Untying Knots: Minds and Souls Untethered

Today I chat with Cassie Walker (they/them) of the Woke Mental Wellness podcast. We talk about their journey to becoming a mental health professional and to becoming a tabletop games player and streamer. 

Lamia (Cassie) is a Black Queer Social Worker, Trauma Therapist, Streamer, Storyteller, Death Doula, Consultant, Activist and generally your mysterious neighborhood mental health cryptid. They enjoy podcasting and playing games ...

I am once again joined by Mercedes Samudio as we discuss the recent Marvel movie Thunderbolts. 

Mercedes works with parents around the world in developing a healthy parental identity with her revolutionary Parental Identity Development Model and incorporating her Shame-Proof Parenting philosophy to help reduce the shame parents experience as they raise healthy children. Mercedes is also trained in trauma-informed modalities which...

Today I chat with game designer Sylvan Lawrence. We talk about how they got into game designing, their new game Before the Flood, Gravemire and the concept of "play to grow", as well as the other games, including solo journaling games, they've worked on.

Sylvan Lawrence (they/them) is a librarian and the director of Clawhammer Games. They are the co-author and creator of Before the Flood, and the creator of Gravemire, bestselling...

Today, I chat with Liam Stevens. Liam is a Maori game designer and consultant descended from the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa iwi. His works are always framed through a cultural lens and his credits include Tomb Raider: Shadows of Truth, Death Match Island, Monster of the Week, and Hull Breach. He has provided cultural consultation on many projects, including Candela Obscura and Ironsworn's Sundered Isles. We talk about KiwiRPG, pr...

I chat once more with Mercedes Samudio, DSW, licensed clinical social worker, bestselling author, international speaker, and visionary entrepreneur. We dissect Ryan Coogler's new horror film Sinners and the use of imagery, metaphors, and history to explore the African-American experience. 

Mercedes works with parents around the world in developing a healthy parental identity with her revolutionary Parental Identity Development Mode...

I speak with Steven Sawyer LCSW, CSAC. Steven is a dual-licensed psychotherapist filled with passion and knowledge surrounding the Interventlon and change process. Steven is a trainer of Brainspotting, HeartMath, and Wellbriety modules, as well as Co-founder of New Vision Wildness Therapy. We discuss trauma, Brainspotting and HearthMath, and the Power and Control Dynamic found in many levels of our world as we work to heal, includi...

I chad with Mercedes Samudio, DSW, licensed clinical social worker, bestselling author, international speaker, and visionary entrepreneur. She works with parents around the world in developing a healthy parental identity with her revolutionary Parental Identity Development Model and incorporating her Shame-Proof Parenting philosophy to help reduce the shame parents experience as they raise healthy children. Mercedes is also trained...

I chat with Dxtr Spits, Spoken Word Artist, Entrepreneur, and Creator of "#HowMenCry". We talk about Black Men's mental health and expression and how "#HowMenCry" can support men. Dxtr al...

I chat with Dr. Stanford W. Carpenter, a Cultural Anthropologist, sometime
comic creator, former archaeologist. His forthcoming book for Fantagraphics Press explores the cultures and histories of Black comics, creators, and characters. We talk about his experiences as a Black man in comic creation and his working process, as well as the concept of the Ethno-Gothic.

Links: 

https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-19/from-horror-hop...

I chat with Mark J, a TTRPG performer, producer, and co-founder of
Apochromatic Unlimited, an all POC gaming space. Mark J is also the
host of the nOne-shOt podcast, where he connects with fellow
gaming professionals about culture, race and the TTRPG space. We talk about playing TTRPGs as POCs and the unique stories we can tell. 

Links: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gmmarkj.bsky.social Apochromatic Unlimited: https://www.apocun...

I chat with fellow LMFT, Larry Lariosa. Who is the creator of the documentary flim "Searching for Kapwa". Which follows his quest to understand his ancestral roots and find his place in the arc of history. As a child of immigrants and a queer brown person living in polarized America, Larry’s journey unpacks the complicated history of the Philippines, and its lasting impact on the diaspora.

Links:

Psychotherapy & Coaching: https:/...

I chat with James Mendez Hodes, Who is an ENnie Award-winning writer, game designer, and cultural consultant. We discuss their story and work to becoming a Cultural Consultant. Their part in the creation and introduction of the "X-Card" as a safety tool in TableTop Gaming, and how martial arts lesson are part of their work as well. Listen, learn, and share.

Links:
https://jamesmendezhodes.com/
Bluesky: @lulavampiro?
Patreon: https:...

I chat with Yvonne Chireau, is a Professor of Black Studies and Religion , where she teaches courses on religion theory, Africana religions, and African American religious history. And is the author of Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition (2003) and the co-editor of Black Zion: African American Religions and Judaism (1999). We discuss the intersection of Hoodoo, Faith, & Mental Health (Mind). And alitt...