E101: Christina’s Hot Takes: Authenticity, Advocacy, and Building Trust in Mental Health

How do we make an impact without falling into the trap of co-opting ideas or voices that aren’t our own?

In this short hot-take episode, Christina Crowe, RP, reflects on the importance of authenticity, attribution, and integrity in the mental health field and beyond. Drawing on years of professional and lived experience, she challenges us to slow down, acknowledge those who came before us, and recognize the difference between being inspired and taking credit.

This candid reflection unpacks why crediting sources matters, how to avoid performative advocacy, and why real impact depends on trust, reciprocity, and community.

What You’ll Take Away:

• Why giving credit is essential for authenticity and trust.

• How advocacy without attribution risks hypocrisy and burnout.

• The role of process and structure in creating sustainable impact.

• Why true community is built on reciprocity — not just taking.

Resources for After the Show: 

• The OG: ⁠⁠The ADHD Resource Hub⁠⁠.

• Real life advice from our team of ADHD therapists on ⁠The Dig Deeper Blog⁠. 

Find Christina (CRPO #3908):  Website | Find a Therapist | Instagram | Podcast page

A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you would appreciate one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted above or our Resources page on our website.

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Sometimes I have a lot of hot takes, you know, while I'm
driving to work and stuff, and Idon't necessarily put them out
there because I have a lot of litmus tests I pass through in
my mind to make sure I'm responsible.
I'm regulated healthcare provider when I do provide
information in the public sphereand my audience are people that

(00:24):
are not necessarily my clients. So I don't know how it's landing
and I can't check on you and I can't make sure you know you you
feel OK about it. But every now and then I have a
hot take that is not really directed towards a client per
SE, but a better field in general.
So I might start a little segment that are going to be
short hot takes for me. And if you enjoy it, let me

(00:47):
know. And I may or may not continue
these, but here's one for today.If you want to make any parts,
the way to do that is not by realizing you identify with the
community, watching the community, picking out the
things that mean the most to you, and then repackaging that

(01:09):
as your own sudden AJA. The way to do it is to be a part
of the community, watch it, learn from it, talk to people,
make connections and relationships with the people
that you know are are, you know,important and foundational and

(01:34):
the origins. Of.
The work of advocacy within thatcommunity.
And then when you start to talk about what it means to you and
your understanding and your own lived experience of it, you
can't forget to credit and reference where you figured it
all out from. Because if you don't do that,

(01:57):
then you might start to actuallybelieve your own hype, which is
that you suddenly have these amazing unique insights that.
Run the risk of like. Running a lot of havoc in your
life and that ain't how it done.And then you won't network and

(02:17):
you won't make connections and people won't trust you.
And so it couldn't be more important to networking, to
building authentic relationshipsthat are give and take.
You don't want to just be a taker.
You want to be a giver and a taker.
There's got to be balance and tosay that you don't recognize

(02:38):
authority and you're anti oppressive and all that goes
well and good. But if you then turn around and
do the same thing, then you're in off that to see in your
hypocrisy, frankly. Shine for everybody and you're
going to have a quicker fall in your rise.
And so my advice? To you is.
To slow down and understand thatthe process.

(03:02):
And structure that's out there, while feeling oppressive at
times, and maybe because it presents barriers for some, some
kind of initial barriers, doesn't mean that it's not
important to have a process. And usually that's like a linear
thing. And it might be hard for people

(03:22):
with ADHD, for example, to recognize the origins of it, to
understand why it matters. And I'm with you on that because
I think there's a lot of unnecessary barriers.
And in the name of accessibility, there's a lot of
systems that claim to be accessible, but what they
require is the person who needs the accessibility accommodation,

(03:46):
for example, to be the one to recognize it and ask rather than
being screened or it offered or something.
So I get it. I get why quick access to
information is such an importantpart of everyone's access.
And that's why I like me, for example, I do the things I do
and you know, I, I don't get paid.

(04:08):
This podcast isn't sponsored. I don't get paid for doing this.
This is total pro bono work and time that I put into doing this.
And, and in fact, I pay other people to produce it from time
to time. So everyone gives their their
time freely. And what we're sharing is the
fruits of a lot of years of Labor and research and both

(04:32):
academic and clinical experienceand expertise in some cases.
So it is just really important to acknowledge, you know,
whenever I talk about where I learned something from, if I can
reference a speaker that I've heard at a conference, if I can
send an abstract to a paper, if I can send a paper, if I can

(04:53):
reference some of the greats that we know of, I always do.
I always do. And because it's important, it's
important to do that. So recognize.
The people. Who've gone before that you're
building your platform on and that's how you truly become part
of the community and engage in becoming part of the body of

(05:15):
knowledge that exists for all people.
And that's that's all I got to say about that.
Thanks for listening.