of the misconceptions around women and reproductive systems has left men uninformed and confused. The latest to be loud and wrong is TI, a down south rapper who has a prope…

The Kanye Effect He does this to us over and over again. Makes us struggle internally with our love of his musical production genius and confusion and frustration for the things he says and does. We become divided and debate one another over what’s more important, entertainment or impact? In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we are joined by…

In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about two different issues. The first being, emotions around finances and spending and the second, forgiveness. Impulsive tendencies have led both of us to make purchases that we end up regretting. Understanding the emotional connections we have to spending can help to reduce the impulsivit…

Imposter syndrome is the idea that a person is not capable of being successful for fear that someone will discover that they are not as knowledgeable about their skill. The truth is that this thought or belief is based in anxiety and is also not true. In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about times where we have struggled with our c…

Perspective Shifting with Courtney Leak Life happens and not all the time but sometimes, we can get stuck in low places that make it difficult for us to feel grateful or move forward. A few weeks ago, Alicia posted a quote from a friend and fellow therapist, Courtney Leak, LCSW, that said “Speak from your scars, not from your wounds”. In this week’…

Total Control! Self-mastery is a journey that can be accomplished in many ways; through diet, exercise, time management to name a few. A couple weeks ago, I noticed that my friend was doing a 90 day celibacy challenge and invited him to come and share his experience on the podcast. In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, Deniro Farrar, @…

Here we are again, talking about boundaries. Why? Because it’s so easy to cross them and once our boundaries have been crossed, how do we navigate conversations thereafter? In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about how to protect your boundaries and how to respond to someone when you’ve crossed their boundaries. It’s in our n…

We’ve all heard the old adage, “laughter is good for the soul”, but how often do we seek moments of laughter and enjoyment? In this week’s episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we talk about the practice of intentional play and the benefits it can have for you. How often do you take time out of your day just to play? Let us know how you break up the …

Heartbreak Hotel (the Micheal and Whitney versions), Brokenhearted (Brandy), Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus), Unbreak My Heart (Toni Braxton), and a million other songs that we all grew up on where singers and songwriters help us process our pain are so popular because heartbreak is a universal feeling. It is also a syndrome where your heart is…

Have you ever been in a discussion or argument with your partner and all of a sudden feel like you’re being manipulated or being made to feel crazy? This could be an example of you being gaslit. We see it in society when people deny racism or a structural system that keep the less fortunate in poverty. In this episode of 2 Elephants In The Room, we…