[SPEAKER_00]: The moment you mention the word therapy, a lot of us still get a little uneasy.

[SPEAKER_00]: For generations, especially in the Black community, and I'll take it a step further to say the Southern Black community, we've been conditioned to think that if you need therapy, you're broken or weak, or that you have something wrong with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the truth is actually the [SPEAKER_00]: Growing into a better version of yourself, growing through your challenges, stretching yourself to new heights, all while having the courage to take care of your mental health, just like you would take care of your physical body by working out, eating right, or going to the doctor for your routinely checkup.

[SPEAKER_00]: So just in case you forgot, you are not broken.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are not a lost cause, you are not just this way, and that's all you ever be.

[SPEAKER_00]: You, along with all the rest of us, are works and progress.

[SPEAKER_00]: And therapy is just one of the most powerful tools you can use to become the next level you.

[SPEAKER_00]: What is a beautiful people?

[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to another pep talk Wednesday.

[SPEAKER_00]: I am tired of the creative your host and virtual cheerleader for the day delivering a midweek picnic of that you have been craving.

[SPEAKER_00]: Get ready for some encouraging words and a dose of inspiration to brighten your day.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ready?

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Therapy is a buzzword.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's call it spade a spade.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's becoming a term that people throw around to make the person on the receiving in feel less thin.

[SPEAKER_00]: But therapy in itself is not a weapon.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a resource.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not about labeling you or boxing you in.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's about giving you tools.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tools to help you unlearn old patterns.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tools to help you show up differently in relationships.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tools to help you see yourself more clearly.

[SPEAKER_00]: And when you start using those tools, that's when the growth starts to happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's when you realize that therapy isn't about fixing who you are.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's all about expanding who you're becoming.

[SPEAKER_00]: And let me say this.

[SPEAKER_00]: At his core, therapy is simply a safe space to process your thoughts, any motions, explore patterns, and learn healthier ways of moving through life with an unbiased party.

[SPEAKER_00]: IE, your therapist.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it doesn't look the same for everybody.

[SPEAKER_00]: For some, therapy means sitting down with a licensed therapist, for others, it's group therapy or support groups.

[SPEAKER_00]: Art or music therapy are even something that's movement-based, that helps release what words can't.

[SPEAKER_00]: It can also be journaling, guided meditations, or even checking in with the live coach.

[SPEAKER_00]: And here's the biggest thing that I want you to take away from this episode.

[SPEAKER_00]: Therapy is not a last resort.

[SPEAKER_00]: is not a sign that something's wrong with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Therapy is for everyone.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's for you, it's for me.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a tool to help you grow, to learn more about yourself, and to take control of your life.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe in a new way.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not broken.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're just learning how to thrive in the best way possible.

[SPEAKER_00]: I personally like to think of therapy just like, [SPEAKER_00]: taking your car in for tuna or a checkup or whatever you take your car in for.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even if everything seems fine on outside, you know you got to take your car in for a routine maintenance, right, for upkeep.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we view that as staying ready so we don't have to get ready, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: So checking the engine, the oil rotating the tires checking the brakes to make sure that they're running smoothly.

[SPEAKER_00]: It all prevents bigger problems down the road.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now replace that car with your mental health.

[SPEAKER_00]: Why should it be any different?

[SPEAKER_00]: Do we really just expect our bodies to run on autopilot for 80, 90, 100 years without a tune-up or a check-in?

[SPEAKER_00]: Therapy helps you inspect your mind and adjust what's off and strengthen what's already working.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you can handle life's bumps without breaking down.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'll give you another analogy, if that one didn't hit for you.

[SPEAKER_00]: why do we work out?

[SPEAKER_00]: To move our bodies, to feel healthier, to make sure we live longer, to look good, there are eternal reasons, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: And just like strengthen in your body with rips and consistency in the gym, therapy helps to build mental muscles.

[SPEAKER_00]: So things like your coping skills, yourself awareness, and your resilience.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're training yourself to handle life's challenges stronger, smarter, and with more confidence.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just like if you played a sport and had to practice every day, but you have a game once a week.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's because practice makes what?

[SPEAKER_00]: Perfect.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, perfect practice makes perfect, but we won't get into that today.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all know what I'm saying.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I want to give you a couple of practical steps about therapy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just start small.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just showing up is the first victory you don't need to have it all figured out you just need to take that first step and see what it's all about.

[SPEAKER_00]: Another step normalizing it normalizing therapy treated like you would a regular checkup at the doctor's office we go to the doctor once a year to get a checkup.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's about keeping your mental health in top shape so you can live your best and most in power life.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now let me also say this, therapy is not just about dealing with your past trauma, it's also about setting yourself up for success in your future, it's not a sign that you are broken, like I've been saying, it's a tool to help you understand yourself better to make smarter decisions and show up as the person that you want to be, so imagine walking into a room full of challenges.

[SPEAKER_00]: And instead of feeling overwhelmed, you feel prepared.

[SPEAKER_00]: Equipped, you feel ready.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's what therapy does.

[SPEAKER_00]: It gives you mental clarity.

[SPEAKER_00]: It gives you perspective and practical tools to thrive and not just survive.

[SPEAKER_00]: And here's the kicker.

[SPEAKER_00]: The more you know about yourself, [SPEAKER_00]: the more confident and unstoppable you become.

[SPEAKER_00]: The therapy isn't only for working through the hard stuff, though it does that too.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's also about learning what triggers you, discovering patterns in your thinking, practicing [SPEAKER_00]: help your ways to cope and gaining strategies to communicate better with the people around you.

[SPEAKER_00]: It can also help you manage stress, strengthen your relationships, have a better sex life, and even uncover strengths that you didn't know you had.

[SPEAKER_00]: You get to define what it means to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Taking that first step isn't about admitting weakness or defeat or anything crazy like that is about claiming your power and giving yourself this space to grow evolve.

[SPEAKER_00]: and show up fully in your own life.

[SPEAKER_00]: Therapy can also help you grow your confidence, your decision-making skills, and your ability to navigate lives challenges, so you don't need to have it all figured out to begin.

[SPEAKER_00]: So here are some simple ways that you can ease it in.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sign up for a short session, or check in with the therapist, and it can help give you clarity on where you need to be.

[SPEAKER_00]: I personally started out with better help.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was terrified.

[SPEAKER_00]: I said, you know what?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just going to see what it's about.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just going to have this one 30 minute conversation with this lady.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then we don't go from there.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I ended up loving it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I had a virtual session with her.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was face to face.

[SPEAKER_00]: Virtually was like on zoom or something like that.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I thoroughly enjoyed it in that first session.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think she only asked me like two questions and she allowed me to talk.

[SPEAKER_00]: She gave me the space to just blurred out anything that I wanted to blurred out.

[SPEAKER_00]: So also try to explore different formats, whether it's in person or the virtual sessions like I had, maybe group therapy if you don't want to do it alone, even journaling prompts or guided meditations or guided mental health apps like [SPEAKER_00]: Pick what feels accessible to you and treat it like a doctor's moment, like a check up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just like you will see a doctor for them to just check and make sure that your bones are white, your blood is right, your organs, all of that therapy keeps your mind in shape in the same way.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can also ask some questions of front.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can check how a therapist works and what approaches they use even if you don't really know much about it just ask them how do they operate or if they have worked with clients like you in the past and it is okay to be picky I always say that [SPEAKER_00]: going to therapy and picking a therapist is just like dating, just saying where you date that woman out of that man maybe you need to be dating your therapist as well because every therapist is not going to be a good fit and you don't have to take the one that you are given.

[SPEAKER_00]: Same way if you was going to the doctor, being like your doctor, what you're going to do, go find a new doctor, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's the same type of scenario.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then also try to combine your tools together.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can pair therapy with meditation.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can pair therapy with mindfulness exercises or even journaling, [SPEAKER_00]: And that can also help to boost your insight and your growth.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know with my first therapist, she was giving me a lot of mindfulness activities to do in comparison, in conjunction with our therapy sessions.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then notice some patterns.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pay attention to the things that trigger you or the recurring thoughts that you have and bring them with you into your sessions.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you can explore that with that unbiased party that is there.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then starts reflect after a session or after an exercise you do take a moment, take inventory and notice what felt helpful or what felt surprising or what felt uncomfortable, what you want to dive into more all of that stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: I say all this to say therapy does not have to be complicated.

[SPEAKER_00]: Small steps add up and over time, they can give you more confidence, clarity and control over your life.

[SPEAKER_00]: One session at a time, y'all.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I know I'm repeating myself over and over, but especially in our community, there is so much misinformation and so much taboo around therapy.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just want to say this as many times as I can until I'm blue in the face because therapy does not [SPEAKER_00]: So if therapy has been on your mind, again, start small.

[SPEAKER_00]: Look up some therapists in your area.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you want to go in person, explore your options online.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've told you guys about better help, or read about different approaches to see what feels comfortable for you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even a single session or a short consultation counts as progress.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I have also included a couple of online resources in the show notes of this episode.

[SPEAKER_00]: So make sure you guys check them out.

[SPEAKER_00]: take stock of what you've learned and how you've applied it and celebrate the growth and think about what you'd like to explore next.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's next for you?

[SPEAKER_00]: Growth is not linear.

[SPEAKER_00]: It happens in steps and every insight does matter.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now, I also want you guys to share your journey with someone that you trust in a non-invasive way.

[SPEAKER_00]: I regularly update my daddy and my grandma specifically [SPEAKER_00]: and seeing me navigate it has encouraged them to try out their P2, you don't need to convince anybody just showing them your own progress can be inspiring and get be the push that they need.

[SPEAKER_00]: So every pep talk comes with a challenge of the week as you guys know and this week's challenge is this and I really I urge you guys to do this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Take one small step forward towards nurturing your mental health.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll get therapy session, journal, a reflection, and if you choose a journal, let's do like three pages of reflection.

[SPEAKER_00]: Revis it a breakthrough that you have had and share your wins with me on social media.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you have something picture-worthy to share, post it and tag us at Affirmations of Black girls on Instagram or shoot us an email or a DM.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I really want you guys to take that initial step if you haven't already and if you are in therapy share it if you don't want to share your wins with me share with somebody that you love somebody that could possibly benefit from hearing how you are progressing in your mental health journey.

[SPEAKER_00]: Taking that first step into therapy can feel scary and uncomfortable, but it's also one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: When I first started therapy after my very first session, I already felt the load being lifted off of me.

[SPEAKER_00]: And for me, this journey has helped me learn how to open up.

[SPEAKER_00]: how to think critically and not be so quick to explode or shut down.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I've learned how to better conduct myself in triggering situations.

[SPEAKER_00]: And as a single girl, I've learned just how much of a role my attachment style and my love language is play in my dating experiences.

[SPEAKER_00]: Once I was able to better understand how I respond in various situations, [SPEAKER_00]: I had the playbook that I needed.

[SPEAKER_00]: I could move through these challenges with way more confidence.

[SPEAKER_00]: This journey is all about investing in your clarity, your confidence, and your peace of mind above all else.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you're comfortable sharing a little of your journey with someone that you trust, like I do with my daddy and with my grandma, it can spark something unexpected.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not here to convince anyone else.

[SPEAKER_00]: People are watching.

[SPEAKER_00]: My mom and my grandma and my daddy both started going to therapy because of me and because of this podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: You deserve to be your best self.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now therapy isn't magic, but it is a tool that helps you grow, get stronger, and move through life with more confidence.

[SPEAKER_00]: You got this, you are capable, you are resilient, you are unstoppable, every step you take matters.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now that's all that I have you guys today.

[SPEAKER_00]: I really hope you enjoyed this pep talk.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know I repeated myself a lot, but this is something that I feel very strongly about your peace of mind and your confidence to move throughout the world.

[SPEAKER_00]: is super important and therapy is a tool that can help get you over a hump that you may not have been able to get over yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a growing tool.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's just there to help you as a resource.

[SPEAKER_00]: So again, I have linked some resources in the show notes of this episode and if you're watching on YouTube, I have linked [SPEAKER_00]: Some of them in the description box down underneath the video and with that being said, make sure that you take part in the challenge of the week.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's multiple parts to it, whether it's you Go in there people at the first time doing a little bit of research on some mindfulness activities sharing a breakthrough with myself the affirmations of Black girls team or even a trusted loved one.