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S3E9: Mental Health Advocate, Mom, Veteran, Latina: A Hidden Healer Featuring Ayanna Kelly

Release Date: 09/22/2022

S3E16: Empowering Gen Z to Explore Their Passions Featuring Morgann Noble

Couched in Color

In this episode, guest Morgann Noble, daughter of Dr. Alfiee and an intern at The AAKOMA Project, gives unique insights for parents about the challenges that children of color experience. With a passion for bringing ideas to life, Morgann calls herself “a dreamer” at The AAKOMA Project, with a long list of people of influence she would like to engage in the non-profit’s mental health initiatives. Topics covered in this interview: The anxiety that arose for Morgann growing up affluent as a person of color with well-educated parents in what was considered a progressive...

S3E15: Expanding the Narrative for Black Men Featuring Shaka Senghor

Couched in Color

In this episode, guest Shaka Senghor shares his inspiring story from incarceration to becoming a two times bestselling author, influencer and one of Oprah’s “SuperSoul 100” – teaching lessons of redemption and vulnerability to the masses. He grew up spending 19 years in prison, seven of them in solitary confinement. Through reflection and writing, he later came to understand his story of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). At age 17, he was shot multiple times, and also has two brothers who were shot, one of whom ended up paralyzed. At the same time, he takes full...

S3E14: Building Bridges Featuring Kheira Bekkadja

Couched in Color

In this episode, guest Kheira Bekkadja, a Muslim Algerian American college student making an impact in mental health, inspires listeners with her insights on grounding in self-care and positive affirmations. As an example, she shares the Muslim practice of praying five times, at set times during the day, as challenging as it can be to stay persistent. There are movements that go with the prayer, including putting the forehead on the floor, which helps release negative energy and connect with God. “My faith is what rejuvenates me,” Kheira says. Surrounding oneself with good people...

S3E13: Spreading Hope Through Content Creation Featuring Gigi Robinson

Couched in Color

In this episode, 24-year-old guest Gigi Robinson, a master content creator, graduate student and model, shares insights for living with chronic illness and addressing mental health issues, inspired to use her story to move the masses through her highly successful social media channels. She calls the Internet “an oyster” for Gen Zers to see beyond the corporate world and live their dreams, based on their unique passions and dreams. Topics covered in this interview: Sharing the vulnerabilities that come with chronic illness and mental health issues to help others (and letting go of the...

S3E12: When You Hear Me, You Hear Us Featuring Brooke Simpson

Couched in Color

In this episode, singer-songwriter Brooke Simpson, who just made her Broadway debut in the revival of 1776, shares the impact her culture as an Indigenous woman has had on her creativity. From her early days dressing and dancing for her tribe’s “pow wow” ceremonies, she learned “to bleed creativity” into the foundation of who she is today. She has been a finalist for both The Voice and America’s Got Talent, and she also represents Nike's N7 campaign for Indigenous youth, supporting their mental health by promoting movement. Brooke sees her style of movement as...

S3E11: Creating the Right Parenting Mindset Featuring Dr. Ann-Louise T. Lockhart

Couched in Color

Couched In Color | Season 3 | Episode 11 In this episode, guest Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, a pediatric psychologist, parent coach and widely followed social media expert, shares profound insights on ways to create a healthy mindset that takes the blame off the child. This mindset empowers parents and primary caregivers. Many parents come to the role without a plan, based on what they saw growing up, not understanding that it is normal to experience both positive and negative sides to parenting. “If I knew parenting was going to be this hard, I wouldn’t have signed up for it,” is one...

S3E10: How Sneakers Saved and Ruined My Life Featuring Trent Out Loud

Couched in Color

In this episode, guest Trent Out Loud, founder and CEO of Exclucity, a multi-million-dollar footwear and apparel company, shares his story of seeking therapy after losing $2.3 million dollars in his sneakers’ business. That loss came when he forgot to tend to his own mental health during the ups and downs of his business, including the shifts occurring in the sneaker industry. As a result, he said started making wrong decisions. His therapist helped him deal with issues related to hypomania, mania and bipolar, and trained his brain to work in ways that benefited him. He continues...

S3E9: Mental Health Advocate, Mom, Veteran, Latina: A Hidden Healer Featuring Ayanna Kelly

Couched in Color

In this episode, guest Ayanna Kelly, an Afro-Latina advocate, disabled veteran and mom, shares an inside look at her mental health journey from burnout to standing at the White House as a leader of the Mental Health Youth Action Forum. () That forum, which took place in May 2022, was created in partnership with MTV Entertainment Group and coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration. In a “surreal” moment, Ayanna found herself standing next to President Joe Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and other highly accomplished people. She saw herself as...

S3E8: Carson Daly Feels Your Pain: A Special Conversation on Couched in Color

Couched in Color

In this episode, Carson Daly, co-host of “The Today Show” and creator of its “Mind Matters” digital series, and producer/host of Emmy-award winning “The Voice”, openly shares his mental health struggles. He discusses the trauma of losing his father unexpectedly at age 5 and the subsequent night terrors he experienced. Later diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, Carson believes environment alone is not the cause of his mental health challenges. Rather, he sees them as a combination of both “nature and nurture.” Using his story to help others, Carson is...

S3E7: Phillip Schermer’s Mastermind Approach to Mental Health for the Masses

Couched in Color

In this inspiring episode Dr. Alfiee interviews guest Phillip Schermer, founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit created for a new era of mental wellness. Phillip, who was previously a Vice President & Chief of Staff to the Vice Chairman at BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm, was so moved by the story of Logic, a rapper and record producer, he started the non-profit to more impactfully bring together mental health resources. Logic shed light on mental health challenges by writing a song with the phone number of the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline...

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(https://www.mentalhealthishealth.us/youth-action-forum/)

That forum, which took place in May 2022, was created in partnership with MTV Entertainment Group and coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration.

In a “surreal” moment, Ayanna found herself standing next to President Joe Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and other highly accomplished people. She saw herself as a model of “being that one person that other people can see themselves in.”

Before reaching such a significant milestone, Ayanna had been known for speaking of mental health challenges of intergenerational issues and the additional pressures of being an Afro-Latina woman, where sometimes it felt like “there was no space for me.”

Topics covered in this interview:

–Breaking away from being an enabler to regaining mental health, Ayanna talks of learning to make herself a priority.

–Often asked to speak of dealing with children’s mental health, she shares a poignant story of teaching her son to express the range of all his feelings. She talks of “letting the light shine in all the dark places.”

–Dr. Alfiee recommends Happy to Be Nappy, a great book for teaching self-concept and self-image to children through the eyes of a young brown child:
(https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Be-Nappy-Board-Book/dp/1484788419)

–Commended by Dr. Alfiee for her “openness, vulnerability and perseverance,” Ayanna shares challenges with postpartum depression after her daughter was born, when she didn’t want to get out of bed or even shower.

–The power of learning from others is detailed, including “The Hidden Healers,” which is a group of advocates dedicated to providing accessible mental health resources for communities of color and other marginalized groups. Some teach culturally relevant mental health concepts, from praying five times a day, as shared by two Muslim women, to volunteering.

–Ayanna explains the way poderistas (Latinas) help. She is an active Poderistas Power Squad member where she helps uplift the Latina community through civic engagement, social justice initiatives, and mental health roundtables.

–The launch of Ayanna’s new podcast, “Sazonycorazan,”is revealed, where people share stories from real life, and what they learned from others, including the Hidden Healers’ group. The title means: “Seasoning in Heart.” She discloses her wish list of dream guests, the top one being Dr. Brené Brown.

About Ayanna Kelly:

Ayanna (she/her/ella) is a proud Afro-Latina residing in the DMV area with her family where she earned her master's degree in Human Resource Management after serving eight years in the military.

Ayanna is an advocate for DEIBA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Belonging, and Accessibility) )and mental well-being for people in the workplace. She uses her lived experiences as an Afro-Latina, mother, and disabled veteran to breathe life into her HR, DEIBA, and advocacy work. She teaches organizations how to create psychologically safe workplaces that foster belonging.

Ayanna is an MTV Mental Health Youth Action Forum leader where she curated mental health campaigns to address the inequities which limit BIPOC youth from accessing mental health services.

Ayanna truly believes in the inter-connectivity of mental health, anti-racist practices, and true belonging in the workplace and in society.

In her spare time, you'll catch her at the soccer field with her first born, tending to her houseplants, walking her dogs, and reading as many books as possible. Words to live by:

"You can't get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability." - Dr. Brené Brown

Follow Ayanna Kelly:

Website: https://www.ayannaskelly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayannakelly/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayannakelly/

Podcast: “Sazonycorazon” with Ayanna Kelly

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saz%C3%B3n-y-coraz%C3%B3n/id1630800362

https://open.spotify.com/show/6VCC10D8JyZQjcdXGTPObG

Follow Dr. Alfiee:

Website: https://dralfiee.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee