23. Being Part of the Solution and Bridging Gaps in Communities (ft. Jonnie Wilson, LPC)

Warning: this episode contains discussions of trauma, and descriptions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, medical abuse, and domestic violence.This week Karen learned how to navigate through the embarrassment and horrendousness of being a gross human in front of a client, specifically, nearly coughing to death. What is a counselor to do when confronted with the choice between one’s own oxygen intake or empathizing with a client’s emotional breakdown? Well, the un-ethical choice, obviously. February is Black History Month! How can you connect with, understand, and celebrate Black History? Great question! Here are some places to start: https://asalh.org/about-us/origins-of-black-history-month/ https://blackhistorymonth.gov/ https://studentinvolvement.txst.edu/involvement/community-engagement/black-history-month.html https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/opinion/2023/10/twenty-ways-to-be-an-ally-this-black-history-month/ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/black-voices/_/N-2uv2 https://wordinblack.com/2022/09/books-by-black-authors-to-add-to-your-2022-reading-list/ This week we share our conversation with the incomparable Jonnie Wilson! She’s a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas who is currently in private practice. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and another Bachelor of Arts in English from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State). She also has a Master of Arts in African and African American History from the University of Missouri in Columbia and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Texas State University - San Marcos.With Jonnie we talk about how she came into her focus on identity work and life transitions with her individual clients in San Marcos, Texas. Jonnie shares a lot with us about working with marginalized populations, trauma, intergenerational trauma and exploring one’s cultural and familial legacy. We also get into Jonnie’s work building community connections and resources, including conducting trainings and running Women of Color groups and women’s wellness retreats. Jonnie shares her perspective about important concepts like the myth of the Strong Black Woman, going to where people are to build awareness and resource connections, and using one’s own stubbornness as a tool for growth and achievement. We talk a lot with Jonnie about how she maintains her mission-oriented life in all of the choices she continues to make, whether it’s education, employment, community involvement, or travel! Jonnie is an absolute wealth of information and resources so, there is more where this came from!Resources mentioned: A Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet A. WashingtonThe Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing by Dr. Joy DegruyThe Power of Attachment: How to Create Deep and Lasting Intimate Relationships by Diane Poole HellerBreak the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational Trauma by Dr. Mariel BuquéThe Color Purple (1985 film)Shaka Zulu (1986 TV mini series)Jonnie’s professional website: https://speakingheart2heart.com/ Jonnie’s friend’s travel agency, Eye Adom Travel: https://www.facebook.com/eyeadomtravel/ and @eyeadomtravel Thank you for listening! To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Therapy Tea Patreon community https://www.patreon.com/TherapyTeaPodcast.Follow us on social media:  Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482  Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected] Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.