Culturally Made, Self-Defined | Ft. Sydney & Rhea

Disclaimer The content of this podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. The information shared, including any materials linked from this podcast or website, is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a physician, therapist, coach, or other qualified professional. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect those of any organizations or affiliations. This podcast is designed for edutainment—a blend of education and entertainment. Viewer and listener discretion is advised.

Description: Dr. Branch sits down with two of his former students, Sydney and Rhea, who are now professional counselors. They share their deeply personal journeys of becoming therapists, discussing cultural challenges, personal growth, and the transformative power of their counseling education. The conversation explores their paths from feeling uncertain and pressured by family expectations to confidently pursuing their passion for mental health. They candidly discuss their experiences in therapy, both as clients and now as professionals, and share insights about trusting intuition, setting boundaries, and finding one's authentic self.  This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering a career in counseling, struggling with cultural expectations, or seeking inspiration for personal growth.

Lifework:  Rediscover Your Power

Cultural Courage
Speak your truth to family/friends about your dreamsDocument the conversation's impact

Intuition Intervention
Make one minor life decision purely based on gut feelingNo external validationJournal the journey

Boundary Boss
Set 3 clear, loving boundaries in a challenging relationshipPrioritize your authentic selfBonus: Share progress with #3ParallelschallengeEmbrace your journey, one brave step at a time.


Get your copy of the Gator Scales Journal on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Gator-Scales-Journal-Jason-Branch/dp/B0DPXLXZWC

Gator Talk: Every Friday via Zoom at 9am PST/12pm EST  Join the conversation every Friday starting today on The 3 Parallels Podcast Post Show Q&A Session called Gator Talk.
When: Every Friday 
Where: Battlecat Studios (Zoom)
Zoom Link: https://alliant.zoom.us/j/4044362540
Meeting ID:404-436-2540Time: 9:00am PST/ 12:00pm EST



About Our Guest:

Rhea Chowdhary is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and Associate Professional a Counselor (APCC) with a deep belief in the power of healing, identity, and intuition. Recently graduated and shaped by her cultural roots, she’s navigating the early stages of her career with heart and curiosity. She’s passionate about holding space for growth—her own and others’—and is stepping into her role with clarity and care. Outside of therapy, she finds joy in baking sweet treats and listening to music.

Sydney Herring-Alderete recently completed her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at CSUF and obtained her APCC and AMFT numbers. Sydney enjoys conducting qualitative research with a focus on marginalized communities (e.g., BIPOC, LGBTQ+, etc.) and plans to pursue a PhD in the future. Regarding clinical work, Sydney works from a person-centered and narrative perspective and believes clients are the experts of their own lives. Sydney values integrating intersectionality, multicultural counseling, and
mindfulness into sessions. Outside of academia, Sydney loves all things Disney, spending time with her animals (cats and dog) and loved ones, listening to music, running, baking, and watching movies. 


Sponsors:This episode is brought to you by our amazing sponsors:

• J Branch & Associates: Schedule your free 15 minute consultation by going to www.drjbranch.com; call or text [phone] 

Connect with The 3 Parallels Podcast:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/3parallelspodcast

Download the 3 Parallels Music Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2DCvaDp1wWypO59l1kearH?si=sy0X9tMcSNumk4ym-VZ9LQ

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show on Spotify, Iheart, Apple Podcast, and Youtube. Your

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome back to the Three Parallels podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
What's a host the Doctor Jason Branch And before we
get into today's episode, I gotta get y'all disclaimers. Okay,
So we've been doing a lot of work together. This
podcast dropped in December of twenty twenty four, and here
we are in April twenty twenty five, and we are
rocking and rolling. And I really appreciate you rocking with
me and sharing the podcast and bringing people in because

(00:26):
we're creating community. So this next phase of where we're
about to go is really diving into creativity. I don't
know what's gonna happen, but you're on this journey with me.
We're learning together, and I just want to put out
energy and emphasis on growth, chain shift, and transition, and
that's going to help us become better versions of us
as you know what.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
The show is Three.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Parallels, Who we were, who we are, who we're becoming.
So I want to share more of meat in different ways,
different spaces, different mediums, and y'all let me know what
works and what doesn't. I'll take your full feedback. I'll
take your suggestions, recommendations, because that's what helps get this
this podcast to go better, to be even better, and
you got a part of that. So email me three

(01:06):
parallels podcasts at gmail dot com, call texts four O
four four three six two five four zero, get involved
and get connected. Any way that I can support you,
you can support me. I'm all about it. So coming
up for May, the month of May, the end of
the month to May, I'm finna give you more access

(01:26):
to me. Who I am as a professor, who I'm
as am as a therapist, the whole nine.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
You're gonna get it more.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
So our next episode coming up, which you're gonna dive
into right now, are former students as now as you
know we've done I've done work with former students before,
but things are kind of shifting a bit. So you're
going to hear different aspects from people from all walks
of life that I've connected with in different ways that
can help you on your journey because they help them

(01:52):
help themselves on their journey. So coming up next episode,
I got two phenomenal former stud students who are now
professionals that's going to share their journeys, share their interests,
and as we continue to grow and change, I want
you to continue to grow and change. So if I
can be of assistance any way, please do not hesitate
to reach out. Much love, I will see you soon.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Glad you tuned in.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Welcome back to the Three Parallels podcast, which our hosts,
the doctor Jason Branch, where we rediscover who we were,
we embrace who we are, and we make room for
who we're trying to become. On today's show, I got
some gifts. Gifts, that's plural. I got two of them,
two nice gifts wrapped and ready for you all because
it's the first time I'm having two guests on the show.

(02:35):
And these two guests are actually former students who are
now professionals doing eight thanged I mean doing a the
thistle in the counseling profession. These two students, there was
always an automatic connection and energy that we all shared
and I feel as though they adopted me into the
world of being a Swifty. So I'm an official Swifty
now because of these two and I would love to

(02:58):
bring them to you all to share them with you. So,
ladies and gentlemen those in between, welcome Sydney and Ria
to the show. Give us some love.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, that's them clapping in the background. So what's happening.
How you doing?

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Oh my gosh good. It's been nice to be done
with the program, finishing back in December and now it's
been a few months. So just being able to like
take that time as I wait for like the associate
numbers to come in, and it feels nice having like
a little break from school for the first time ever
in my life.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
I love that way to introduce yourself, Sidney, what about you?

Speaker 4 (03:42):
I feel like kind of similar to Riha, graduated in December,
really just took time to heal and recover, just because
at last semester I was only in final project. Luckily
I didn't have pract but even final project was just
like soul sucking, because this is a lot of like
just demanding work. So like Ria, just recovering, resting, connecting

(04:02):
with friends, family, and waiting on those associate numbers because
those took a hot minute. And now looking for a
job and happy to be done with school, but also
excited to apply for PhD programs soon.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Maybe we're gonna talk about it. We're gonna talk about it.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
All right, so I'm excited because this is family, you know,
and as you all know, those are the listeners. When
we bring family on, we have us a good time,
and that's what we do. So a lot of these
concepts and ideas that I use, the analogies of the metaphor,
were birthed in these programs and counseling programs all over
the country. So y'all can choose to share or not
what program you're in, because I want to maintain whatever

(04:41):
works best for you all. So, being a recent graduate,
three parallels are in play. Who you were, who you
are you becoming? So if you could describe who you
were pre Master's program, during a master program and post,
if you can describe those three people three parallels, how
would you describe them?

Speaker 4 (05:00):
Oh, do you want to go, Cristria? Do you want
to go?

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Sure?

Speaker 3 (05:03):
I can go? First, big question for the program, Oh
my gosh, I feel like I was a completely different person.
I feel like and I think this is how I
met you too, doctor branch Is.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
I was very quiet.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
I tried to just like blend into the background. And
even before the Master's program, I feel like I put
a lot of I put so much pressure on myself
to try and please other people and meet their expectations.
And for the longest time I was pursuing, or it

(05:39):
felt like the longest time to me, I was pursuing
like a different career and it wasn't what I wanted
to do, and eventually I had to choose myself.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
We just started really wow.

Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, So made that decison to choose myself sophomore year
of college, and choosing myself was choosing this career, and
that's what led me here. And when I've met you
in Oh my gosh, what was it like my third
year of the master's program. I just felt that change,

(06:20):
that shift into like who I've become now, and I
feel like I am more outspoken, I feel more confident
in what I contribute to conversations, and I feel like
I know myself and I know what I want a
lot more. And as for who I'm becoming, I hope

(06:40):
I just become more of those things and just more secure,
more independent and keep pursuing my goals.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Love it.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
Oh this is so good y'all. Are y'all listening out there?
I mean, yeah, I have no choice. You're here, So
I love it that Sydney about you, who you are,
who you are? Are you becoming?

Speaker 1 (07:01):
Wow?

Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah, I know that's that's a crazy thing to think
about who I was before the program, A totally different person,
like Ria said. Asria was talking, I was like, yes, yes,
totally agree, totally different person. I was very Dare I say,
like EN messed with my family a bit. I don't

(07:22):
want to say I was too quiet, but I was
more isolated. I think it was like twenty twenty one
s when we started the program, so we were coming
kind of out of COVID, but not really sure of
what I wanted to do. I got into the program,
and I was excited about that. Fun fact, Fullerton was
not my first choice. It was the only program I
got into, but I was like, I want to do counseling.

(07:42):
I know that, so I'm going to go. Turned out
to be the best decision ever. Obviously I met doctor
Branch and Ria and so many other wonderful people. But yeah,
I was feeling almost maybe floating before the program, because like,
I knew that I wanted to be a counselor, but
I hadn't started that journey yet. I've been in therapy,
I've heard about it, but I will in it, so
kind of just floating and curious, I think before the program,

(08:05):
during the program, I would say I started to find myself.
And something that we were told throughout the program is,
you know, the connections and friendships that you had before
the program, it's going to totally change and be different.
So there were friends that I had before the program
that just kind of fizzled aucts. I was like, ooh,
the way that it was is no longer we that
does not work for me anymore, this friendship, So I

(08:27):
gotta go with love. And then I found I feel
like some of the most genuine and most beautiful friendships
in the program. And I feel like those are the
first friendships that I felt safe and comfortable to like
not only be myself, but like talk about my profession,
my dreams, the career, like there's so much more I

(08:50):
feel like having counselor friends. So I think that's what
really helped me throughout the program and after the program.
Not gonna lie I miss I miss school because I
feel like it kind of forster connect and I would
get to see Ria at least once a week, and
so once we graduated, I feel like that's what I'm
missing now. I don't want to say I'm back to
floating again because I have. I got my degree, I

(09:12):
have my numbers, I'm looking for a job. But yeah,
I feel like now I'm like, okay, back into the
unknown because now I'm going to be just an associate. No,
school is a totally different ballgame. But I'm excited and
I'm ready a little nervous, but more excited and ready.

Speaker 1 (09:27):
I love it. I love it. Thank you for sharing.
Excuse me for both of you.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
Thank you for sharing this because you never know your
story or impact has on other people, especially the listeners
who have considered. You know, I thought about it and
I want to do it, but I haven't. And what
I'm hearing from you two is how life changing this
experience was. You know, to have a certain group of
friends or to look at family a certain way before
and then being here and begin to look at you,

(09:52):
because that's what it sounds like that happen, y'all start
looking at ourselves. So with that, I am curious to
move into this world of therapy. You all being therapist
now officially, we're colleagues. Now officially, what is that feeling
of being on the other side, And in addition to that,
considering therapy for yourself rather you went before you go

(10:15):
now or you know, I'm just curious to know what
is that life like learning more about yourself and being
intentional about learning more about you.

Speaker 4 (10:25):
I never know if you want to go first, my love,
I never know either, you can go first time, Okay.
I love therapy. I'm a huge advocate for therapy. Unfortunately,
I haven't been in therapy for a little bit, just
because like financials and like I'm in the process of moving,
so like it's just a lot going on. But once
I move, I plan to find another therapist. I plan

(10:47):
to keep going. I love digging up my problems and
sometimes through all of it and you know, cleaning, the
cleaning the wound or whatever you want to say, but
it has to be done. It has to be done.
I really admire the growth and the change when I
am on the other side to be like, wow, I
don't have panic attacks as much anymore. I don't my
depression isn't as bad, So please go to therapy. I

(11:09):
love therapy. It's so much fun finding out about yourself
and being on this side. I think it's even more
important almost because as a clinician, and I feel like
without like a cohort or student because we're not in
school anymore, it's harder to find that counseling community and
seeing a therapist, you're able to kind of talk about
your work in a safe and okay space because it's

(11:31):
allowed and you know, confidentiality. So yeah, I think for me, definitely,
I'm definitely going to get back into therapy once I
move and get settled. And it is really important as
a clinician to me to continue to work on myself
to better support my clients and their growth and healing journey.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
Ooh, this is so good, y'all just warm my heart. Okay,
my heart got a sweater on right now. I think
y'all told me that years ago. Realhal, what about you?
Same question?

Speaker 3 (12:01):
I started there be back in college. It was around
the time the pandemic started, and it had been on
my mind for years to just start. I just wanted
someone who I could talk to and just not feel
judged by in any way, who just I knew would
have my best interests at mind. And I think that

(12:24):
there was a program within my college at the time
where it was like doctorate students who were in psychology
who were like getting their hours and stuff, and so
there was no wait list for that, so I quickly
signed up for that, and I had an okay experience.
I think there were times where I think we just
didn't connect too much, honestly, and I think I also,

(12:47):
to be completely honest, was just not showing up in
the most authentic way, like I remember, just not being
super open, not being super truthful. And they were just
times where I will say though that while I was there,
it did not affect the way that I viewed therapy.
I thought of it as still a very positive thing,

(13:09):
something I still wanted to become and wanted to try
again later. And even though I would consider it like
a pretty neutral experience, there were still things that I
took away from that, And I think the biggest thing
was learning what's in my control and what's not, and
that like changed so much in my life for my anxiety.

(13:33):
And when I got to this program, I thought, you know,
I don't I don't think I need therapy right now.
It's fine, And it quickly changed my mind about that,
like one semester in and I think it was it
was so helpful, like being in therapy while being in
a counseling program, because being in the program you learned

(13:55):
so much about yourself just by talking to your classmates
or your professors and being able to impact that even
further in therapy. It was so beneficial. Yeah, and yeah,
I was in it. I've been in therapy throughout like
the whole program, and it's been great. I've really connected
with the two therapists that I've had throughout the program,

(14:15):
and yeah, they have been amazing. And I still see
my therapist like on and off after graduating.

Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yes, I love it.

Speaker 2 (14:26):
Shout out to the therapist, Shout out to all the
good therapists out here doing great work. Shout out to
y'all being a therapists.

Speaker 1 (14:31):
I love all of this.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
So for the listeners, if you've never been to therapy,
these are two people who've experienced it. These are two
people who do it, not just being a client. They're
on the other side. Because the reality is for any
of us in this profession, at any point in time,
you can be on either side.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
Of the couch.

Speaker 2 (14:46):
Ooh, this is good, This is good, which is going
to lead us to the next thing. And I want
you to be as candid as you choose. But this
is a really important topic that we don't talk about
often and what I call it, because y'all know I
love analogies, is.

Speaker 1 (14:59):
The beach and the sandbox. So the three of us,
we usually live on a beach. Okay, we like it.
We kicked back, got a little.

Speaker 2 (15:06):
Cooler, you know, we outside the sun and shine, and
it's endless opportunities for us to be who we are authentically.
Then you have the sandbox. The sandbox is a border,
a parameter around things that people have put this border
parameter around, where it's the difference between you know, what
you were taught in this program and what you do.

(15:29):
Those are two different things. And to me, I look
at it as the beach in the sandbox because being
in the program, you're taught through this border in this
way that we have to do the work. And then
when you start at field placement, y'all saw this is
very different than what y'all taught me, and I have
to adjust. So I'm curious, how do you two, How
did you navigate the different worlds of the beach in

(15:51):
the sandbox and even come to the recognition of what
I was taught and told may not fully align with
what I'm doing. So I'm curious to hear y'all in
that transition from the beach to the sandbox and now
back on the beach, you want to go.

Speaker 4 (16:08):
First, babe?

Speaker 2 (16:09):
Sure?

Speaker 3 (16:10):
Thanks. I think this is something that I've actually thought
a lot about, especially in practicum, and I just remember
there were so many times where I brought it up
with my supervisor that like, oh, this is what we
were taught in the program, but this is just not
what's showing up here, Like that's not what you're recommending here.
And I just felt torn, essentially, and like what am

(16:36):
I supposed to do When I'm being told by my
supervisor and when I'm being told by the program, there's
like I just don't know what to do. And as
I thought about it, I just kept thinking about how
nuanced people are, and how nuanced like relationships are, and
how complicated they can be. And it's so hard to
teach that in a program like how to Act, Like

(16:57):
there's no formula to like being a therapist, Like it's
not like you meet a certain type of person and
you know exactly what you're gonna do and that it's
going to work out for them, Like a lot of
it is trusting your intuition and your gut and things
that have been honed in the program and consulting with

(17:17):
other therapists.

Speaker 1 (17:19):
Oh it's so good, Saity what you got.

Speaker 4 (17:25):
I feel like kind of similar to Riha, I want
to say, we actually have talked like through like during
our practicum experiences to each other about this of like okay,
so we were told this, but how are you doing
it at your site? And even then there would be
site differences, and so for me, I think definitely torn
and like oh fuck, like okay, like you're I get

(17:46):
with this one story, but I get this one story,
but I have to go into session now and I
have to choose right now who I'm gonna listen to.
And so it was, it was hard, and it was
very I think it gave me a little bit of
anxiety because you know, I think starting CRACK, I was like, oh,
I want to be the perfect clinician or I want
to be you know, all the things that the program
told me to be. And I got there, I was like,
I can't be all those things that they told me

(18:07):
to be because that's just not who I am. I
was say yes, yes, And so then that is something
that I did appreciate about my site is my supervisor
was very much about like prioritizing finding yourself in the room.
So like let's worry about like the ethics and all that.
We'll talk about it. You know, we don't want to
do bad therapy or on ethical therapy, but figure out

(18:29):
who you are in the room, and then we can
talk about theories and then we can kind of integrate
theories into your work. Because it's no one size fits
all for all clients. There's no way, like Rio was saying,
you walk in and you know exactly what to do.
There's no way. Everyone Depression looks different, anxiety comes in different,
so you have to adapt overall, though, I think again

(18:51):
swinging back to Rhea, I think I figured it out
by talking to my peers, whether at my site or
at other sites, talking to the cohort above mine, talking
to some professors, just kind of seeing what their experiences
in PROC were, what their recommendations were, and so I
feel like overall getting more not evidence, but more notes
of like what I can refer back to of like, oh, well,

(19:12):
I like what Ria said here, so I'm going to
introduce that. I like what doctor Branch said here, so
I'm going to introduce that. So yeah, I feel like
learning and taking wisdom from different people and being flexible.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, ooh, you said something so powerful, flexibility, being flexible
my belief in this world beach and sandbox, because y'all
went through the sandbox to hang out on the beach,
is being flexible, which is very hard for salamanders. It's
very hard for that perfectionist mindset to be flexible, because
being flexible is being on the beach. Being very black
and white is the sandbox. And every day you get

(19:47):
to decide where you're going to be, and as y'all know,
for me, I stay on the beach.

Speaker 1 (19:52):
That's where I live.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
But you can't be in this profession and not balance
both worlds, which you all are doing, which leads to
the place related to now that you've graduated, because y'all
can easily graduate and I'm just gonna work in a profession.

Speaker 1 (20:06):
I'm gonna get a communication job.

Speaker 2 (20:08):
I'm gonna be okay, y'all didn't decide to do that.
Y'all decided, Yeah, I'm gonna go get this license. I'm
gonna go do this. I might go get a PhD
on the way, like y'all are looking again, beach y'all
looking so far ahead and being visionaries. How did you
develop this and what was it like or what has
it been like going from having all this protection and

(20:28):
support as a student and now you're out here on
your own, figuring it out as you go. I would
love to hear your perspective on that, y'all. Just jump in,
Come on, guy out here, just jump in there.

Speaker 4 (20:43):
Okay. I think I'll go first. Not gonna lie. At first,
it was a little scary being out here and alone,
because again I feel like I thrived off of having
that community in the program. And then I was like, girl,
stop being so silly. You still have community. You just
have to be more intentional about.

Speaker 2 (21:02):
It, like woo, time out sitting whoa messen, y'all finna
get hit in the head with a honeyboone.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
I tried to warn you.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
I tried to tell you from the beginning. Okay, get
your journals out, get those Gator scales journals. If you
don't have one, go get it on Amazon right now, pushballs.
Go give you something to start writing this information down,
because Sydney and Riha is giving you gems, jewels, breadcrumbs
that could change the trajectory of your life if you're
paying attention, so please continue.

Speaker 4 (21:33):
I feel like a great example is like for me,
I was struggling with the application. I got confused, and
I was thinking, I'm like, oh my god, I'm struggling.
I'm the only one. And then I remembered I graduated
with a bunch of people. There's a bunch of people
going through this process. I reached out to Ria, I
reached out to someone that had previously graduated, and it
was fine. I was making stress and worry out of
nothing because I just simply forgot that I had in

(21:54):
my community. So I feel like regarding the PhD and licensure,
licensure was like a non negotiable for me. That was
the plan for always. I started therapy in middle school,
and in middle school I found out that I want
to be a therapist and it's been that way since.

(22:15):
So I was gonna get licenses. That's the plan. And
then I was on the fence about a PhD. And
then I had a class with doctor Branch and he
talked all about PhD and I was like, ugh, and
you said one thing that I still echoes when I'm
like PhD, and it's your voice and You're like, if
you've already thought about it, you're gonna be thinking about
it the rest of your life. You just got to

(22:36):
do it. And I'm like, you're right, I do, and
so I want.

Speaker 2 (22:41):
To do it.

Speaker 4 (22:41):
I've been looking at a couple of schools, not too
in depth yet though, just because I'm trying to figure
out if I want to gain some hours first, get
a little bit more experience and then start my PhD,
or if I should just jump right into a PhD.
I think also with the move, I think I'm also
kind of like, ooh, I just don't know how much
it's all gonna be once I'm there.

Speaker 3 (22:58):
You know.

Speaker 4 (23:01):
Yeah, No, I've always dreamed big shooting for the stars,
because why not.

Speaker 1 (23:07):
I love it. I love it. Ooh, bray CRuMs Rio,
what you got.

Speaker 3 (23:12):
Pretty similar? I would say, I think being alone is
pretty difficult. Like in the program, it was just constant
interaction and not just interaction. In these classes you're expected
to or like highly encouraged to like open up, and
when everyone else does, you feel very welcome to as well.
So to go from having classes like that to just

(23:33):
suddenly like, oh, we're we don't meet up unless like
we specifically plan to and very intentional, like Sydney said,
But in a way, that's almost a little better in
my opinion, because of how intentional it is, how much
effort is put into it, it feels even more like

(23:54):
the experience feels even more rich. Yeah, and it feels
incredible as for like the future and like goals and stuff.
I think I've honestly gotten that from my parents. They're
very ambitious, they are. My dad has a PhD. And
I remember talking to him about it and he just

(24:14):
said that he wanted to learn everything that there is
to learn in his field. And I thought that was
the most incredible thing ever. And I remember thinking, like,
I want to do that. So I even remember asking you,
doctor Branch. I emailed you, like, what can you talk
to me about doctorate programs? And you were like, I'm

(24:35):
going to bring this up in class and we spent
that how it happened last about it.

Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, that's how it happened, absolutely, And look at the
look at the ripples. This is what I call ripples
in the pond because of that conversation we had in class.
This is what Sydney came up with. That's what she
just shared is because of what you did behind the scenes,
you know, and look what happened, and now we're on
a podcast talking about it, and there's so many people
listening that's been thinking this thing and now they finna

(25:01):
do it because of y'all.

Speaker 1 (25:02):
It ain't me. It's not me.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
So I do want to spend a little time in
this PhD world because we have to. So for those
of listening, because you're hearing from the source. For those listening,
I will share the same thing with you all. If
there's any indication, any inclination. I'm interested in becoming doctor
whatever your name is. That will not go away until
you make an attempt to do it. Now, there's a

(25:25):
lot of people that apply for PAHD programs. I'm sorry,
not implied. A lot of people that start PAHD programs
that don't finish.

Speaker 1 (25:32):
That's okay. There's a lot of people that start and
do finish. There's a lot of people that start in
life happens.

Speaker 2 (25:37):
The reality is all you have to do is start,
and once you start, it's only amount of time for
you get that PAHD or ABD one of the other.
For those that don't know, PhD means you earned your doctorate.
You did all of the requirements, the classes, the dissertation,
you have a PhD, abd.

Speaker 1 (25:57):
You did everything but finish your dissertation. That's for a
lot of people.

Speaker 2 (26:01):
And that happens because our goals, our direction, our dream,
our life. It changed, it shifts. So for anyone who's interested,
I highly recommend you got it from all three of us,
the swifties. Go get that pahd okay, because any reason
that you wouldn't come from ideas and believes you have
about yourself and the people around you. That's telling you
not to do something they've never done, and people telling

(26:23):
you not to do something that they would never do.

Speaker 1 (26:26):
Just want to talk about facts. So thank y'all for
sharing your experiences.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
And now we're finna go back in time because we
as y'all can see, it's like quantum leap. We're going back, forward,
middle everywhere. So let's go back, y'all share it a
little bit.

Speaker 1 (26:39):
Now.

Speaker 2 (26:39):
I want to know the story. What made you decide
or how did you know this is what I want
to do in life? And I'm finna go get it.
I'm finna go do it. I'm curious what is the story.

Speaker 1 (26:50):
Who wants to go first.

Speaker 3 (26:53):
I can go first. I just remember like starting high
school and it was constantly on my like what do
I want to do with the rest of my life
because college is just in a few years, And it
was the first Being a therapist was the first serious
career that I had ever considered before that. It was

(27:13):
like I was a little kid and I was like,
I want to be a pop star or I wanted
I remember, there was like a combination. I wanted to
be an engineer like my dad, and I wanted to
be a babysitter, and I wanted to be a teacher
all at once. That is a job that's all at once,
Like yeah, I don't know how I was going to
make that work. But I was eight, so that was

(27:36):
that was what I thought grown up life would be like.
But then suddenly I was thirteen, and I just I
think I my parents would talk about therapy in a
very positive way, which in my culture is not the
I don't usually see that in my culture, mental health
is usually ignored and or just outright dismissed. Because it's

(28:00):
like I've heard a lot even as I told people
that I was going to do this as a career,
it was like, why don't you just be a doctor?
Like those are real things that you can see when
you look at a person, There are real wounds and injuries.
I was like, real, Like, how can you say that
what's going on inside is not real? And it manifests

(28:22):
in so many different ways, it can manifest physically. So
but back when I was thirteen, that was what I
really wanted to do. And I remember getting this like
gut feeling that like I am really excited about this,
and I did waiver from that, and I just had
so many people in my life saying things like that

(28:44):
to me, about you know, why don't you just be
like a real doctor, And as a thirteen year old,
obviously I listened. And I ended up going to college
as pre med. I was a neuroscience major, and at
the start of college I was one hundred percent sure that's.

Speaker 1 (29:02):
What I was going to do.

Speaker 3 (29:04):
I was going to be a doctor, and I was
going to go to med school and I was going
to be a neurosurgeon or neuroscientist or I don't know,
something like that. But then as I started college, I
had to take all of these psychology prerequisites. I was like,
I was like, these classes are amazing.

Speaker 4 (29:24):
I love this.

Speaker 3 (29:25):
Then I took my first neuroscience class and I was like,
oh my god, I hate this. And at the same time,
I was taking this class for pre med where I
got to shadow doctors and talk to doctors and med
students who were in that med school, and I just
could not see myself enjoying what they were doing, and

(29:48):
it was it was impossible to avoid. I couldn't deny
what I was seeing and the feelings I was having
as a result of that. And from the age of
thirteen until I was nineteen, at the time that I
was experiencing all of this, everything I was doing was
so focused on other people want me to be a doctor,

(30:10):
and I'm feeling this pressure, whether or not people were
directly telling me. I felt pressure all the time to
do that. And it got to the point where first
semester sophomore year of college, I was just I felt
so lost. I felt like it was floating, like Sydney
said earlier, and I didn't know what to do. But

(30:30):
I just knew that I couldn't do this, and I
was so lost. I remember like calling home to my
parents every single weekend, and that's not even an exaggeration,
and I was just crying because I was like, what
do I do with my life? And I'm so lucky
to have like the most supportive family. They would listen
to me cry for hours and just tell me that

(30:52):
no matter what I decided, everything would be okay. And
I think after like two or three months straight of that,
I just woke up one day and I was like,
I'm tired of this and why am I thinking so
much about other people? Like people are encouraging me to
do med school, but I'm the one who has to

(31:13):
do it.

Speaker 1 (31:14):
Time out.

Speaker 2 (31:17):
That is a bardo. I'm sorry you caught me off. God,
I wouldn't rap for that one. Keep going, I'm so sorry.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
No, no, you're fine. Yeah. And I remember having that
thought and just feeling so passionate and angry about it.
And all these people who were telling me to be
a doctor, I don't think. I'm like thinking back of
my head, I don't think a single one of them
is a doctor.

Speaker 1 (31:45):
Oh you just hit us real name.

Speaker 2 (31:53):
I'm gonna tell you to go get one, and they
ain't got one. I could have sworn I just said
that a little earlier. Now you're providing the facts you're
providing evidence and you're not by yourself. You're not by yourself,
and this is.

Speaker 1 (32:04):
So good, this is so rich.

Speaker 2 (32:05):
I want to go a little bit further, because you've
mentioned the culture, if you could give us more insight
on that, because all of us are part of a
culture of many cultures that you know, we experience some
of the same things. So if you can give us
a little more detail on the culture and that experience,
it would be helpful for everyone.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
Yeah, of course. So both of my parents are from
India and they both immigrated here, and I was born
here as a result, like I've gone back to India
almost every single year of my life to visit grandparents, relatives,
all that, and growing up here, I grew up in
a community in the Bay Area where I'm friends with

(32:45):
all these Indian families and grew up like going to
school with people of all sorts of races and cultures
and ethnicities and then having these family friends who are
Indian and so connected to our culture. And so I
even remember learning about the term like bicultural in one
of my psyche classes in college, and I was like,

(33:06):
that is exactly what I am and something that I've
also discovered since that class and throughout this program is
being bicultural means you can choose what you like about
both cultures and like blend it together to make a
very unique combination that is you. And that was something
I struggled with all my life and I feel very

(33:28):
confident about it now, But until then it was just
I felt pressure and expectations from being both American and
Indian and what am I supposed to do? Like one
culture is very individualistic, one is very collectivistic, and just
being torn and feeling like both and then also at
the same time feeling like neither. Oh yes, very.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
You've been have airbody in therapy. You keep this up,
dropping gems real. Thank you, Thank you so much for
all of this. Thank you for sharing your truth, for
your lived experiences, because there's so many people listening who
can identify with exactly what you're talking about. And the

(34:13):
reality is we're now talking about it, and we're using
this platform to share it to give people insight and
experiences that they can do what you've done because you've
done it.

Speaker 1 (34:24):
You've done it.

Speaker 2 (34:25):
Oh so powerful, so powerful. Thank you, Thank you for
all of that. Sydney, You're up. I mean no This
is no competition. These are lived experiences and we're just
talking about it. Everybody has one, So what's yours?

Speaker 4 (34:38):
And the lived experience of like why I wanted to
become a counselor? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (34:42):
Made what was the thing that lets you know like
this is it? This is what I want to do,
and I'm goinna go do it.

Speaker 4 (34:48):
It was so I was in middle school. A family
member of mine set some very hurtful things to me
that kind of just caused me to like spiral John Hill.
I was crying every day. I didn't know what was happening.
My parents, not huge advocates of counseling, but didn't know
what to do with me and my tears and my feelings,

(35:11):
as they are not feelers themselves. So they're like, you
need to go to therapy and figure this out because
we don't know what to do with you. And I
was like great, So I went and it was just beautiful.
I feel sad because I don't remember the therapist's name,
but I just remember it was a non judgmental space.
I was free to just be. It was the first
space where like all of my emotions were accepted and

(35:34):
they weren't limited to like stop crying, like you've cried
enough or you don't need to be sad, get over it.
Like I just got to be and I got to
cry and I got to get all the things that
I needed out. So by the end of therapy and
like all of our time together, I was like, it
felt to me like she had some type of superpower,
is how I used to say it, because she helped

(35:55):
me feel better. Not she didn't do anything to me.
She didn't like insert a chip in my brainch she
didn't wave, no mired wand she just she just talked
to me. She talked to me. She provided that safe
space that I so desperately needed but that I didn't know.
And so by the time I was done seeing her
and I was in a better spot, I was like,

(36:16):
I want to be her. I was like, I want
to do what she does. I want to be able
to help people feel better, like and just with words,
just by listening, just by being there. So yeah, I
feel like that kind of set me on the course,
and I was there was no off tracks for me.
That was that was the course. I was staying the course.
My parents were not as supportive because they're not really

(36:41):
big advocates of mental health from the beginning. So I
think that was hard because it was like, well, why
are you going to work as a counselor You're not
going to make any money, It's going to be awful,
Like are you really gonna be able to do that?
And it's like yeah, I am.

Speaker 1 (36:56):
So much, let's go, let's go. So shit, this is
the show for it. Ah, I love it.

Speaker 2 (37:03):
So Sidney, I am curious because it sounds like it
was a cultural issue for you as well. So if
you don't mind sharing your truth for lates of culture
and growing up in that environment where it wasn't supported
and deciding I'm still gonna do what I want to do.

Speaker 4 (37:18):
Yeah, yeah, I know it was rough. So my mom's
one hundred percent Hispanic, my dad's one hundred percent white,
and then my biofather is Filipino. So I feel like
I'm a mixed bag of a lot of different things.
My family tree looks very wonky. But trying to integrate
all those cultures is so hard. I feel like what
Rio is saying, I a thousand percent degree of like

(37:40):
I never felt enough of one and like I couldn't
be the perfect Mexican. I couldn't be the perfect white
person like I, and so it's just finding a balance definitely.
I think for me is like a lifelong learning process
and overall, I feel like it honestly really shifted for
me in high school where I was like I'm standing firm,

(38:02):
I'm standing tall, Like I don't know exactly what happened
in high school, because it started in middle school. And
I remember in high school there was like a project
what we're gonna be and I was like counselor my
parents like hold on, like why don't we talk about it?
And I was like no, like this is like I
did the research, I did the project, like this is
the salary, this is this is what I gotta do.
And I was like, and I want to do it.

(38:22):
Like I know you guys don't like it. I know
it's not what helps you feel better. It's not something
that you love to do, but it's something that I
love and I think that that's worth worth it to
me if it's going to bring me joy and it's
and looking back, it's like, how beautiful that I was
so confident in myself and knowing that what I wanted
to do and not letting anyone stop me and still

(38:43):
all the peace and love to my parents, but that like,
this is my life. So even though you want me
to pick a job that I'm going to make more
money and maybe I'll be more successful in their eyes,
that's not fulfilling for me. So I gotta I gotta
do me, and I gotta stick with what I know.

Speaker 1 (38:58):
I love it. I love it. Oh this is heavy, y'all.
Y'all got me over here, Like I feel like an anvil.

Speaker 2 (39:03):
Like I'm really heavy right now, all this emotion and
this push and I'm moving past past the culture. I'm
creating my own culture. I'm creating my own identity. I'm
doing what I want to do. I love it, And
for me, you two just gave permission to so many
people who are in the same space that you once
were in. Y'all giving people permit, it's both of y'all.

(39:24):
It ain't just one person, it's both of y'all. You know.

Speaker 1 (39:26):
Then they got me like what we out here winning.

Speaker 2 (39:29):
So I want to transition to some rapid fire questions
because this has been such a gift to me, and
I know it's a gift to the people that's listening
because it's different a lot of us, specifically therapists, aren't
talking about experiences as people, and that's why the stigma, stereotype,

(39:49):
and belief about therapists and therapy is perpetuated because we're
not talking about it. So a lot of people think
as therapists that we got our shit together, and this
is the reality. We got shit going on just like
everybody else. We're no different.

Speaker 1 (40:02):
But the belief is I.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
Don't want to talk to them, to somebody who got
their life together and try to tell me to get
our life together.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
Ain't nobody got it together? Nobody?

Speaker 2 (40:09):
We all figuring it out as we go. So transitioning
to learning about ourselves, I'm curious who you are, who
you are, who you's becoming, the person that you are
right now, and all the things that you've gone through
from birth to where you are right now. I'm curious
to know what have you learned about yourself on this
journey called life?

Speaker 1 (40:30):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Wow, what kind of show y'all thought this was? You
all thought we was just gonna playing have a good time. No,
we're finn go deep. We didn't get in that basement.

Speaker 1 (40:38):
Baby.

Speaker 3 (40:42):
I feel like something that has come up for me
time and time again, has been my intuition, and it
wasn't even something that I ever thought of, but I
noticed that people kept bringing it up to me even
when I was very young. I would just be told
that I'm very I'm also just very like observant, I'm

(41:06):
very like in tune to people's emotions, and just that
my intuition is so strong and when I feel it,
I just can't ignore it. And that has come up
with just so many of it's come up with My
parents have brought it up to me, my cousin brought
it up to me, my my therapist, every single one

(41:27):
I've had has brought it up to me, and it's
just impossible for me to avoid. And I think the
biggest thing I've learned about myself is that that is
such a power and that I have to I have
to learn to listen to it. And I've gotten a
lot better while being in therapy. And when I feel it,

(41:48):
it's so strong, I just I would be doing myself
a disservice by ignoring it.

Speaker 1 (41:54):
Powerful, powful love that Sydney, what you got.

Speaker 4 (41:59):
Before. I I just want a second and echo like
Rhea's intuition is unmatched, like she is very fricking powerful
because I feel like we've even talked about it and like, yeah, no,
she's got some magic up in her for sure, Okay,
let's go goodness, gravy. That is quite the question. I

(42:21):
think for me, maybe in a similar vein to Reea,
I think it's for me. I think more about like
trusting myself, Like even if I'll be confident and do something,
that doesn't mean I trust myself. You know I'm gonna
do it because like I hype myself up, but I
might be scared the entire time, and I might be uneasier.
I might be like, oh, this is really gonna work,
but I'm still gonna try. So I feel like trusting

(42:44):
myself and trusting the process and knowing that whatever happens,
that I got it and it's gonna be okay. Whatever
okay looks like, you know, it might not be the
original okay, I thought, but I know myself and I
know myself. I feel like well enough that like, I
got it, I can take care of me even if
it looks like, you know, she's going to hit the fan,

(43:05):
Let it hit the fan, and I'll be okay, Like,
let let the control go. I don't need to control everything.
Just trust, trust, and believe that it'll all work out and.

Speaker 2 (43:14):
It will ye yesterday, it has, it has, yes, we'll
know the time of it now. The next question again
from birth to where you are now, and you all
both have experienced a lot of different things, especially in
this program and the profession.

Speaker 1 (43:32):
I'm curious to know what have you learned about other people?

Speaker 3 (43:39):
That is also a really good question. I think, Oh,
you just have amazing questions.

Speaker 1 (43:46):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (43:47):
I mean, we work with other people all the time,
so I feel like, like I mentioned earlier, like people
are so different. They're so like you bring in the
background and all their lift expence is everyone is so different.
But what I found to be very consistent is that
everyone is doing the best that they can all the time.

(44:10):
And when I remind myself of that, it's it's just
so powerful to me because I can see it every
time I sit down with somebody, and whenever, like my
relationship with someone is going through something. It's just like
a really nice reminder to have that, Like we're all
living life for the first time, we're all doing the

(44:32):
best we can, and yeah, sometimes that looks different at
different times of life.

Speaker 1 (44:39):
Love it love it.

Speaker 4 (44:42):
I think for me, it's that something that I learned
and I feel like it was really really driven through
me during the program was that not everybody is for you.
Not everybody is looking out for your best interests or
really wants to be your friend, you know, and it's

(45:03):
gonna take care of you. And so for me, I
think something that I have really been sitting with recently
is just like friends and people like you, like Rea said,
everyone's doing their best. Everyone is surviving and walking through
life as best they can. And that doesn't mean that
you're all gonna be friends or besties or get along.

(45:24):
You gotta find your people. You gotta find your trib.
You gotta find the people that fill your cup up,
that nurture your soul. Because there are some people that,
even though they seem really friendly, oh my god, we're
going to be great.

Speaker 1 (45:35):
You know.

Speaker 4 (45:35):
You get a little bit into that friendship, you're like, ooh,
what was that And it's some of my old stuff
coming back up. So I got a clean house again.
I gotta And so just reminding myself that like boundaries
are healthy and having expectations not only for myself but
even for friendships, and like standards. I guess like it's good.
It's not bad. It's just setting a standard of like,

(45:56):
you know, how I expect myself to be and what
I I kind of expect from my friends. I have
a tight circle. It's very small. Not gonna lie because
like I'm very picky. I choose my friends very specifically
because the energy. I come up as an extrovert, but
I'm not, and so I need to be mindful of

(46:17):
my energy and all that stuff. So I think people
have taught me that despite everyone being wonderful and beautiful,
that they're not all gonna be for me. And that's okay.

Speaker 1 (46:29):
All this wisdom in this room right now, like all
this wisdom, y'all dropping gems. I love it.

Speaker 2 (46:35):
I'm here for it all right. So I'm curious. This
is gonna be big. It's gonna be big. I'm curious
to know what is a word, phrase, memory, or moment
that has stuck with you personally or professionally.

Speaker 3 (46:51):
I'm looking at it right now. Actually it is right
on my desk. I think it was. It just means
so much. I'm just going to show it. It is
meant for like a door handle. You can't see it
can you. Yeah, it says my name, it's got a
broken heart, it says please do not disturb broken heart

(47:12):
repair in progress at the bottom. And it was made
for me at my practicum site in my third semester,
and I was in a very supportive environment and there
was kind of this inside joke between me and some
of the other interns that like, I just kept being

(47:34):
a signed client who were going through breakups and it's
very ironic considering I have very little dating experience, and
somehow I was doing really great work with them, and
I do think there is some connection there. And I
just remember one day I was in supervision and I

(47:57):
think I had just gotten another client going I threw
a breakup, and we were laughing about it, like me
and the other interns just like, how does this keep happening,
but just said it's so cool. And when I walked
out of supervision, I just I went back to my
room and sat down, and there was a knock on
my door and the scheduling manager walked in and.

Speaker 1 (48:17):
Was like, I made this for you, wow.

Speaker 3 (48:20):
And I was like, oh my gosh, I feel so seen,
I feel supportive, supported, and I just yeah, I'm gonna
take it. With me everywhere I go. Wow, and just
it felt so nice to feel so seen by work
that I've done.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
That's beautiful. I love it. And you got like the
keepsake you can hold onto that that's beautiful, so powerful.

Speaker 3 (48:45):
I was putting it on my door.

Speaker 1 (48:47):
I love it. I love it, Hitney, What's you got?

Speaker 4 (48:52):
It's something that I would tell my clients when I
was at Prack, and I feel like something that I
was told myself in therapy as a client, and it's
and it's something that I tell myself, not on a
daily but just a nice reminder when I need it
is I'm never too much and I'm always enough. H
I feel like that's something that I struggle with, like

(49:13):
remembering sometimes it's like, oh I was too much or
I talked too much or I was you know, but
no I wasn't. I'm not. I'm just enough always I
am more than enough.

Speaker 1 (49:24):
So yeah, love it.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
Beautiful, beautiful. All right, So now we're gonna go to
the basement. Whatever y'all willing to share. I'm curious to
know whatever you haven't shared yet, because we do this
in class, but now we're doing on the podcast. I'm
curious to know for you to share with the listeners.
An interesting fact about yourself that most people don't know.

Speaker 3 (49:47):
I think the thing that surprises a lot of people.
You both know it because I mentioned it in class,
but just that I'm a huge football fan. I will
in the fall, I will schedule my life around forty
nine Ers games. That is the top priority.

Speaker 1 (50:06):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (50:07):
I get so into it.

Speaker 1 (50:09):
I'm here for I love it.

Speaker 4 (50:11):
She's sound the truth. And we were going to hang
out in terms like I'm going to go to the
bar and watch the game first though, and then we
could hang out. And I was like perfect. I was like,
I love that for you, and then we talked about
the game at the hangout.

Speaker 3 (50:20):
I even told her too. I was like, I we
could meet at the bar, but I'm gonna be so honest.
I will not be mentally present in this conversation, and
I don't want to do that to you.

Speaker 1 (50:30):
Come on, healthy boundaries, Look at y'all. Look, yeah, I
would interesting fact. Thank you for sharing it, Sidney.

Speaker 4 (50:39):
Oh goodness, an interesting fact. I really don't like catchup,
like I don't like to eat it. I don't know.
And if you want to know the origin story for me,
like as a kid, it looked like blood growing up,
so I was like, ooh, I don't like it. And then,
because my family loves me so much, we went on
vacation one time and I woke up and I was

(51:01):
covered in ketchup. Wow, and I screamed, bloody murder. I
ran all around the one hotel room we were in
because my sister and my brother and my mother were
in on it. And my dad just sat there and
he's like, they were gonna put you on the balcony.
So at least you just got ketchup. And it's like

(51:21):
and so that really like final nail in the coffin.
Do not come with me at ketchup. I'm a ranch
girly forever for me.

Speaker 1 (51:31):
Very interesting fact. Thank you for sharing that.

Speaker 2 (51:33):
And I'm sure there's some listeners that can connect the
dots to that as well. This is so good, all right,
So before we get out of here, you two are
a wealth of knowledge, wealth of information, wealth of energy,
and life. And now with this part of the show,
we don't give homework on the show. We give life work. Homework.
You take a home, you do it, you turn it
in and you never remember it. Life work, you take

(51:53):
it home you do it, your life can pivot or change.
So if you can offer something to the listeners based
off of life work or a keepsake that you can
give them, that's the gift that keeps on giving.

Speaker 1 (52:02):
What would that be?

Speaker 3 (52:06):
There are two things that immediately come to mind for
me that I've just been really resonating with lately. And
I've mentioned intuition a few times already, and I just
think that is just so important. Like if people can
learn to listen to what their mind and their body
are telling them, I think that just opens up so

(52:27):
much for them in terms of planning their future, figuring
out what they want in life. Like all throughout my life,
there were always signs and feelings that have led me
to this point, and there were times I ignored it,
and there were times I listened to it. Like I
remember even when I was like pre med and going
to be a doctor and everything. The thing the thought

(52:49):
I kept having over and over was I am not
enjoying this, but I can't wait to get to the
end of this where I can just interact with patients
every day. It was always about that human interaction for me,
and that showed up over and over and over again,
and then I finally listened to it, love it and

(53:09):
love yeah. And then the second thing that I've been
thinking a lot about too is I've been seeing it
a lot on social media, so I don't know where
it originally came from, but just this idea of let them,
It's just I've heard it so many times before, but
I feel like it's been really resonating with me lately.
And it goes back to what I'm saying about control

(53:31):
and how you can't control other people. You can't control
other things in your life. You can just control yourself.
There's very little that is actually in our control. And
just reminding yourself that of that, I feel like takes
a lot of pressure off of ourselves. And yeah, just
that idea of let them, Like, if someone is disappointing

(53:52):
you over and over, remind yourself like, it's not your
responsibility to try and change them, to try and make
them fit into your life. It does not work like that.
So yeah, I feel like that has changed my life
so much lately.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
I love it. Now, I got something for you. This
is so good.

Speaker 2 (54:10):
So the reason is just kept this is going viral
and being in your atmosphere is because that's the energy
that you're putting out and you're getting back. The let
them has become really popular lately because of Mail Robins.

Speaker 1 (54:22):
So Mail Robin.

Speaker 2 (54:24):
Yes, she wrote the book called Let Them and she
has a podcast, So Mail, whenever you want to get
on the show, you are more than welcome.

Speaker 1 (54:29):
Whenever you want me on your show, you're welcome too.
So that's to Mail.

Speaker 2 (54:32):
So now Ria, you can be intentional about moving in
that direction and diving into it because it's it's you're
attracting it. So a lot of times we are attracting
the people, places, and things that we're supposed to have
based off of the person that we are. So there's
a nuther for you. Do what you want to do
with that, and thank you for sharing the life work
because you just gave somebody something that could change their lives.

Speaker 1 (54:54):
Sidney, same for you, same question.

Speaker 4 (54:58):
I think similar to Riha two things. One thing pretty similar.
Just being more like mind body aware, I feel like
is something that I've It's been really important and helpful
since ending the program. I feel like trying to make
sure that I go outside and walk around, run around something.
If I have forever whatever reason I can't go outside
I'm in the apartment, like dancing music like something to

(55:21):
I feel like almost keep myself present and grounded at
least once a day. That's like minimum, if not as
much as you can. Time permitting, energy permitting. And the
other thing that I feel like that's helpful for me
is having some type of mantra that like, I stand
in front of a mirror and I like, do my
little wonder woman pose? And I have a mantra. The

(55:45):
most recent one that I have is from a fortune
cookie and it's my skills will be recognized and suitably rewarded.
And so I repeat that to myself three times in
the mirror, and as I walk by the mirror, I'm like, hey,
don't forget about it. Those skills, they're about to be
suitably rewarded, right, So, like you know, like kind of
like being my own hyphe person and reminding myself that

(56:06):
I do have these skills. I am this amazing person.
Don't forget that what is meant to be will come
to me. The right job will hire me, it'll find me.
I'm just waiting.

Speaker 3 (56:19):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (56:20):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (56:20):
Thank y'all, thank y'all so much for your energy, for
your time, and I got to share with the listeners.
You two are the reason that we're here right now.
Y'all mentioned this back in December of last year. Yo,
we want to be on a show, and life has
happened and now we're in this place. This is when
y'all were supposed to be on the show at this time,
at this day. So know that and what you all

(56:42):
put out is going to come back. I promise you
it always does.

Speaker 1 (56:46):
Just believe it.

Speaker 2 (56:47):
So also on the show, I want to give you
an opportunity to share you share the wealth product services.
Where you are, who you are, people want to reach
out to you. If people want to connect with you,
how can they get in contact you?

Speaker 4 (57:03):
You can have my email. I'm pretty responsive on my emails.
I don't know if doctor Branch can like post that somewhere,
but my email. I also have a Google number that like,
I can respond to as.

Speaker 1 (57:15):
Well if you don't mind sharing it, but you can
say it okay, oh yeah.

Speaker 4 (57:19):
Yeah, I just have to look it up. I don't
have that one memorized. My email though, is Sydney Mariah
zero one six at CSU dot Fullerton dot ed U.
I'm so sorry that one's very long. No, let me
find my number. I honestly don't know how to look
for my number. Let me see. I'm so sorry. Oh

(57:40):
I got it, just kidding nine four nine eight seven
zero nine five six seven And as long as like
you give me, like a little context, like hey, I
saw like I heard you on Branches podcast, Like I'll
respond like I just don't love to respond to strangers.
But yeah, I feel free reach out. What's going on.
I'm currently looking for a job. I have my APCC,

(58:02):
my AMFT.

Speaker 3 (58:05):
Oh.

Speaker 4 (58:05):
Actually there's a little bit more. I'm working on getting
my thesis published, so that's that's in the works. And
then an article that I've been working on during my
master's program just got accepted for publications, so that'll be
coming out soon. So that's really exciting. I think that's it.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
Though.

Speaker 1 (58:25):
I love it. I love it. This is the place
for it.

Speaker 2 (58:27):
I want to highlight y'all, want to give y'all love
and share that energy because you never know who's going
to reach out to you. Because the people, places, and
things we're supposed to have is going to find us.
Y'all just made ourselves available.

Speaker 1 (58:39):
Ria. What you got?

Speaker 3 (58:41):
Well, first, Sydney, I want to say, that's incredible. I
can't wait to read what you publish. As of right now,
I am just starting the job search and everything, so
don't have a Google number or Instagram or anything like that,
but that will come at some point. As for right now,
I will give my email.

Speaker 2 (59:01):
It is our.

Speaker 3 (59:02):
Hcchow one nine nine at gmail dot com. And if
you give some contacts, like Sidney said, just so I
know it's not like a spam email or something, I
will definitely reply. Yeah. And I can't wait to see
what the future has in store.

Speaker 1 (59:19):
I love it. I love it. Thank you, Thank you both.
And this portion of the show is where I give
you your flowers.

Speaker 2 (59:24):
So both of you have been an impact to me
and my life as a professor because you two accepted
me for who I am and what I brought to
the table. I know I'm a different professor than most,
if any, because number one, I'm black, So I'm a
blackmail therapist, counselor and counselor educator. And I'm like a unicorn,
except I'm black with a goldhorn. So y'all accepted me

(59:46):
and embraced me from the first day to all the
way to now, and that means the world to me.
And it's your energy, your personality, your willingness to dive
into you that your willingness to trust me, and your
willingness just to share love and life to anybody within
your vicinity. That's who you two are and y'all dream team,
and I can't believe we're here together doing this podcast.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Speaker 2 (01:00:09):
Thank y'all for being here, Thank you for showing up,
thank you for showing out like y'all came in here
and showed y'all.

Speaker 1 (01:00:13):
Ass And I love it. I'm here for it. I
am here for it in the most professional way possible.
I am here for it.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
And this is authenticity at its finest. So thank y'all
so much for being here. And to the listeners, thank
you for rocking with us like this whole show. You're here,
You're rocking with us, and I just can't thank you
enough because without you, it wouldn't be me, it wouldn't
be us. And I feel as though our job is
to continue putting out these bread crumbs, and these bread

(01:00:41):
crumbs are the things that's hitting in the plain sight.
You eat enough bread crumbs're gonna endre with a slice
of bread. You eat enough slices, you're gonna end with
a loaf. You get ending up with a loaf, You're
gonna get hit in the head with a honeybun. After
this honey bun, you just keep eating so much bread.
Before you know it, you wake up in panera. That's
where I'm at every day. It's a bread factory. I
don't run out. I got my apron on, I got
my hat turned to the side, and I'm giving out

(01:01:02):
these biscuits.

Speaker 1 (01:01:03):
Baby.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
This has been another episode of the three paal Lels
podcast with your hosts, thee Doctor Jason Brench, where we
rediscover who we are, we embrace who we are, and
we make room for who we're trying to become. If
this episode, if this podcast has been a blessing to
you in any way, shape, form or fashion, share it,
give it away. Don't keep this information to yourself, don't

(01:01:25):
keep these two beautiful guests to themselves.

Speaker 3 (01:01:27):
Y'all.

Speaker 1 (01:01:28):
Give some energy, give some love. And if this helps you,
if this makes you pivot, do it. Do it. You
want to get a paz, go get it. The only
person I can tell you know is you. Good night.

Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
Thank you so much for joining me on the Three
Pale Levels podcast, which your host, the Doctor Jason Brench,
where we rediscover who we were, we embrace who we are,
and we make room for who we're trying to become.
If this podcast or this specific episode has been a
blessing to you, please give it away, drop some bread crumbs,
and share it with others like comment subscribe so you
won't miss an episode. There's a new episode that comes

(01:02:02):
out every Sunday and Wednesday nine pm Pacific time and
twelve am Eastern Gator Talk. Geter Talk is the post
show Q and a session for the podcast every Friday.
Let's get ready to take the three paar Lels podcast
beyond the episode. Join me nine am Pacific time twelve
pm Eastern for Gator Talk, our exclusive post show Q

(01:02:24):
and a session kickback relax, step into the living room,
a space for open, laid back conversations with your hosts, me,
doctor Jason Branch, and fellow listeners. Let's break it all
down together of what resonated will hit home and what's
shifting in your journey from who you were to who
you are and who you are becoming. It's real, it's raw,
it's Gator Talk. Don't just listen, join the conversation. See

(01:02:47):
you Friday. The Gator Scales Journal. It's game time. The
Three paar Lels podcast just leveled up with a powerful
new resource for your journey and transformation. Introducing the Gator
Scales Journal, your personal guide to shifting from who you
were to embracing who you are and to recognize who
you are becoming. This isn't just a journal, It's a
game changer for your growth, mindset, and evolution. Click the

(01:03:10):
link to order your copy today or check it out
on Amazon. Take ownership of your progress and don't forget
to subscribe, share, like, and comment. Let's get the work, baby, Gators.
Are you stuck in a trunk with your own car
watching life pass you by. It's time to slide into
the driver's seat with a licensed therapist as your copilot.
Whether it's your first time in therapy, you need a

(01:03:31):
push for growth, or you finally ready to invest in
your mental wellness, I got you With over twenty years
of experience, I help people move from who they were
to embrace who they are and make room for who
they're trying to become. Therapy with me is real, raw intentional, authentic,
and of course hilarious. Let's break some cycles together, shift

(01:03:51):
your mindset and unlock your best self. I'm on a
passenger side, messing with the radio, holding the map up,
but we're going wherever you would like to go. Give
us a call today at four O four four three
six two five four zero, or shoot me a text
to book your free consultation. Check us out on the
web at www dot doctor jbrash dot com. Look forward

(01:04:12):
to connecting with you.

Speaker 1 (01:04:14):
Have a great day.