CMBL

This is a special day mothers episode. When we look at this history of Black mothering, through a different perspective lens there is a lot of learning, unlearning and relearning to work on. In this episode, our founder Wanjiru, and her long-term friend Luizer discuss their journey growing up as African kids and how Luizer is now doing things differently with what she has come to learn about herself and her daughter. Enjoy this episode and we hope you learn a thing or two.

CMBL founder Ciru Karanja sits down with Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and they discuss the currently flawed system of life in Kenya, both believing that everyone deserves equality. They also discuss the importance of mental health and the stigma behind talking about them.

Trauma takes many shapes and forms and is different to everyone. There is no one clear definition as we take information and interpret it differently from one person to another. This tweet from Grace (Twitter: dreamsofskies) perfectly sums this up as a child who is impressionable also takes and interprets things differently as an adult would. Some may think that what we say or do around a child may not have an effect on them when in reality they do. We must take a step back in any given situation and choose our words carefully and think about the consequences that our words my give. Taking the time to come back from any given situation can allow us some time to analyze and possibly diffuse the tension as to not lash out due to emotions. In this special episode, Ciru Karanja has a conversation with Grace over the topic of trauma and how the actions we do can unintentionally traumatize someone due to them perceiving your actions in their own way.

Njoki Waciuri and Ciru Karanja highlight the differences with the two for clarification and how CMBL is playing its part to help. ⠀⁣⠀

Sherry Karanja and Mbugua Njogu, both members of cmbl, talk about how our community has stigmatised mental health. ⠀⁣⁣⠀⁣⠀ ⠀⁣⁣⠀⁣⠀ In addition they both discuss intimately about their experiences.

Intergenertional Trauma is trauma that is passed down through generations. This can clearly be seen within the Black community as to how slavery and systematic racism has treated them. In this episode, CMBL inter, Tess Tanaka, has a conversation with Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis and they discuss intergenerational trauma, healing, racism, and much more.

The divide between African Americans and African Immigrants has been evident for years. In this particular episode of Empowering Blackness, Ciru Karanja, has a conversation with her friend, John Graham, and they discuss the importance of understating the power black people have and how unity is essential to thriving as a community. ⁣

CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja, has a conversation with Kenyan based Hip Hop artist, Juliani Kenya, and they have a discussion on mental health, relationships, and a mulitude of other topics.

Racism has been playing a major role with civilizations for many centuries and particularly in the African community. In recent years, we have seen an influx of racial motivated attacks on the black community here in the states and there are some who justify these attacks as self defense and allow these murderers to continue walking without any ramifications. In this episode, CMBL intern, Njoki Pertet, has a conversation with co-founder of No White Saviors and they discuss what it means to be antiracist and the dangers of white saviourism.

What does identity mean to you? Identity has a broad definition and can mean anything to anyone which can be seen as a metaphorical play on the word. We can identify ourselves with certain groups based on our gender, sexuality, race, religion, and a number of other groups. We are focusing on racial identity in this particular episode and how one can trace their heritage back to your true culture. We all come from different walks of life which can be a complete opposite when you look at where you came from. Clear Minds Better Livez founder, Ciru Karanja, has a conversation with her friend, Ime Antikah, and they discuss how unity in identity can empower you and how you can support those who share the same identity as you.

This past season, CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja, has explored multiple topics with extraordinary guests that reflect what Clear Minds Better Livez stands for. We want to convey the message that it is okay to open up and talk about mental health. It is a topic that many find difficult to even begin thinking about, but it is a necessary one. This season has also explored topics about how the world around us affects our mental health status and it just lets you know that it is okay to feel things. We do not have control over many things in our surrounding environments, but we can combat it but taking care of our minds, bodies, and spirits. In this episode, Ciru Karanja, talks about her closing remarks over this past season. She shares her gratitudes to our guests, and also to you, the audience. We hope to see you in the next iteration of the podcasts.

What would you say to someone who is dealing with inner turmoil and is not overall at peace with who they are. Would you be willing to lend them an ear so that they can sit and talk to you, or would you pass it along and recommend that they seek professional help? What if you were the one in their position? It takes a lot to begin the journey of healing the pain and emotional, physical, and psychological trauma that you endured in the past. But in order to grow as a person, we have to let those things go no matter how painful or impossible it may seem. Although it may seem like a never ending tunnel and that there is no way you can overcome it, there is light at the end of the tunnel and you such a strong person even though you may not see that now. This episode is very special this week. CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja, sits down with Dr. Kelly Flanagan, a psychologist, author, and public speaker, and they discuss the journey of self reflection and healing. Dr. Flanagan also talks about his books, Loveable, and his upcoming book, True Companions, which speak truth to every individual, especially during these challenging times.

We are currently living in a dangerous point in human civilization. With political unrest, being in the middle of a pandemic, we all have another foe that some believe isn't real. Climate change is the process in which the Earth is slowly heating due to green house gasses trapping the Sun's energy in our atmosphere rather than it being back into space. Climate change is very real and is backed up by science. This is all due to mankind's work. With industrialization only happening a little over two centuries ago, we have polluted our oceans, cut down our forests, displaced billions of animals and wildlife all for profit. This is an issue that needs to be solved now or else we as human beings, no longer have a future on this planet. It is our responsibility to take part in this initiative and do whatever we can to undo this mess that we have made. This week, CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja sits down with her friend, Josh Schneider, and they discuss climate change and the impact it has on our overall mental health. We are all in this together and that is exactly how we should strive to fix this issue, together.

How do you utilize social media? We are now more connected to each other now than we ever have been thanks to the internet and social media. Globally, we average about two hours a day across all platforms. Whether it is us trying to stay connected with our friends and family, to just getting news, we often find ourselves mindlessly scrolling through content without even realizing how much actual time we are losing. What might this do to our minds on a mental and emotional level? Because we are all individuals, this affects us differently. Sometimes a post can trigger us or make us upset. It is up to us to adapt and overcome this by knowing your limits and in a little of cases, taking a break from social media. CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja sits down with her friend, Jacita Crawford, who is going to school for psychology, and they discuss the pros and cons of using social media and it how it affects us on a mental and emotional level. In the long run, social media can be very beneficial, but it can also be negative on our mental state.

Our family and friends play a big role in our daily lives and also contribute to who we are as we grow. We are taught new things daily while growing up and are expected to behave in a manner that coincides with this. But have you ever felt that some things you were taught as a child, don't necessarily fall into what you believe now? This is partly due to a generational gap that mainly affects the relationship between our parents. We often hear "that was the way my parents taught me," or "this is how my parents treated me." This can cause internal confliction within us because the world is not the same to us as it was to our parents. Many things have become a social norm to us that would have been considered taboo to our parents a decade ago. In this episode, Ciru Karanja sits down with her longtime friend and family member, Rachel Wanjema, and they discuss how this perspective has affected their lives and how keeping our parents accountable can help us and them adjust to today's world.

What does wealth mean to you? This is such a broad question for many because there are so many responses to this question. It could mean being able to spend as much as you want without even having to worry about how much money you have in your account or it could just also mean that you are able to have enough after all your expenses to put the rest in a savings account. But what would generational wealth mean? Are you setting up your future family to be able to get by when you are no longer here, or could it be starting a business that can be passed down. In this week's episode, Ciru Karanja sits down with her friend, Kelvin Njenga, and they discuss what generational wealth means to them and how Kelvin first began his journey through his passion for finances.

What does nutrition mean to you? To many it is just full-filling your basic nutritional needs and just trying to eat healthy in this fast paced world that we live in. However, there are many other people that struggle with it. We normally don't give a second thought of what we put into our bodies and the adverse effects that it can cause to it, especially when we are on the go. We like to go for whatever is the most convenient and fastest which may not always be the best things for ourselves. Whether it is counting ever calorie you take in, using food as a reward or punishment, or even just not taking into account what you are putting in your body, we have all struggled at one point or another. This can have a direct link with your overall mental health and how you view your food and your body. In this week's episode, CMBL founder, Ciru Karanja, discusses nutrition with her old high school classmate, Miranda Smith. They discuss the journey that Miranda has traveled that has led her to having a passion for nutrition and fitness and how the foods we eat play a role on our mental health.

We have gotten more progressive as a society. That is due to younger generations growing up and accepting norms and us being more open minded over the previous generation. However, we still have a lot of work and growing to do. Currently, the LGBTQ+ community is still under daily attacks by those who do not accept their lifestyles and treat them differently than any other member of society. In certain part of the world, it is still illegal to marry the opposite sex let alone allow others to live their lifestyle that they chose within the community. Now is the time that we must all come together and continue this fight for their rights. Although we have made remarkable progress in the past few decades, we still face a long and challenging road ahead. For this week's podcast, our founder, Ciru Karnja has a conversation with her long-time friend, Njeri Mureithi and they discuss Njeri's journey of self discovery and navigating her way through the LGBTQ+ community.

We communicate with others and those we love on a daily basis. At just a glance, we don't think much about communicating. We talk to one another to get our message or our point across. However, communication is a key skill that we are constantly working on. We all communicate to each other differently and just like how we talk, we also receive differently as well. What you are trying to say or convey doesn't always receive the same way. Whether it is to our friends, loved ones, or those we work with, we use a different tone or wording. Good communication is key in order to help maintain a clear line of communication. This week, Ruthy Karanja sits down with her sister Liz Karanja and they discuss why communication is both important to maintain boundaries and to also to know how to understand others.

What is friendship and how do you define it? To many, friendship is about having someone in your corner that you can rely on and who will always be there for you. However, the term friend can often become diluted and we must distinguish between acquaintance and a true friend. We must also take into account those who pretend to be your friend, which in many cases is tricky to distinguish between. Finding a group a friends to call your own is difficult enough as it is. But finding a group you can confide in and grow with is a whole other ballpark. Although they both may seem similar, there is a big difference between the two. In this week's episode, CMBL found, Wanjiru Karanja, sits down with her long time friend, Njoki Waciuri, to discuss what true friendship is and how they have been grown, both in and outside of their relationship.

When we engage with mental health matters, it is also important for us to understand why men in Kenya don't openly communicate where they are at emotionally. We understand that the cultural society doesn't permit men to fully embody their truth's, however, that needs to change by having more uncomfortable and healthy conversations about it. Checking in with our emotions is vital for our overall well-being, this is so that we can build healthy relationships with the people in our lives. We strongly believe that we need to create safer environments for Kenyan men in Kenya and in the diaspora to check-in with themselves. It can be something as simple as mental health checking in with yourself or going to therapy to work through whatever is blocking you from. In this weeks episode, Wanjiru Karanja sits down with Kelvin who is a banker by profession, he is here to share with us his story on why your story matters.

What does allyship mean to you? For many of us, allyship means that you have someone to back you up and that they are someone you can always rely on. Right now, the black community needs more allies now than ever. The black community is under attack on a daily basis. Whether it is from racial profiling, police brutality, to just being treated lesser than what a human being should be treated as, they are under constant attack. A key ally in this fight comes from the white community. We have seen the white community show up and protest for reform in favor of the black community. They have shown in support and also protection by creating a human barrier between police and black protesters during demonstrations. In this episode, Ciru, Ruthy, Karanja sits down with Natasha Vander-Weide who is an active white ally in favor for reform in our system. This episode discusses some of her journey that she has taken to being an ally as well as her own experiences with seeing racism in her world.

What does leadership mean to you? What does it take to be a leader? Whether it is at work, home, or at school, there is some shape or form of leadership. However, just because there is a person of authority, that doesn't qualify them as a leader. A leader is someone who steps up to help lead a group, meaning it is not someone delegating. They see the common goal and they make a plan so that they may all reach that goal in unison with the people they are leading. In this weeks episode, Ciru, Ruthy, Karanja sits down with her father Dr. Rev Isaac Karanja Wanyoike. From mission trips to Singapore to being a minister in Kenya, he has had many trials and through those trials, has grown.

We're back for and excited to announce our first episode of season two here at Clear Minds Better Livez (CMBL)! As all of you know, 2020 has been a roller-coaster of emotions and new experiences. This year has brought challenges to us all and for many, has sprung us into a new season in our lives. This can cause us to take some time to reflect and begin a journey of self discovery. In this episode, we sit down with Ciru, Ruthy, founder of CMBL, and Hiram Mbugua. They discuss Ruthy's journey of self discovery and shed light on what led up to the creation of CMBL. She opens up about her own struggle with depression as well as the trials she has faced which ultimately put her in the position of creating this organization.

We are so delighted to bring back season 2 !!!! From the 16th of October , every Friday we will drop new episodes with our founder touching on conversations that define who she is and what she cares about. We look forward to riding this journey with you.

Mental Health is a spectrum that intersects with any subject thats affecting the world right now. On this episode, Ciru - ruthy the founder came together with a friend she recently connected with and they talked about why its important to vote, how it affects us and why supporting the black lives matter movement is a much needed action from the immigrant community. We hope that episodes not only empowers you to take action and enact change , but to have these conversations with your loved ones.

the team discusses and reflects the experiences and lessons they have had working together this past year. Being friends first then transitioning into a working relationship has been an immense journey. In addition they share the future of CMBL as the founder Ciru Karanja prepares to take on the mantle on her own as the others pursue their individual careers.

This is the recorded virtual townhall that we partnered up with Dr. Muthoni Fernand. This was on June 20th and for those of you who could not attend. In this episode Parenting is highlighted and show-casing its important roles in the mental health of parents and their children.

This is the recorded virtual townhall that we partnered up with Dr. Muthoni Fernand. This was on June 20th and for those of you who could not attend. Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. In our community the words mental health are heavily stigmatized. Dr. Muthoni explains candidly why its stigma is an issue and how we can begin to de-stigmatize the issue.

This is the recorded virtual townhall that we partnered up with Dr. Muthoni Fernand. This was on June 20th and for those of you who could not attend. The African community has always viewed therapy is a form of taboo while in many ways its about seeking help to get better. Dr. Muthoni dived into this and explained why we all need therapy

This is the recorded virtual townhall that we partnered up with Dr. Muthoni Fernand. This was on June 20th and for those of you who could not attend. Mental Health Vs. Mental illness is constantly miscontrued because the lines can seem so blur and unclear and we wanted to break that down for you all. Hope its informative to you

Sherry and Jamese have another discussion but more in depth about the generic part of how relationships and mental health intertwine.

Sherry talks with Judy Ton about how she has learned to take care of her mental health while raising her young 3 boys who are growing up as African-American men and Kenyan at the same time and taking care of their mental health

Sherry of cmbl talks with our friend Jamese Walton whose a therapist , discussing how attachments in relationships as we take care of our mental health.

In this episode, CMBL team has a discussion with Black Empire (ATL based Kenyan Brand ) team on the topic of the black experience in America and various ways it affects our mental health.

In this episode Rachel Wanjema talks to Tiras about Mental Health Resources and Agencies and how what steps you can take when you need them.

In this episode, CMBL Mbugua has a conversation with Catherine Nkonge (MSW, MED, LPC) on the topic of stigma in mental health.

In this episode, Mbugua from cmbl shared his own mental health and wellness journey with Sherry Karanja Intimately; moreover they go through how happiness can be reached while still dealing with mental health.

In this episode CMBL Ciru has a conversation with Dr. Caroline (MD) on the topic on Mental Health in Kenya

In this episode CMBL Ciru has a conversation with Damaris Karanja (MED, LPC, RDN) on suicide.

In this episode CMBL Debbie Mbaluka has a conversation with her mom on the topic of parenting.

Discussion with Derrick Howel  (LCSW) and Rachel Wanjema on the topic of anxiety.

Ciru Karanja ( cmbl ceo ) sits with Keith Kariuki - who is aspiring to open up the first ever Vegan restaurant in Kenya. Back in January, Keith visited St.Louis to meet Ciru and other cmbl team members. They talked about their mental health journey and how they coped during their lowest moments in this episode. Part of the mental health and wellness process is being able to share with others about the journey and how its a never ending process but how we can learn, heal and grow from it.