Libsyn Directory

S3E15: Expanding the Narrative for Black Men Featuring Shaka Senghor

Release Date: 11/03/2022

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...

More Episodes

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 responsibility for the death of another, which sent him to prison. Shaka is grateful for the many “incredible mentors” who believed in him, and offered suggested readings for moving forward.

Topics covered in this interview:

The reflective time in solitary confinement that helped him create his first bestseller, Writing My Wrongs, Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-My-Wrongs-Redemption-American/dp/1101907312.
How being a father impacted his second book that just came out in January, 2022, Letters to the Sons of Society: A Father's Invitation to Love, Honesty, and Freedom
https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Sons-Society-Fathers-Invitation/dp/059323801X. Here is a review of that book by The Chicago Tribune: “If you want to peer into a heart, if you want a story of brokenness and healing and fury and redemption and humanity, if you want to envision a different, better way forward, Senghor’s letters are a beautiful place to begin.”
Changing the narrative for Black men, into worthiness, beyond being a provider and protector. Dr. Alfiee also noted research showing that Black men are the single most present ethnic group to their children even when they are the non-custodial parent.
Shaka being “an authentic survivor,” loved up by “brothers” who saw value in him in prison, and how he now mentors other “young brothers”--living what he talks about, and challenges them while winning.
Shaka shares three ways to instill a greater sense of self-love:
- Journaling, and start by asking: “How did I get here, to this point in life?”
- ”Meditate to get it straight,” which can be “horrifying” at first to sit with one’s self.
- Personal affirmations, to think into existence what you desire.
Running “a unicorn startup,” that went from $0 revenue to $7 billion valuation in 20 months, by helping build culture in corporations.
Closing words, his mantra, which he contributed to in the song “Composure” by Nas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-gYa5dk-8M): “Keep your composure. And believe in the magic of who we are. 'Cause what you believe is everything. And what someone believes about you, is nothing. Keep your composure.”

About Shaka Senghor:

New York Times bestselling author, speaker and influencer; one of Oprah’s “SuperSoul 100”

Shaka Senghor is the Head of Sales and Success Culture at TripActions. He is also the President of Shaka Senghor, Inc., and Founder of Redeemed Sole.

His memoir, Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison, debuted on The New York Times and The Washington Post Best Seller Lists. Shaka’s widely anticipated sophomore book, Letters to the Sons of Society, was released in January 2022.

Shaka is a former MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow and a former Fellow in the inaugural class of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network. His 2014 TED Talk was featured in their “Year in Ideas” roundup and has over 1.7 million views. In 2021, he was featured on the Nas track Composure.

Shaka is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2012 Black Male Engagement (BME) Leadership Award, the 2015 Manchester University Innovator of the Year Award, the 2016 FORD Man of Courage Award, and the 2016 NAACP Great Expectations Award. He was recognized by OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network) as a “Soul Igniter” in the inaugural class of the SuperSoul 100. He has taught at the University of Michigan and shares his story of redemption around the world.

Today, Shaka’s priority is shifting societal narratives through storytelling and developing workshops with high entertainment value and deep social impact.

Follow Shaka:

Website: https://www.shakasenghor.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaka-senghor-3b869934/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shakasenghor

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ShakaSenghor

Follow Dr. Alfiee:

Website: https://dralfiee.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee/

Website: https://dralfiee.com