Firefly Movement

Whether you had a narcissistic parent, are into true crime, or are just not sure about the guy you’re dating, this episode is for you. Alyssa Williamson sits down with Shannon Higgins, a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor specializing in Narcissism and Abuse Recovery, to talk about what Narcissism is, why it’s on the rise, how you can identify a narcissist, and how to recover if you’ve experienced narcissistic abuse. We packed tons of information into this episode, and you’re not going to want to miss it!

In this episode, Alyssa Williamson, LPC, interviews three members of the Firefly Movement Team. This is a true “feel good” episode. Our team shares about who encouraged them on their way to becoming licensed mental health professionals, and how their “fireflies” helped them discover and develop their unique gifts to help others! Don’t miss it! Contributors include Mark Olkowlski, LMFT Associate, Kerri Part, LPC Intern, and Beth Hunt, LPC Intern. All three are supervised by our founder, Lynn McCracken, LPC-S, LMFT-S.

Christy Doering, LCSW, owner of Sage Counseling LLC, joins us for a very special episode to talk about maternal mental health and postpartum! We cover what’s normal, what not, and when to seek professional help. Christy is also a wealth of knowledge on how you can support yourself pre and post birth, and how you can care for new moms in your life. Christy also gifts us with her own touching story of loss and recovery and how she became the clinician she is today. Don’t miss it!

With the ongoing spread of COVID-19, our founder Lynn McCracken, joined us to discuss strategies to find solid ground, stay centered, and care for our mental health when the world feels uncertain. This episode is full of practical evidence based tips and strategies to help you care for your family’s mental health as you navigate change!

SPECIAL EDITION: Erin Johnson, a therapist with us at Firefly Movement, joins Alyssa to talk about anxiety, COVID-19, and how to bolster mental health for the whole family. We’ll cover coping skills, family dynamics, and even how to keep your kids from driving you crazy while stuck at home. It’s your mental health toolkit for COVID-19!

Kristin Williams is a registered dietician and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist in the Dallas area. In this episode we talk about Kristin’s recovery journey, why she’s an “Anti-Diet Dietician” and the “Health at Every Size Model” she embraces. Her education and expertise in nutrition, she is a wealth of knowledge about what a “healthy” diet actually looks like, and a fierce advocate for the health at every size perspective. She’s also a Christian who has used her education in ministry at her local church, and has a book coming out this spring! It’s called “Unworthy Weight: Reclaiming your Worth from a Number on the Scale and finding your True Identity in Christ. You can pre-order on her website at wonderfullymadenutritioncounseling.com

Today we have the amazing Tess Clarke joining us! Tess is a 9 on the enneagram, and she talks to us about practicing the “ministry of presence” with people who are suffering. Tess is the cofounder of the nonprofit, Seek the Peace, and the director of We Welcome Refugees. She tells us about the joy of mentoring and empowering preteen and teen girls at her ministry, Project SHINE, and how those relationships have deepened her understanding of hospitality and our universal need for connection and community. Moreover, Tess shares her personal journey as a peacemaker: how she identified that her presence matters, started working to show up in the lives of people who are hurting, and ultimately became an advocate for others. Tess and I dig into how disconnected our society can feel, and how we start to find our way back to each other. She is an absolute inspiration, and you will love her story! Don’t miss it!

Dieula is an ordained pastor, and licensed professional counselor, and the founder of Elevateher International: a nonprofit dedicated to trauma healing and empowering women around the globe. You won’t want to miss this amazing episode as Dieula talks about harnessing both joy and perseverance for her journey in ministry, as a therapist, and as a non-profit and community leader.

Lynn had been writing songs her entire life, until the traumatic and sudden loss of her father. She just couldn’t write anymore. Over a decade later, after another unexpected loss, she knew that her current coping skill could not help her in the face of grief. Determined to change the way we talk about mental health, took guitar lessons, her dad’s guitar, and became a professional singer songwriter. Lynn promotes music and creativity as a way to heal and create space grief. She had a dream of starting an organization that would change the way we approach mental health, and today we get to hear the story of how Firefly Movement came to exist.