Allegedly Credible

Hey guys! This is the last episode of the season and we decided to have an open discussion with our friends Kells and Bri from Real Queens Talk Podcast! This was a question that a viewer had for us. Do you feel safe as a black woman in America? We felt like this topic was so much to unpack. We didn't even get a chance to fully hit the surface. We did talk about our own personal experiences in the workplace and in our culture. We talked about how we are represented in the media and if we think it is a fair depiction. We broke down relationships with other black women. There was so much we dived into and much more we wanted to say, but we didn't have the time. We will probably revisit this again in the future. Thank you again for riding with us for another season. See you in the fall! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hello everybody! Happy Belated Father's Day to all the great dad's out there! We know this is late, but we've had a lot going on in our lives so were are playing catch-up! Mel asked if being a great son automatically means you're going to be a great dad? Danielle thought this was an interesting, but tricky question. 1. What qualities does a good son possess? How do we define these traits? 2. What's the definition of a great father? 3. Are the responsibilities of a son similar to that of a father? Danielle even asks, if a man is a mamma's boy do you think that is a positive or a negative thing when you look at father material? Also, what about all the men who didn't have great relationships with their parents? How strongly does that impact their ability to be a strong parent for their child? We want to know your thoughts? Men, please feel free to jump in here! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Do you feel your doctor has your best interest at heart? Do you generally avoid the doctor's office at all costs? Sometimes going to the doctor can feel like a dreadful experience. You tell your doctor your concerns, and they dismiss you. Danielle and Mel have had some neglectful doctors in the past, which has changed how they view the healthcare system in America. Danielle strongly believes that BMI charts are completely outdated. An athlete can be considered obese just on their height and weight alone. Gyms have high-tech scales that can tell a person's body fat, muscle mass, and overall body composition. So, why can't we find these scales in doctor's offices? Mel has had issues with doctors going against her wishes when it comes to her body. She's had unnecessary medical procedures that caused more harm than good. We wondered if our listeners can relate to our stories. Feel free to chime in and share! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are discussing packing your suite case and booking a trip for one! Yes, one! Nothing is more relaxing than making time to go places you want! Danielle loves solo travel. You don't have to worry about anyone but yourself. You can plan your own activities and do whatever you want to do! What is more stressful than trying to plan a group trip? People don't have the money, or they bail last minute, or they don't have their passports together! It can be beyond annoying. So skip the hassle and pick your destination! Mel also likes to travel on her own but believes there should be rules for traveling alone if you have a significant other. You have to make sure no boundaries are crossed and establish where you are going and what you are doing. Danielle says bump all that and just go! Either way, solo travel is not as scary as some may think and there are so many benefits to spending time exploring on your own! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Mother's Day is just around the corner! Today we want to celebrate all the moms out there doing everything in their power to build their own businesses! Today we have Anne Marie on the scene and she's chatting with us about her experiences of doing her best to raise her children while building her network. Anne Marie is the founder of What's Your Business, where she helps promotes, support, and connect small businesses. Cheers to all the mothers out there doing their thing and shining bright! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hey you! Do you have your life completely together? If you're anything like us…probably not! We struggle on a daily basis, but you know what we both do have? Life insurance! So, that makes us feel like we are somewhat winning at adulthood! Cheers to us! Seriously though…do you have your live insurance policy set up for when something happens to you? Like it or not, we all will die one day, and don't want to leave our loved ones carrying the burden. If you think living is expensive…have you seen the funeral cost? Let us tell you, it's not cheap. Today we have Ebby Gee on to give you the full scope of life insurance and your policy options. Originally a New Jersey native, Ebby Gee moved to North Carolina to make a difference in the lives of others. With a background in Counseling, her desire to serve and help others expanded as she began her journey in the financial services industry. As a licensed life and health insurance agent Ebby has been able to help meet the needs of families on a broader spectrum. From final expense to retirement planning to wealth management, she is passionate about educating and assisting others to understand the importance of planning and protecting. There's no better feeling than helping someone find the best options to suit their specific needs and give them peace of mind. She serves in the following states: NJ, NC, SC & CA. We know talking about death isn't fun, but this is all about having your finances together before you leave this earth. Your family wants time to properly grieve you without the added stress of money issues added to the equation. So, bring out those pens and take notes! Your loved ones will thank you. P.S. You don't have to wait until your dead to benefit from life insurance. Tune in to find out more! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hey guys! So, if you can't tell by now, we are serious about our health here at AC! We are continuing the conversation today by discussing ways to get toxins out of the body. Have you ever felt sluggish, tired, and just not yourself? Are you in chronic pain and nothing seems to be giving you relief? Then you my friend may have toxins in your body that need to be cleaned out of your system! What exactly are toxins and how do you get rid of them? Well, today we have Almal Ra here to tell you exactly what they are and how to identify when your body is in need of a detox. Almal Ra is a certified herbalist and the creator of Universoul Healing CS. If you have major health issues and want to work on healing with more natural methods, this episode is for you! You can check out his shop Universoul Healing CS and find the supplement that is right for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Back at it again with another episode of Allegedly Credible! Danielle decided to throw herself back into the dating scene and after two seconds she was completely over it! We've previously talked about online dating and we already know Danielle doesn't like it. We even asked if you would marry Lady Fay based on her dating preferences and to give her some love advice. Though Danielle is okay with being single, she occasionally likes to dip her toes in the dating pool. The blatant disrespect she's experienced has been a turn-off. From guys asking her to come and sit her ass on their faces, asking for foot picks, and randomly DM her asking her to bear their children, Danielle has had about enough. Now, don't get it twisted, Danielle believes there are good men out there and has experienced a few. The ones she has experienced either live far away or also have a busy schedule, so it makes her question if it's worth having a relationship at all. Are you ready to catch up with your girl's love life? Cuz she has some stories to tell! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hey guys! Do you have a healthy relationship with food? Do you often struggle with your weight or find yourself obsessed with numbers on the scale? Have you ever struggled with emotional eating? Well, today's episode is for you! Today we are recording at Good Life Organics in Red Bank! We are sitting down with Caroline Adams aka Conscious Caro! Caroline is a fitness coach, yoga teacher, and holistic wellness advocate. She has made it her personal mission to help others along her journey to healing her mind, body, and spirit. Caro has used travel to find herself through yoga, meditation, and finding the best whole foods to fuel her body. Her superpower is healing others through holistic traditions. As you know, Danielle and Mel have been on their own health journeys. In 2018, Danielle started her own health and fitness journey after struggling with her weight for years. Now she's the healthiest she's been in her adult life. Though Danielle has struggled with her food choices in the past, she has created a new relationship with food where she sees it as a source of energy versus seeing food as an enemy. Mel has been following a plant-based diet for a few years and does her best to ensure her children have a healthy relationship with food. Though she did start eating meat again recently, she is still very cautious about what she lets enter her body. Caroline is defiantly dropping some knowledge today, so you don't want to miss this one! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hello, hello, hello everybody! We are back and even better than ever with Season 4 of Allegedly Credible! Have you ever had a time in your life when you had to hit the pause button? Everything seems to be going so well and then boom! One brick wall after the other? Well, that's what was going on with us. Mel had a series of health complications. Danielle had to learn another hard lesson about letting people back into her life. Ya'll remember when she said you could be friends with your exes? STRAIGHT LIES!!! Today we will catch you guys up on what's happening with us and all the exciting things moving forward with AC! It's so good to be back! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allegedly-credible/message

Hey guys this is the last episode of this season and we are talking about a controversial topic. This weekend is Father's Day, but we wanted to talk about if having a father is still relevant in today's time? Both Mel and Danielle grew up with their fathers in their lives. Danielle is very much a daddy's girl. Mel on the other hand had a different relationship with her dad, but she still appreciates the role he played in her life. We've all heard the story of single mothers complaining about deadbeat dads or absentee fathers. Of course, some mothers have done amazing jobs raising kids on their own, but what about fathers that are present in their child's life every single day? Or the single fathers out there raising kids on their own? There are plenty of fathers that still make it a point to be in the child's life even though the relationship ended with the child's mother. There are also so many men that step up and raise children as if they are their own. Our question is do dads get a bad wrap? As a mother, Mel feels that having her husband around to help her with the load of two kids is extremely helpful. The idea of raising her kids on her own feels like too much pressure for her. Mel and her husband might have minor disagreements on things, but overall they work together to make the best decisions for their family. Danielle is single, but as she's getting older she's concerned about having a kid too late in life. Even though nowadays there are different ways to have a child, Danielle has never envisioned raising a kid on her own. Today, more women are choosing to be single mothers by using a sperm donor, adopting, or even just making an arrangement with a friend. Is this really a viable option for her? Today we have Mel's husband Teryn on the show to talk about how he feels about being a father and what role he believes a father plays in a child's life. Shout out to all the dads out there doing their thing! We'll see ya'll in the fall! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

This episode is wild! Have you ever dated someone thinking you met the love of your life? You've been dating for a while and it looks like you guys are about to move to the next phase of the relationship. We're talking marriage, buying a house, and kids. You meet their family and everything…or so you thought? What if you found out after all this time, they had a whole secret family and they were married for 2 years, but you've been dating them for 5? We'll today we have our friend Kayla on to talk about how this nightmare happened to her! Kayla was careful, she even ran multiple background checks on this dude when they first started dating! After being at his “sister's apartment” she saw a red flag that made her suspicious. Kayla did some digging and found out her whole relationship was a lie. We told you this was crazy! Kayla will be discussing with us how she handled the situation and the steps she took to heal herself from the trauma. We'll be talking about other red flags she may have ignored and what advice she would give to people to avoid getting in this situation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are talking all about one-sided friendships. You might have a few people in your life that fall under this category. When they call you, you automatically roll your eyes because you know they want something. At first, this wasn't a big deal, but as the relationship evolved, you realized you are putting way more into the friendship than you are getting back. Or what about the friends that always have something negative to say? No matter what is going on in life, they always have to bring everyone else down around them. As adults, life can be stressful enough without all the added drama of a “friend”. Danielle believes she needs to stop entertaining people who don't give back the same energy she gives to a relationship. Mel knows she tends to be a taker at times, but that's after years of giving her best and not getting anything in return. Do you have friends that drain the life out of you? Well, we are here to talk about it! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are talking about the struggles we deal with trying to find our own creative voices. We both grew up having many creative interests and outlets, but at times we would let self-doubt and stress keep us from pursuing our passions. Mel has always had a love for photography and Danielle has always had her hands in the art and music world. This podcast has just become another form of creativity for us, but it's not always easy. Today to help us dive into our topic we have producer, singer, and rapper Gene Stovall. Listen as we discuss why we love creating and how we are learning to get over our creative blocks. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Do you struggle with sleep? Danielle defiantly does! If you are like her and have tried several over-the-counter and natural remedies, then this episode is for you. Someone suggested Danielle try cannabis to help her sleep, but she has been reluctant to try it. Danielle has never been a fan of using drugs in her life and has never been interested, but her struggle with sleep has her considering other options. She never liked the smell of weed, nor does she want to feel high, but she's willing to learn more about it. Mel on the other hand has used cannabis in her life and she does feel like it has helped her to relax in the past. She hasn't used it to help with sleep at all, but she's looking to see if this could possibly be an option for her husband? For this topic we have John P. Turner discussing the medical benefits of marijuana. John is the CEO of Bomaye, the first Black-owned cannabis company to get you approved for a medical marijuana card in just two days. Bomaye's mission is to approve people, especially people of color, for their medical marijuana cards. A little about our CEO: John is a Philadelphia native - he graduated from Temple University with his undergraduate degree and from Rutgers for his graduate degree in social work. Finally, John specializes in healthcare administration and he focuses on collaborating with community agencies. No matter how you feel about using cannabis, this episode is for your education so that you can make the best decision for yourself. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hey Guys! Remember when we talked in Season One about going to therapy? Well into today's episode we wanted to go a bit more in-depth and specifically talk about dealing with unresolved childhood trauma. In previous episodes, Danielle has talked about how being molested as a child has taken a toll on her relationship with herself and others. She's had issues with self-esteem and unhealthy relationships with food stemming from her hatred for herself. Over the past few years, she has been on a journey to heal herself and be happy from the inside. She realized that in order to live the life she wants, she had to deal with her demons head-on. Mel has had a share of issues that she's had to let go of herself and is still working to get over. As a mother, she wants to make sure her kids thrive in a healthy environment, but sometimes she struggles with making sure she's not damaging them herself. To discuss this we have Devin A. White. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker currently working at a middle school in central Jersey. He is serving students in grades 6-8 facilitating individual, group, and family therapy services. Devin also works with couples families and individuals part-time in a local private practice. Devin has been working with youth and families since 2010 and has been providing clinical services since 2016. Devin holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Morehouse College, a Master's in Social Work from Rutgers University-New Brunswick with a concentration on Addiction Studies, and is pursuing his EdD in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University. He is also a podcast host and a consultant for a mental health podcast/organization. If you have some trauma that you still may be holding on to, this is the episode for you! Let's start that healing! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hey Everyone! As you know Mother's day is coming up and we wanted to do a special shoutout to the women who raised us. Danielle and Mel grew up very differently, but one thing is for sure, we love our mothers! So today we have our moms on to talk with us about mother-daughter relationships. We will discuss advice both generations received from their mothers that we still use to this day! Make sure you give our moms a warm AC welcome! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today's topic was actually suggested by a listener. If you grew up in a religious household, there was a huge influence to keep your virginity until you get married. Well, so many people these days have thrown those teaching out the window. We both did. In recent times, as people are working hard to figure out self-love, we've heard of more females that are deciding to refrain from sex while discovering themselves. We've also heard of males that abstain from sex while building business to keep from distractions. Lastly, we've heard of couples intentionally going weeks or months without sex in order to deepen the connection between them. Is this really necessary or does abstaining from sex for a period of time actually help to achieve better long-term results? If you've been thinking about taking a break from sex to figure yourself out better, this episode is for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hey Guys! Are you guys like us and focusing on getting your finances together in 2022? Well the AC Crew is here again and this week we are talking all about credit! Growing up all we heard was to make sure we have good credit but no one ever broke down what exactly that meant and how to achieve it. It's crazy because as we hit adulthood, you can't get much of anything without having a credit check. You want a car? Credit check. You want to buy a house? Credit Check. You want to rent an apartment…guess what? Credit check! How could we barely talk about a topic that is so detrimental to our finances? We believe that the lack of open conversation about credit is why people well into their 30s either don't have credit at all or are deep in credit card debt. To help give advice on this topic is Helena Richardson, Founder, and CEO of Financially Fit, a New Jersey-based credit repair company, whose mission is to provide credit education, increase financial literacy and promote building generational wealth. She has helped her clients to improve their credit scores, correct past financial mistakes, and reach their goal of homeownership. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hello everyone! We are back with Season 3 of AC! Today we are talking about feeling good and owning your body! No matter your body type there are plenty of ways to feel sexy in your own skin. Danielle and Mel have two very different body types. Mel has a thinner frame with longer limbs. Danielle is fully plump and shaped like a pear! We struggle with body image issues, but we still make it a point to feel good about ourselves. We know that it's easy to get wrapped up in constantly comparing yourself to others. As women we might want rounder butts and a smaller waist, but is that what truly makes you sexy? Is it only about physical appearance? Is being sexy actually a mindset? Can our attitude, confidence, and amazing personalities contribute to what makes us sexy? Maybe it's a mix of both, but whatever it is, we are here to talk about it! It's good to be back! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Alright, guys! You're used to us giving you advice, this time we want to hear it from you! We are asking would you marry the one and only Lady Fay? Danielle is very single. She's had her flings here and there, but nothing ever that serious. She has never had a serious relationship and the ones that she was really feeling didn't work out. Guys will tell her she's great, beautiful, sexy, smart, different, chill, and easy to get along with, but it seems like no one is trying to commit. Danielle gets ghosted often and she doesn't understand the disconnect that is causing her to have issues in her love life. She's the common factor so she's convinced it must be her! What energy is she putting out that keeps attracting the same results? She wants answers!!! Can you help Lady Fay navigate her way into a solid relationship? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

If you don't know by now, Mel is a whole mom out here! She has two beautiful children that she loves dearly, but sometimes…being a mom is a challenge. There was a time though where Mel never wanted to be a mom. She grew up taking care of her much younger siblings, so so felt like that was enough. She opened up to the possibility of having children after fully committing to her now-husband. In this episode, Mel dives deep into the struggles she faces as a mom. There are times where she feels like she's not doing enough for her children even though she's doing her best. She talks about trying to juggle being a working mom, her household, and her marriage all while trying to regain pieces of herself. If you ever have been here before, this episode is for you! Listen as Mel gives her take on how she deals with her mommy guilt and reminds herself that she is learning with her children. She has a lot to say! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

We grew up with social media, so we have seen how it has evolved. It started with Tom from MySpace and now everyone is jumping on board with the latest Tictok trend. Mel has never really had a problem with social media, but now that she has younger kids, she questions how much she wants them exposed to the online world. Danielle has a love-hate relationship with social media. She likes meeting new people and finding new talent, but she can't stand the false information that gets spread or the constant need to check your apps all the time. We can't help but wonder the contribution social media has had on our nation's anxiety problems. From constant comparisons to political divides, how much influence does social media play into our lives? As we have learned from trying to promote ourselves, social media can get draining very fast. Some people's self-worth gets too wrapped up with how many likes you have and the number of followers you can rack up. Are we just overcomplicating our lives? Join us as we discuss how we navigate social media so that we don't get too caught up in what's behind our screens versus reality. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

So last week we talked about bringing your partner home, but what if you're going to meet their parents for the first time this holiday season? Are you nervous or excited? Do you think your partner's family will embrace you with open arms? Mel has always enjoyed meeting new people, so she had no problems meeting her husband's family. It didn't even cross her mind that they may not like her. It took a while to adapt to the differences between her family and his family dynamic, but she enjoyed figuring it out. Danielle has never gotten serious enough with a person to meet their family, but she has no doubt that his family would like her. She's more nervous about how she would respond to his family. Though Danielle can talk to anyone, sometimes she finds meeting new people draining. No matter what, she would find a way to make it work. How do you present yourself when you meet your partner's family? Are you more reserved for the first meeting or are you giving them your full personality at the door? Back again to give their views on the topic are Frances and Chunky from The Jerk, Jollof and Collard Greens® Podcast. The Jerk, Jollof, and Collard Greens® Podcast is a panel podcast led by a multi-ethnic crew of 5 friends, with brotherly bonds, meshing their cultural identities, perspectives, and worldly experiences into a colorful thanksgiving of comedic and intellectual proportions. The panel reviews and raises awareness on the experiences of African-Americans and People of Color in America and the latest happenings in pop culture, business, politics, and everyday life. Check them out here ( JJC Podcast). Join us as we continue our discussion from last week, but from a different angle. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hey guys! It's the holiday season, and most of us will be gathering with our family for festive celebrations. Our question is...are you bringing your new boo home to meet the family? Is this a new huge step in your relationship? Danielle has never brought anyone home to meet her family. She is very private about her love life and her family typically won't know about her relationships until it's already over. Mentioning that she's even dating someone is a big deal for her, so having them meet her family would be a major step. Honestly, she's not ready for that heat. For Mel, her partner meeting her family wasn't that big of a deal for her. She didn't really put too much thought into it, but she defiantly was excited for her parents to meet her partner. She kind of just jumped right into as she does with most things in her life! But what about bringing a partner home and there are cultural differences? What happens if your family doesn't like your partner or vice versa? Could this bring pressure to your relationship? How would you handle that situation? So to help us discuss this topic, we brought in Frances and Chunky from The Jerk, Jollof, and Collard Greens® Podcast. The Jerk, Jollof, and Collard Greens® Podcast is a panel podcast led by a multi-ethnic crew of 5 friends, with brotherly bonds, meshing their cultural identities, perspectives, and worldly experiences into a colorful thanksgiving of comedic and intellectual proportions. The panel reviews and raises awareness on the experiences of African-Americans and People of Color in America and the latest happenings in pop culture, business, politics, and everyday life. Check them out here (JJC Podcast). Join us as we deep dive into this discussion and listen as everyone harps on Danielle about how odd it is that she refuses to bring someone home to meet her family. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are talking in-depth about being a female in a male domineered friend group. Mel, Danielle, and our AC family friend Melissa (also, Mel) grew up as tomboys and found it easier to relate with guys. Yes, we have female friends, but hanging out with the boys always felt natural to us. Danielle grew up with two older brothers. Mel grew up with two very close male cousins. Melissa grew up liking to fight, so it was easy to fit right in with the guys. To this day, all of us have male friends that we look at like brothers and that's it. Though we know there is no romantic involvement, does this look that way on the outside looking in? Recently, it was brought to Danielle's attention that for some guys, a female having too many male friends is considered a red flag. This has become a topic of debate while trying to date. The idea of her having a male roommate has caused issues for her, even though they have separate rooms and are on two different work schedules. She barely sees him. Melissia straight up had a guy stop talking to her and tell her she was ho because she was going to hang out with one of her best male friends. Was this statement called for? Is it impossible for a woman to have male friends without any type of romantic involvement? Is it fair to assume that a female sleeps around just because she has close friends of the opposite sex? Would we be willing to drop our male friends if someone we were dating asked us to? Well, we have a lot to say about this topic and we are very opinionated. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are talking all about online dating. In today's world, there are multiple ways to meet new people. Technology has allowed us to see what's out there beyond our own circles. There are so many hook-up and meeting apps it's not even funny. It makes it convent to find a person by just swiping left or right. Danielle has dipped her toe in the online dating world a few times, but can't seem to keep her account for more than three days at a time. The longest she's kept an account has probably been a week. Even though she sees the perks in online dating, it annoys her more than anything. She just rather stay single than keep trying to find a partner online. Luckily for Mel, she has never had to experience the swipe culture of dating. She met her husband the old-fashioned way, so she has no clue about the online dating world. However, her friend Sanchelle has plenty of experience in the realm. So of course, we brought Sanchelle on to tell us her positive and negative experiences with dating online. She's going to give us the tea on what apps she's had the most success on. Sanchelle talks to us about what red flags she looks out for when dating. She also assures us online dating is totally worth it but you have to be patient and enjoy the process. We have some funny stories for you guys in this episode! We hope you laugh as hard as we did as we share these wild stories. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Are there times in your life where no matter what you do it seems like a relationship isn't working out? You're struggling to make it work with a partner, a friend, or a family member. It just seems like no matter what there is a lack of understanding or a lack of respect. So, when is enough, enough? Is it time to cut that person off or are you just going through a rough patch? We both struggle with pulling the plug on close relationships. Danielle always feels like she can fix something. She thinks that there is always room for forgiveness and a way to talk anything out. It's very hard for her to let things go. She's very used to having people cut her off, but it's very hard for her to understand when it's time for her to walk away. Mel struggles with this as well, but Mel is more accepting of letting things play out on their own. She understands that not everyone is meant to be in your circle. Sometimes people outgrow each other and maybe ending the relationship is for the best. If you have ever struggled with ending toxic relationships, this episode is defiantly for you. We are going to be walking you through how we've learned our own limits in relationships and how we apply them in our lives now. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hey guys! This week we are talking all about intimacy. What exactly is intimacy supposed to look and feel like? Is it just about sex or does it involve so much more? If you are anything like us, the idea of being intimate is kind of scary to you, especially if you don't have the right examples. Danielle struggles with showing affection. She is not a fan of kissing or romantic jesters. She often finds it hard to connect with any new partners. For Mel, it's hard for her to find the same connection with her husband in recent years. Mel feels like juggling kids, jobs, and other daily activities have caused a disconnect in the way she and her husband communicate with each other at times. To help us with this discussion, we have Sage the Godsis on to go into depth about how we can become more intimate with ourselves and our partners. Sage is a Tantric Priestess and Alchemist Coach located in New Jersey. She helps afro-indigenous singles and couples through sexual and ancestral healing. Mel found her one day while scrolling through Instagram and decided to check out one of her couples classes. Mel enjoyed the class so much, that we had to have her on the show to talk with us on how we can improve our relationships. Sage is going to go over how it is important to having love for yourself first before you can show it to anyone else. We also talk in-depth about knowing your love languages as well as your partners. Also, she talks about doing check-ins on yourself and with your partner because we are constantly evolving and changing. To learn more about Sage the Godsis and sign up for any upcoming events, follow her Instagram: @sage_thegodsis. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Hello, hello, hello everybody! Welcome back to Season 2 of Allegedly Credible! Did you miss us? We surely missed you! As you may or may not know, last season Mel was super pregnant with her second child and gave birth during the summer. If you listened to our pregnancy episode in Season 1 (Pregnancy), you heard Mel's story of her traumatic first delivery. So, of course, this time, she wanted a different experience. This is where she met Alaina Snell-Broach. Alaina is a midwife, doula, spiritual counselor, and healthcare advocate. She is the founder of Ahavah Birth & Beyond, LLC and is a part of Ahavah House Global Services Inc. Today Alaina is here to with the crew about the roles midwives and doulas play in aiding women with pregnancy. She is going to walk you through what to expect during home birth and how she sets you up for the best possible outcome for you and your family. Mel is going to tell you how having a midwife and doula helped her prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally. She talks about what it means to have a VBAC (going from a C-section back to a natural birth), why she wanted to have a homebirth, and how her delivery went this time around. Danielle is pretty much along for the ride in this episode. She was defiantly taking notes. Y'all take some too because there are so many gems dropped here! You're gonna learn today! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Today we are talking about our personal sexual experiences. We decided to have this open dialog because we both realize we have some healing to do in this department. Mel talks about how she grew up seeing other girls getting male attention around her. When she started getting play, she was so excited that she didn't think all of her decisions through. Now that she's with her husband, she sees the difference between being desperate for affection versus having a real connection with a partner. Danielle talks about how being molested as a child shaped her sex views. She went through a period where even talking about sex made her uncomfortable. At some point, Danielle thought that she had gotten over her childhood trauma, but after having her first positive experience with sex, she realized she never fully dealt with the abuse. Though we tackle some serious things in this episode, best believe we still laugh hard and joke! We wouldn't be who we are today if we couldn't laugh at all the stupid things we have done in our younger years. Get comfortable and laugh with us…this episode is a trip! P.S. This is the last episode of Season 1! Thank you so much for listening. We appreciate the love and support. We'll be back for Season 2 in the Fall! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Growing up, we knew Sunday meant we were going to church. Period. The end. No was not an option. As children, we were often told to dress our best for God to show how thankful we were for making it through another week. The church is supposed to enhance our spirituality, but do we focus way too much on appearances and gossip? Danielle is a preacher's kid, so growing up her life revolved around the church. Twice she moved because of her father's profession, leaving her feeling very isolated at times. Though she has some positive experiences, she has more negative feelings towards what church has represented in her life. As a child of ministers, Danielle had to deal with the spotlight being on her and often felt pressured to be perfect. Mel talks about what it's like growing up in a megachurch. Mel saw some things in the church that bothered her, but she had an overall positive experience. Her main question is, “Why is there always a building fund for the roof, but the roof is never getting fixed?”. Danielle defiantly gets triggered in this episode, but luckily Mel is there to calm her down. Haha. Of course, we still have fun and laugh. We both believe that there is a huge difference between being spiritual and being religious. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

How much access should we let people have to us? We often over-extend ourselves at work, at home, and in our relationships. We can find it hard to say no, especially to our loved ones. There is often a lot of pressure for us to show up and be present for others when we are barely showing up for ourselves. Today we talk to our friend Sara, and the pressures she has been under as a teacher while dealing with this pandemic. It has been hard for her to set clear boundaries for work, especially while working from home. Danielle talks about how she had to take a step back from her family in order to find herself more clearly. When she didn't have clear boundaries set, she started to feel resentful and she no longer wanted to feel that way. Mel talks about how she often overextends herself for others and often doesn't realize how much it can stress her out until it's too late. As a wife and mother, Mel talks about how she had to learn how to establish new boundaries within her new family dynamic. We think it is always healthy to evaluate just how much of your time and energy you give to other people. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Oh boy, get ready! In this episode we are discussing if it is possible to be friends with an ex? There are some very strong opinions about this subject. So strong, we invited our close friend Evie on the show to have a really deep conversation about this topic. A lot of people would agree with Evie, and say absolutely not. Once the relationship is over, that's it. There is no need to pursue a friendship with someone that hurt you in the past. Others would argue (mainly Danielle), that though something didn't workout romantically, it doesn't mean that you guys can't be really good friends after some personal space and separation. Should you try to stay friends with someone that was emotionally, physically, or mentally abusive? Absolutely not. However, we explore other reasons some people decided to stay friends with an ex and if it's even a good idea. No matter what your view point is on the case of the ex, we're here to offer you new perspectives. Ultimately, you have to do what's best for you and your mental health. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

We've all had those moments when we look in the mirror and aren't satisfied with what you see. You can spend countless hours trying to find something that looks flattering on you, but it seems like nothing you put on looks right. We are our harshest critics, but society standards of beauty also play a major role on how we view and see ourselves. For us personally, there are things we struggle with on a daily basis. Mel has issues with they way her body is forever changing during her pregnancies. She also grew up feeling uncomfortable in her skin due to growing up in predominantly white areas. Danielle has struggled with her weight her whole life. Even though she has lost a good amount of weight now, she still often finds herself uncomfortable with her body. Despite all of this, we make it a point to stay as positive as possible and embrace ourselves, flaws and all. There are way more positive things about us that make us unique. So today, we want to give you some pointers on how we keep smiling even when we aren't feeling the greatest about ourselves. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there! Since today is Mother's day, we figured today is the perfect day to talk about being pregnant and what all comes along with it. Danielle has never experienced this, so we decided to have a special guest on to contribute to this conversation. Our guest today is Barbie Hall, also known as Sista Goose. She is a mother of two, a Christian Fiction author, and founder of Black Girls Inc and Black Men's Inc. She uses her platform to promote books and authors of color. She also is in the works of creating Black Kids Inc to promote children's books so that kids can see themselves represented in the stories they read. Her new book, Bless this Mess: Ruth (Vol. 1) is available for pre-order. Today, Barbie and Mel get real candid and honest about their child-bearing experiences. Adjusting to a new body, hormonal, and emotional changes can be challenging during this time. Both had some difficulties during their pregnancies, as well as issues with their deliveries. Though Mel and Barbie love being mothers, there are some things they wished they knew beforehand. We are going to warn you now, emotional moments do occur in this episode. Don't let this scare you though, we still laugh a lot! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

In today's episode, we are talking all about big chops! Some women would shiver at the thought of cutting off their locks, but not us! Though it was at different times and for different reasons, we both took that plunge. Our hair is looked at as our crown and glory. Long hair in society has always been seen as a beauty standard, so it can be a struggle to cut your hair without thinking about what others will have to say about having shorter hair. In this episode, we talk about how cutting your hair is more than a physical thing. It's also a spiritual experience and a better way of getting to know yourself. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

In today's episode, we are talking about our experience with therapy and the importance of mental health. We are deep-diving into the insights therapy can offer, the stigmas involved, and what helpful resources are available. Today we have a special guest and friend joining our AC crew, Pamela Felder. Pamela is a graduate of Asbury Park High School, holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Montclair State University, and is an EOF Alumnus. She also holds Masters in Counseling from Grand Canyon University and a Master Certification in Life Coaching. She is also a Certified Social Worker. Pamela is employed by the Middletown Public Schools as a Certified Student Assistance Counselor and is also an Adjunct Professor at Kean University, where she teaches classes in the Counseling Education Department. Pamala brings up some good points on the connection between mental health and overall well-being. So sit back and take some notes! You won't want to miss this one! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

Did you enjoy last week's episode? Surprisingly, as close as we are now, there was a point and time where we didn't always get along. What caused the friction between us? A man! Let's set the scene: Thirteen years ago, Mel had just started a new relationship with her now-husband, Teryn. Danielle and Teryn had already become pretty close friends the year prior. Mel had moments where she was uncomfortable with how Danielle and Teryn interacted. Danielle felt that her relationship with her friend shouldn't have to change for one girl (and honestly, she thought Teryn's new girl was just a fling). So of course, you can see how there could be tons of issues, right? In this episode, we are going to be discussing how it feels to be in a relationship with someone who has a close friend of the opposite sex, what boundaries were crossed, and how we became close. P.S. - Danielle will fully admit, she was buggin. Thank God for growth! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message

   Hello Everyone! It's your hosts, Danielle and Mel, and we want to welcome you to our first episode of Allegedly Credible! Today our topic is all about being your authentic self and what that means to us. We all have family, friends, acquaintances, and even our own ideas that may pressure us to conform into something we're not. Everyone seems to always have an opinion on who you should be, what you should be doing, and how you should be doing it. Next thing you know, you're so caught up trying to please everyone that you forget all about yourself. We want you to sit back, relax, and laugh with us (we laugh a lot) as we discuss what steps we're taking to embrace who we are today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allegedly-credible/message