Episode 125: Our Lives Matter

From Covid-19 to the continued cycle of police violence and political unrest, most people are living with and working through trauma. For today’s episode, we explore ways to manage your mental health by interviewing Marline Francois-Madden, a licensed clinical social worker, advocate, and best selling author. During the episode, we discuss her path to becoming a social worker (42:35), clinical versus macro social work (44:30), and what it means to be a policy-facing therapist (46:10). We also discuss the motivation behind her book, The State of Black Girls (50:35), and the unique issues that youth are facing at the moment (54:55). We then have a conversation about Marline’s approach to balancing multiple commitments and mental health (59:55), her dedication to service during the pandemic (1:07:00), strategies for coping with trauma and grief during the current social and political moment (1:08:06), teletherapy and tips for finding a mental health professional (1:13:00), and ways to practice self-care while social distancing (1:16:15). We close the episode by discussing the importance of finding purpose during the current moment (1:20:35).

Other Topics Include:

00:30 - Catch up with Ty and Daphne

03:15 - Most Dangerous Person of the Week

05:45 - BhD “Oh Lawd” News

39:35 - Introduction of the Topic

Resources

• Marline Francois-Madden Website - https://www.marlinefrancois.com/

• Marline Francois-Madden Twitter and Instagram - @MarlineFrancois

• The State of Black Girls - https://thestateofblackgirls.org/

• ‘Never seen anything like this’: A CNN journalist’s arrest on live television shocks nation and inflames racial wounds - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/cnn-reporter-arrested-omar-jimenez-minneapolis/2020/05/29/90832de6-a1cc-11ea-b5c9-570a91917d8d_story.html

• Video appears to show NYPD truck plowing through crowd during protest - https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/31/us/nypd-truck-george-floyd-protest/index.html

• APD use taser to get driver out of car - https://youtu.be/fBbir5aLxMM

• The History Behind 'When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts' - https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts

• 'There are anarchists': Minnesota officials say 'outside agitators' are hijacking peaceful protests - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/30/george-floyd-protests-riots-violent-outside-agitators-minnesota/5291658002/

• Bus Drivers in Minneapolis and New York City Have Refused to Help With Police Transportation - https://time.com/5845451/bus-drivers-protesters-police-george-floyd/

• A Tennessee police chief had a message for fellow law enforcement: turn in your badge if 'you don't have an issue' with George Floyd's death - https://www.yahoo.com/news/tennessee-police-chief-had-message-171855073.html