Still Becoming

I am so excited to have author Sarah Bragg back on the Still Becoming podcast. Sarah is as kind as she is wise. She's as easy to talk to as she is insightful. I loved this conversation with Sarah, and I think you will too. If you feel stuck, weary, or wonder if everyone else is happier than you - than this is a conversation to spend time with. Sarah points us towards the grounding truths of curiosity and taking note of our lives, the combination can create a shift. Sarah Bragg is a well-loved communicator and author; you can find her hosting the popular podcast Surviving Sarah. Her latest book is Is Everyone Happier Than Me?: An Honest Guide to the Questions that Keep You Up at Night. She is also the author of A Mother's Guide to Raising Herself: What Parenting Taught Me About Life, Faith and Myself. She is a wife, mother of girls, and a creative entrepreneur. Sarah is a master at brewing coffee and helping others survive well right where they are. Sarah and her family reside in Tennessee.   Social Media: Website: sarahbragg.com Facebook: @survivingsarahpodcast Instagram: @sarahwbragg Twitter: @sarahwbragg YouTube: @sarahbragg8503

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming music. This meditation makes space for us to create a moment of emotional safety. It is a moment away from the world to exhale, learn a little about emotional safety, and most importantly practice it in order to lay the groundwork of having a safe space within ourselves to return to. To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

I am re-releasing this episode because it feels timely: This is a short meditation for the overwhelmed. If you are feeling overwhelmed right now by everything happening in the world, and in your world, this is for you. This short meditation is meant to be a pause in your day to breathe and move through the overwhelm. There is great benefit in taking a few moments to breathe. There are four parts to this meditation, and you will walk through each part as you hopefully experience an exhale and a moment to rest.

We're back with a new Mental Health Check-In Episode! This one is vulnerable, and not without purpose, I am talking all about the inside story of turning in my book manuscript. I have benefited so much from hearing the true awkward and detailed stories of people pursuing things that mattered to them - and as I just turned in my book manuscript this week (yay!), I wanted to share some of the truth of this journey in hopes that it can encourage you today on whatever journey you are on, in whatever you might be pursuing. In this short episode, in addition to the details of my story, we talk about the idea of "staying on the bike, even in the wrong gear." Sometimes the gear you are in is the only one possible, and if you are pedaling at all you are still moving forward. We talk about how courage feels different than it looks (credit to Cha Barefield), and how remembering your "WHY" is essential. I hope this vulnerable share is encouraging to you. Though the specifics may be different, I hope you find encouragement for whatever matters to you - and keep going no matter the pace. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

The Still Becoming Podcast is back! And I can't imagine a better guest to kick this return and season off with! I am so excited to have author Kayla Craig back on the podcast! You might know Kayla already from her beautiful book To Light Their Way, and as the creator of Liturgies for Parents Instagram account. Kayla has a new book out today: Every Season Sacred. It is SO good. There are so many reasons I love Kayla's work, but here are a few: Kayla meets us in the mess of our real ordinary lives, and shows us the extraordinary and sacred that that meets us there. Kayla is all at once incredibly approachable and practically helpful, while pointing to the beauty, mystery, and undeniable hope God's presence and love provides. She points us to the truth of faith and spirituality right here in our everyday chaos. In a time when it may be hard for many to find voices in the Christian faith they feel they can trust, Kayle for me, and so many others, is an anchoring voice. Kayla reminds us that we are the beloved of God, and describes her hopes for this book as an exhale. And, it truly is. We are invited to be present in this book, and in this conversation with Kayla. Kayla is just wonderful, as a person and author, and I can't wait for you to get to hang out with her in this episode. Kayla Craig is a former journalist who brings deep curiosity and care to her writing. She's the author of Every Season Sacred and To Light Their Way. With a poetic, prophetic voice, she created the popular Liturgies for Parents Instagram account, which Christianity Today named an “essential parenting resource.” She also hosts the Liturgies for Parents podcast. Kayla's nuanced and accessible reflections, essays, and prayers are featured in various books, devotionals, and Bible studies. Kayla lives in a 115-year-old former convent in her Iowa hometown, where she hopes to create spaces of welcome alongside her four children, two dogs, and husband, Jonny. To find Kayla and all the work she is doing in the world, and order her book, go to her website: kaylacraig.com   To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

This episode is a first re-release! As I am working on my book, I am occasionally pulling up previous episodes that really resonated with listeners, this is one of them. Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ In this episode, we are unpacking the social constructs around age and size of impact. Maybe you are wanting to do something new - something from setting a new boundary to even going back to school. Whatever it is, I hope this episode will be a chance to reflect on where you are, and that you find some encouragement for your own journey. This episode, like all episodes, will find us each at different places as we listen. These are just a few thoughts on deconstructing these false ideas to prompt your own. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

I am so excited and honored to have author Marcie Alvis Walker on the Still Becoming Podcast. Marcie is the creator of Black Coffee with White Friends, as well as the newsletter Black Eyed Stories. We discuss her new book Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in Essays. I have been a fan and an avid reader of Marcie's work for years now, and I always want to know what Marcie thinks or has to write about everything. Her writing is so layered, complex, honest, beautiful, powerful, and it will change you. I know it has changed me. Her book is available to order now, and I can't recommend it enough. In this powerful and beautiful conversation, Marcie tells us more about her incredible book and some of her own stories she writes about in it. We talk more in depth about all the stories that are missing, and that every story is holy. Marcie tells us about getting "all the stories," so that we really know about what it truly sacred, and how we have been taught only certain stories belong - which couldn't be further from the truth. We also talk about Marcie's family, and the power of language. I am still thinking every day about the way Marcie describes the power and the importance of language, and how language disrupts power. I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation with Marcie Alvis Walker. Marcie Alvis Walker is the creator of the popular Instagram feed Black Coffee with White Friends. She is also the creator of Black Eyed Bible Stories. Marcie is passionate about what it means to embrace intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion in our spiritual lives. She lives in Chicago with her husband, her college-aged kid Max, and their dog, Evie. To find Marcie, her work, her new book, and how to follow her - go to her website here: marciealviswalker.com To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

This episode is our first re-release! As I am working on my book, I am occasionally pulling up previous episodes that really resonated with listeners, this is one of them. Therapeutic Moments are a combination of some of the teaching of the Mental Health Check Ins, the calming of the Meditative Stories and the Guided Mediations. In this short calming episode put to music we are addressing the false narratives that can accompany painful experiences - when we are not only hurt, but are believing it is somehow our fault, or that we deserved it. This is something that I spend a lot of time on in therapy. We untangle the topics of shame and guilt in this episode, as well as unpack how we may have taken on the false narratives that came with the pain. Finally, we take a moment to think about, and practice putting that down. No episode is one size fits all. I always want any work I put out into the world to be filtered by the knowledge that you are the expert on what works for you or does not. And if this idea or episode could be triggering in any way, let's meet up at the next episode. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

I am so excited to have therapist, author, and speaker Molly LaCroix on the Still Becoming Podcast. Molly was one of my very first Instagram therapist friends I made when I started sharing my work publicly, and I have always had admiration for both her presence and her clinical expertise. Molly brings great wisdom and nuance to our conversation about understanding the different parts of ourselves through the lens of Internal Family Systems. I appreciate so much the way Molly talks about things, including the integration of a faith perspective and psychological theory. I hope you leave this conversation the way I did, both informed and refreshed, with a reminder that curiosity and compassion are essential for loving yourself, healing, and growth. Molly is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in treating the impact of trauma and adversity. She earned master's in marriage and family therapy from Bethel Seminary San Diego, where she returned as adjunct professor. Her book Restoring Relationship: Transforming Fear into Love Through Connection, helps readers identify and resolve barriers to loving themselves, others, and God. Learn more about Molly at https://mollylacroix.com/. Facebook | Instagram | Buy Book |MollyLaCroix.com To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

I am so excited to have Ashlee Gadd on the Still Becoming Podcast, talking about her book Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood. This conversation is centered around being creative while being a parent, however, I believe there is good wisdom about being creative that can also be applied in other contexts. It can be so hard to create in the margins of your life, and I hope this conversation, and Ashlee's real life example and encouragement will be an invitation to keep going in whatever creativity looks like for you. I appreciated how she names the privileges she has in her creativity, and I appreciated the inspiration she offers anyone wanting to create, and insight about how to move past the roadblocks that you may confront. I am with you in this process, and I found Ashlee's presence and outlook really relatable and encouraging. Ashlee Gadd is author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where motherhood and storytelling intersect. As a writer and photographer, Ashlee has spent her entire motherhood creating in the margins. When she's not writing or vacuuming Cheerios out of the carpet, she loves making friends on the internet, eating cereal for dinner, and rearranging bookshelves. She and her husband have three kids and live in Northern California. Learn more at ashleegadd.com. https://www.ashleegadd.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ashleegadd/ https://www.pinterest.com/ashlee_gadd/ https://ashleegadd.substack.com/  https://www.amazon.com/Create-Anyway-Pursuing-Creativity-Motherhood/dp/0764240048 

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming music. I wasn't allowed to use the word "sucks" when I was a kid, but I did anyway apparently - and I will always remember when my grandmother used it to sum up a hard time to me in her own life. This meditation is for when things suck or are just hard. This may be the everyday grind, or even bigger and deeper - a day, week, month, or season of real struggle. This episode is a chance to provide yourself with a break, an exhale, and some loving sustenance for the journey. We often forget to "hydrate" with the things we need, especially in seasons of difficulty. So whether you are in a sucky, hard time, or you just want some loving encouraging moments of quiet - this is for you. To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This episode are the things I tell my middle schoolers - and I have found there is so much crossover between the things that middle schoolers are often forced to confront (maybe for the first time) and the things adults often struggle with. There is a reason there are so many movies about middle school, it is like a distilled concentrated version of human relating, and that is what I focus on in this episode. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming music. This meditation makes space for us to to remind ourselves of some simple loving truths. I think of this like a "note to self." We won't cover it all, but we will also make space for you to add your own personal notes to yourself. Valentine's day can be a strange holiday sometimes, even a sad one, and I thought it could be nice to create a love note to yourself in particular during this week. I hope this is a pause, and an exhale in your day, and in this week. To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

This is a special edition of the Still Becoming Podcast born out of several conversations between therapist (and my dear friend) Tasha Hunter and I. We identified that although there is a lot of talk about "loving yourself," many of us don't know what that actually means in real life. We decided to create a class to address this question: What Does it Really Mean to Love Yourself? And Tasha came up with the beautiful idea of this being a Compassionate Conversation, as two therapists discuss something we are working on in our own lives and as therapists in the practice with clients. We decided to change formats from an online class to a podcast episode because it seemed more accessible and a way listeners could return easily to what was helpful. This conversation is layered, calming, and informed by my work and Tasha's work as therapists, and also our own personal stories. Tasha and I combine our years of training and therapeutic practice to address this all too often oversimplified question: What does it really mean to love yourself? This conversation is more heart talk than clinical lecture, and will include personal stories from both of us. For more about Tasha: Tasha Hunter, MSW, LCSW (she/her) is Black, queer woman currently residing in North Carolina. Tasha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and owner of Ascension Growth Center, PLLC, which is a solo private practice serving women, Black, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ clients. Tasha is also an Internal Family Systems therapist, supervisor, and consultant. Tasha is an Air Force veteran, author of her memoir, "What Children Remember" and host of the podcast " When We Speak". She is passionate about speaking about childhood trauma, suicide, psychedelic- assisted healing, and collective liberation. She has worked as a therapist since 2017 and has experience working in community mental health, schools, and outpatient settings. Find Tasha here: www.tashahunterlcsw.com For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming music. This meditation makes space for us to create a moment of emotional safety. It is a moment away from the world to exhale, learn a little about emotional safety, and most importantly practice it in order to lay the groundwork of having a safe space within ourselves to return to. To sign up for Monica's newsletter - go to this link: https://monicadicristina.substack.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

I am so excited and honored to have Dr. Alison Cook on the Still Becoming podcast. In this insightful, helpful, and applicable conversation we discuss codependency, why people don't often know what they want, how we behave out of our conditioning, looking outside instead of inside of ourselves, and so much more. Dr. Cook's book The Best of You covers this and more. I am most excited about how much I know this will help so many listeners. Dr. Cook is incredibly skilled at breaking down psychological information in a way where we not only see ourselves, but also see our way out to feeling better. I think you will walk away with this grounding and transformative question, "What do I want?" I can't wait for you to hear this conversation. Dr. Alison Cook is a psychologist and the author of two books, including her new book, The Best of You (Thomas Nelson 2022) and Boundaries for Your Soul (Thomas Nelson, 2018). For 20 years, Alison has helped women, ministry leaders, couples, and families learn how to heal painful emotions, develop confidence from the inside out, forge healthy relationships, and fully live out their God-given potential. Dr. Alison Cook is a psychologist and writer who empowers women to heal from past wounds, develop a strong sense of self, forge healthy rela­tionships with others, and experience a loving God who is for them. Her weekly email and podcast reach more than 70,000 people each week. She specializes in bringing faith and psychology together to create real change in people's lives. Find Dr. Alison Cook and her work here: Link to The Best of You Instagram: @dralisoncook Facebook: @dralisoncook For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too! Subscribe to the here App!

It has been awhile since we have had a meditative story. The Meditative Story episodes on the Still Becoming podcast are short essays, put to music meditative music, and a chance to pause and reflect on your own journey through story. It is like a therapeutic adult story time. In this episode we are talking about my recent move, and lessons I have learned from my dear neighbor across the street. We are reflecting on bending with change. I must let you know that my neighbor has since passed away, I found out the day we moved. We will miss him very much. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too! Subscribe to the here App!

I am so excited to have Chanel Dokun, author, life planner, and relationship expert trained in Marriage and Family therapy on the Still Becoming Podcast. This conversation is so rich and so layered, and I know it will meet so many of you exactly where you are today. Chanel will meet you there, help you feel validated, seen, and not alone, and then give you the tools to start to from where you are today to live into the worth of who you are. Chanel has an incredible way of naming things that is so helpful and important. She also talks about what drives the search fro significance, and the freedom of embracing your "ordinary life." Chanel shares wisdom that is accessible right now, that's one of my many favorite things about this conversation. I can't wait for you to hear everything Chanel shares. Chanel Dokun is the author of Life Starts Now: How to Create the Life You've Been Waiting For. She is a certified Life Planner and Relationship Expert trained in Marriage and Family Therapy. Chanel specializes in helping women step into their life's true calling through her Women of Consequence life planning organization. Prior to running her own business and co-founding a therapy practice, called Healthy Minds NYC, she worked in publishing at Hearst Magazines. She now splits her time between New York City and Atlanta with her psychiatrist husband and son. Chanel's writing and contributions have appeared in publications such as the New York Times, Real Simple, Woman's Day, Essence, Moneyish, Christianity Today, and Relevant Magazine. Find Chanel here: Website: http://www.chaneldokun.com Instagram: @chanel.dokun (http://www.instagram.com/chanel.dokun) Book: http://www.chaneldokun.com/lifestartsnow Reclaim the Morning Course: http://www.chaneldokun.com/reclaimthemorning For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too! Subscribe to the here app!

Welcome to the first episode of Fall 2022 after a break! And a new logo! Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This episode we are talking about - Courage to Start (Doing the Thing You've Been Thinking About). In this episode we dive into some perhaps unexpected parts of what can keep us from trying what we are dreaming or thinking about, and some of the awesome things that we may find on the other side of the starting line (hint: it may not be the things we are taught to focus on). This is not a "rah rah" live your best life episode, those are great - but just not the angle we are taking on this. September is often a time of fresh starts and new energy, and so we are taking that energy into this topic and making space to talk about deep and practical ideas around doing things we want to do. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too! Subscribe to the here App!

I am so excited to have Kendra Adachi of the Lazy Genius Collective on the Still Becoming Podcast. This conversation is so rich. We talk about everything from cook books to therapy, and all the things in between. It is my favorite kind of conversation - one that moves from humor, to depth, to everyday life, In this conversation we talk about the power of starting from a place of self compassion and self acceptance to make any changes in our lives. We also talk about the importance of defining what matters most to each of us as we make any changes. All of Kendra's work, including her incredible new book The Lazy Genius Kitchen, encourages us to prioritize to what is important to each of us. That is one of my favorite things about Kendra's voice - she encourages us as individuals to define what matters to us most. I can't wait for you to hear this conversation. Make sure to listen until the end when Kendra answers the question I ask at the end of every interview - "what is a person, thing, or event that helped you become who you are today?" It is a beautiful tribute that To learn more about Kendra Adachi, the Lazy Genius Collective, and her new book The Lazy Genius Kitchen, visit her website: The Lazy Genius Collective.

This guided mediation is a little different - but it is still a chance for each of us to practice a mindful moment away from the noise of the world to reset and ground ourselves. This week we have a brief, light, airy mental health moment for our meditation. We will practice some really solid mental health coping skills - grounding in the present by paying attention to our surroundings to get back into our bodies, honoring what we are doing right, self forgiveness, and validating ourselves. It's just a break from your day and hopefully something you can return to again. This one is really good for a walk or a drive if applicable. I hope you walk away feeling grounded, and remembering to say to yourself "I see you and I'm proud of you." For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This episode we are talking 10ish things that I have learned as a therapist that I wish I'd known - and the hope is that they are helpful for you too. This is real kitchen table talk about the truths I have found over and over again from being a practicing therapist for quite a few years, It is like a cliff notes version of ideas I run into, or now return to, over and over again. I'd love to hear which ones resonated with you! For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

We're continuing with our new genre of Still Becoming episodes. Therapeutic Moments are a combination of some of the teaching of the Mental Health Check Ins, the calming of the Meditative Stories and the Guided Mediations. In this short calming episode put to music we are talking about all the ordinary everyday brave moments where we choose discomfort and do what we need to do. There are so many! So often people, and self help culture, are always "bettering and bettering" to an exhausting point. In this episode we focus on defining the everyday brave moments, discomfort masquerading as fear, and a gentle forward motion of celebrating where we are and what we are doing while making room to continue that. Our lives are not made of highlight reels and large moments, they are made of everyday ordinary choices, and those are our focus this week. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This episode we are talking about the idea of Interpretation is Everything. This is taking the idea of how much an interpretation impacts not only our experience and healing from any kind of traumatic event - but also small everyday moments. Our interpretation of ourselves and our experiences, and our journey towards healing will all be impacted by this lens. We will discuss this in big ways and small everyday moments - a lot of therapeutic knowledge can be distilled down to accessible everyday wisdom. . For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking telling yourself the truth - in a very gentle way. Sometimes learning to practice this in really small ways, without any pressure to act, can help us in seasons of confusion, or feeling overwhelmed, or feeling disconnected from ourselves. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Welcome to a new genre of Still Becoming episodes. Therapeutic Moments are a combination of some of the teaching of the Mental Health Check Ins, the calming of the Meditative Stories and the Guided Mediations. In this short calming episode put to music we are addressing the false narratives that can accompany painful experiences - when we are not only hurt, but are believing it is somehow our fault, or that we deserved it. This is something that I spend a lot of time on in therapy. We untangle the topics of shame and guilt in this episode, as well as unpack how we may have taken on the false narratives that came with the pain. Finally, we take a moment to think about, and practice putting that down. No episode is one size fits all. I always want any work I put out into the world to be filtered by the knowledge that you are the expert on what works for you or does not. And if this idea or episode could be triggering in any way, let's meet up at the next episode. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking about the idea of practicing calm. I first heard Brené Brown put the words "practice" and "calm" together recently, and it really resonated with me as a person and as a therapist. I am not a naturally calm person, and practicing calm is very accessible language for what it really looks like to make space in the moment - and in our lives - to choose an emotional response we want over a flooded reaction. I have included some personal and professional thoughts in this episode, with a short experiential moment at the end to practice calm. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming beautiful music. This meditation makes space for us to exhale and nurture our souls if we are feeling tired. It has been a long couple of years and many are reporting a lot of exhaustion. This mediation makes room for all of us to be, to name it, and to nurture those tired places. Think of it like a warm cup of tea for your soul. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking about becoming a better listener - to ourselves and others. We are talking about listening to one on other in our relationships. How are we listening? Why are we not? And, how can we get better at it? This short episode will not be able to touch on each aspect of this topic, of course. But, hopefully it will help us look at what feels good in listening, and what doesn't - and why it is often hard to listen well. This topic will likely bring up for all of us times we have not felt listened to ourselves, and we will begin and end the episode with addressing this. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Welcome to a new genre of Still Becoming episodes. Therapeutic Moments are a combination of some of the teaching of the Mental Health Check Ins, the calming of the Meditative Stories and the Guided Mediations. In this short calming episode put to music we are addressing the New Year pressure from a completely different lens - starting from unpacking where some goals come from, and how starting from a place of knowing your own lovability is the place to start. This episode is meant to be a place of calming, acceptance, and love. And knowing our worth the best place choose any New Year practice. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

I am so excited and honored to have poet, storyteller, and author Tasha Jun on the Still Becoming Podcast. I have long admired Tasha's work, and I am so grateful to share this conversation with you. We start the episode off with Tasha reading her incredible poem, "Yellow is a Protest," I imagine you will also be left speechless at the power and beauty of this poem Tasha wrote and reads. In our conversation Tasha shares with us some of her own personal experiences as a biracial Korean American woman, the lies of assimilation, and part of her own journey to where she is today. We also discuss the rise in violence against the AAPI community in the year 2021, and how violence against Asian Americans in this country has a long history. Tasha also describes her incredible lens of “nourishing the Imago Dei within, and nurturing the Imago Dei in one another," and the beautiful idea of loving one another by being "deep in the details" of the uniqueness of each one of us. I can't stop thinking about this phrase. Tasha describes the transformational view of when we dismiss the pain of others, we dismiss the pain of God. We also talk about the importance of representation, and so much more. I could've talked to Tasha for hours, and I can't wait for you all to hear everything Tasha shares in this episode. Tasha is a melancholy dreamer, a biracial Korean American storyteller, wife to Matt, and mama to three little warriors: two wild boys and one little lady. As long as she can remember, she's lived and stood in places where cultures collide. Writing has always been the way God has led her towards home and the hope of shalom. Yellow is a Protest https://tashajun.com IG - www.instagram.com/tashajunb  Monthly(ish) newsletter - bit.ly/3C1JDtb For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking about navigating complex, difficult, and/or tiring relationships during the holidays. In this short episode we will discuss some (not all) of the things that often come up for people this time of year like: unwanted questions, forced vulnerability, boundary questions, and grief over who someone is not in your life. We will talk about some ideas around staying true to yourself in these awkward encounters, and making a plan that feels good and right for you ahead of time. Finally we talk about the all to common grief of not being truly seen by people who have "known" you for many years. I hope this short episode provides a moment of support, validation, insight, and planning for you as you reflect on your own relationships during this unique time of year that often comes with a lot of pressure and expectations. And I hope you feel empowered to lovingly choose what is best for you in little and big moments and ways. For more Still Becoming find Monica at monicadicristina.com, and on Instagram: @monicadicristina. Sign up for the newsletter too!

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming beautiful music. This meditation touches on the idea of "unbecoming" all the old names to pick up your true name. It is a way of framing what happens with painful experiences: we often take on a shame based name when we have hard things happen - like too much, not enough, unloveable...In this mediation we discuss why that happens and sit in the life long practice of putting down the old names to pick up your true name. You have permission to unbecome. To unbecome everything that was assigned to you in pain to make room for who you really are and who you have always been. This mediation walks us through a short journey of that process to engage with today. Therapist warning: if you have a painful experience that is very recent this may feel like an intense mediation, proceed with great love and care for yourself and do not listen if it feels like too much right now. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

I am so excited and so honored to have Patricia Taylor on the Still Becoming podcast. Patricia is a wife, mom, friend, Anti-Racism Educator, Director of Programs for Be the Bridge and cohost of Upside Down Podcast. And she is a total delight and so incredibly wise, powerful, and insightful. In this vulnerable conversation Patricia lets us into how she came to do the important work she is doing in the world, and the heart that drives all the work she does. We also spend time talking about the cost of the work, the relationships lost, the grief and the pain. This is such a vulnerable, and I feel sacred conversation where Patricia lets us into a small glimpse of her story, her heart, and her work. I can't wait for you to hear everything Patricia shares. Patricia Taylor is a wife, mom and California native turned Georgia peach. She believes in Jesus, loving all our neighbors, and having critical conversations around racial justice with grace and honesty. Her work is rooted in anti-racism education, and she serves as the Director of Programs for Be The Bridge. Patricia is also a co-host for Upside Down Podcast, which is an ecumenical faith space that has unscripted conversations around justice, spirituality, and culture. You may find her on Instagram @patricia_a_taylor and on Facebook at Some Thoughts From Your Black Friend by Patricia A. Taylor. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for articles, interviews and resources.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ In this episode, I am sharing a longer teaching that I gave to a school about Emotional Intelligence, Compassion, and Empathy - and specifically how we develop this in ourselves as adults, and then how we help our children with this too. In this episode we will discuss our role as adults first, because the work starts with us always in caregiving. This is also designed so that if you are not a parent or in a caregiving role, and are not interested in guiding children through this process, you can stop the episode at that point. I hope this episode feels accessible and empowering. The more we learn to name our own experiences, have self compassion, and cope - the more empathy we can have for our neighbor near and far. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so excited to have author Kayla Craig on the Still Becoming Podcast to talk about her new book: To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents. In this layered conversation we talk about the realities involved in parenting, the pressures and the needs we have. And we discuss the ways that prayer can be used as an exhale, as a comfort, even an anchor - rather than another thing on your to-do list. This conversation is real, authentic, and inviting - and I think that is a beautiful way to talk about prayer. I loved hearing what Kayla shared, and the gentleness that she addresses this topic with. She embodies a warmth and welcome that makes this topic feel like a a release valve for all the pressure you may feel as a parent, or with the idea of prayer. I hope you walk away with more gentleness for yourself, and more hope as you grapple with the everyday that is yours. A former journalist, Kayla Craig is adamant about paying attention and embracing curiosity in her work as a writer and podcast producer. She writes nuanced, nurturing prayers at Liturgies for Parents on Instagram and cofounded the Upside Down Podcast, a place for ecumenical conversations on faith and justice. Kayla and her pastor-husband, Jonny, live in Iowa, where they're raising four young kids who joined their family via birth and adoption. When she's not playing LEGOs with her sons or advocating for her daughter with disabilities, Kayla can be found sipping strong coffee. You can connect with Kayla at kaylacraig.com and on Instagram @kayla_craig and @liturgiesforparents. More links for Kayla here: Kayla's Website Kayla on Facebook Liturgies for Parents IG Upside Down Podcast on IG (Kayla is co-founder) Kayla on IG Kayla on Twitter For more Still Becoming, follow along with Monica on Instagram: @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ In this episode, we are unpacking the social constructs around age and size of impact. Maybe you are wanting to do something new - something from setting a new boundary to even going back to school. Whatever it is, I hope this episode will be a chance to reflect on where you are, and that you find some encouragement for your own journey. This episode, like all episodes, will find us each at different places as we listen. These are just a few thoughts on deconstructing these false ideas to prompt your own. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ I am so excited to have another listener request episode. The request was for deconstructing faith, what a great topic. I have decided to approach this episode from my lens, education, and experience as a therapist. I think it is the most authentic thing I can offer, and also allows me to stay in my lane - which is also my best offering. I will be discussing this from generally what I see and know about the brain and our wiring, but this is not personal or specific to me or anyone else, and this is in no way exhaustive - there will be many things I don't address I am sure, and everyone's experience will be unique. The idea of deconstructing something, I also believe, can apply not only to a faith practice, but to any thing, or relationship to something, we find ourselves changing. Ultimately, I hope this episode makes space for you to think and know your own self, thoughts, and beliefs, because they are far more important than mine. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, the Still Becoming podcast brings you a Meditative Story episode. They are short essays, put to music meditative music, and a chance to pause and reflect on your own journey through story. It is like a therapeutic adult story time. It has been a little while since we have had a meditative story episode. This episode tells a story to paint the possibility of holding together what may be perceived as contrasts as a beautiful, multifaceted whole instead. We are often taught to oversimplify things, especially when it comes to a faith practice. But, none of us, nor our lived experiences, nor our identities are ever simple. And they shouldn't have to be simple! I hope this episode makes room for your own processing, and for all of your own perceived complexities to be embraced as a beautiful whole. For more, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. They are short and combined with very calming beautiful music. This is our first guided meditation based on a listener idea and question. I recently asked online what some topics are that you would like to hear more about and this response (my paraphrase) - understanding our worth, what does it really mean to be beloved? is one I think all of us have felt, or may even be feeling right now. It is easier often to see worth in others, even our children if we are parents - but sometimes it is hard to understand for ourselves. This meditation combines more therapeutic ideas than others to address this very important question. I hope you walk away learning to practice agreeing with love, and agreeing with your worth. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina. Or check out monicadicristina.com for resources, articles, and more.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking about the concept of "burnout." This is an official diagnosis often used in reference to the workplace. Sometimes it is used in reference to parenting too. Regardless, the concept and symptoms can be very helpful for all of us to learn from and listen to as this global pandemic continues. In this short episode you will learn the signs of burnout, but more importantly what to do and how to care for yourself if you are feeling worn out in a role, relationship, job, or period of time,. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. This is a short meditation about accessing stillness. We may all agree that stillness is good for us, but in reality it can be really hard for some of us to find. In this short meditation we will go through the obstacles that may be keeping us from finding stillness, and practice handing those over for just a moment. And then we will practice feeling still like water - it isn't solid, it is moveable. This is a calming, grounding meditation designed to be used again and again. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so excited and grateful to have therapist, speaker, and facilitator Lea Lester on the Still Becoming podcast. This episode feels like a therapeutic journey to unpacking, understanding, and grappling with no longer playing small. Lea's incredible wisdom, and combination or both personal and professional insights will leave you feeling braver and and inspired to begin, or continue, your own journey to stop playing small. Lea defines confidence for us in a way you may have never heard before. And Lea shares with us some of the sacred grief she has walked through that played an important role in her own journey to stop playing small. In addition to that we discuss the actual length of the process and the journey - including the grueling parts - to living into who you fully are. This is so different than some of the quick flashy advice we often see. Lea also discusses the importance of amplification and representation, as well as the power of doing the thing, whatever it is for you, scared. I can't wait for you to hear this conversation, and to begin, continue, or reignite your own journey with these powerful topics. Lea (pronounced lee) is a licensed therapist, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, Ph.D. student, and entrepreneur. She primarily works with young adults; helping them trust and accept themselves so they live with more confidence and clarity. As a former public school educator, she became passionate about helping young adults navigate the increasing pressures and pain of coming of age in today's society. Lea's therapeutic interests include childhood, intergenerational, and collective trauma. A self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist, her work places heavy emphasis on compassion, courage, and connection. Lea also hosts creative therapeutic workshops, titled FEEL, with the aim of creating accessible and safe spaces for collective healing. Lea resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with her husband and children where she's always up for spicy food and enjoys a good beat drop. Lea references a quote in the episode, here is the full quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles" For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ This month we are talking about the myth of balance, and how much shame an unrealistic idea of balance can produce in our lives. In this short episode we will identify why this myth isn't helpful, and how to think about ordering our lives instead. We will explore the ideas of prioritization, values, boundaries, and permission as a replacement for the pressure that "balance" produces. I hope this episode is validating, freeing, and encouraging. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so excited and honored to have therapist and author Tasha Hunter, MSW, LCSW on the Still Becoming podcast. I feel like this episode in itself has the potential to be a very healing experience for some listeners. Tasha embodies the kind of safety she describes in this conversation. And her description of finding, and becoming safe people for one another is incredibly impactful, and a description you may have never heard before. Tasha also describes for us the power of telling your story in healing from trauma, specifically how in the telling you are validating your own experience. We discuss forgiveness, and what that does not have to include. And finally, I hope you will listen to the end to the beautiful answer that Tasha gives to our final becoming question. Tasha Hunter is an Air Force veteran with a Master's degree in Public Administration and Social Work. She's a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and resides in North Carolina. She is the author of her memoir, "What Children Remember" and host of the podcast " When We Speak". Her private practice, Ascension Growth Center, specializes in the treatment of childhood trauma-related PTSD. She works to eradicate the stigma of mental health by speaking to others at workshops and seminars about trauma and related mental health topics. Driven and well informed by personal experience, her mission is to spread awareness about complex trauma and to give survivors a safe space to heal. To find Tasha, her work, and follow her online go to:  tashahunterauthor.com, www.ascensiongrowthcenter.com, IG:https://www.instagram.com/tashahunterlcsw/ For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

In this short guided meditation, we will walk through a short imagined picture, leading us to the discovery of being curious (without judgement!) of who we are made to be. This is similar to the other Still Becoming meditations in many ways, but differs in that it pulls on your imagination too. It is meant to be peaceful, grounding, and affirming of your worth. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

In this short guided meditation, we will walk through a short imagined picture of a field and a path, leading us to the discovery of being curious (without judgement!) of who we are made to be. This is similar to the other Still Becoming meditations in many ways, but differs in that it pulls on your imagination too. It is meant to be peaceful, grounding, and affirming of your worth. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so honored and excited to have chaplain and author J.S. Park on the Still Becoming Podcast. I admire J.S., and his work in the world, very much. In this powerful and multi-layered conversation we talk about common humanity, seeing one another up close, holding space, believing the stories people tell about their own experience, and the different ways trauma and racial trauma can impact lives. We also discuss the impact of Covid on real lives (not numbers), and the increased violence against Asian American Pacific Islanders. J.S says in this episode, when you hear someone's story, believe that person. We also discuss his powerful book, The Voices We Carry. This conversation felt sacred, impactful, and rich. I trust that wherever you are, or from whatever unique place you are listening to the words of J.S., you will be moved towards deeper understanding of your own experience, and deeper empathy for the experiences of others. J. S. models for all of us how to how to allow complexities to all exist together, and how to honor the stories of others. I can't wait for you to hear the conversation. ⁣⁣ J. S. Park is a hospital chaplain, published author, viral blogger, teaching pastor. He has spent nearly the past six years as an interfaith chaplain at a 1000+ beds hospital that is designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. His role includes grief counseling; attending every death, every trauma and Code Blue; assisting with end-of-life care; and supporting patient and family advocacy. He also serves as a chaplain at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.   J. S. has a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, completed in 2010. He has a BA in Psychology from the University of South Florida. He also has a sixth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.   J. S. currently lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and his baby daughter and half German Shepherd.  To find J.S. Park, his work, and his book go to these links: instagram.com/jspark3000 twitter.com/jsparkblog facebook.com/pastorjspark jsparkblog.com For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

These short guided meditations are ones I wish existed. They are topical, easy to follow, and made to feel therapeutic. This is a short meditation all about "trying again." When we are kids, we have no choice but to try again as we learn new things. But the older we get, the more difficult this can feel. This is a short moment to accept yourself fully as you are, and to remember that trying again is never a sign of failure - it is a sign of life. You have permission to try again. For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

I am so honored and excited to have author, activist, speaker, and founder of Love Beyond Walls, Terence Lester on the Still Becoming Podcast. Terence shares so much wisdom, insight, and frames seeing and helping each other in a way that empowers each of us to find where we are a piece of the whole. We discuss the dignity of each person, and the Dignity Museum - the first museum highlighting the stories and narratives of those experiencing homelessness. We also discuss Love Beyond Walls, the interconnectedness of each of us, the power of seeing people up close, and the power of being proximate. Terence also defines for us that loving your neighbor includes loving their neighborhood, and everything that impacts our neighbor, "If you're going to love your neighbor, you also have to love the place that shaped them, and you have to be concerned with the issues that shaped the neighborhood. You can't just love the neighbor and leave out the neighborhood." Terence describes how there are people willing, but not necessarily available - and he describes service as a lifestyle, not an event. He empowers each listener to not underestimate the impact you can make. No matter how small we feel - as a whole together the impact can be great. Finally, you'll want to listen to the beautiful tribute Terence shares about his wife in the final question about the person who helped him become who he is today. Terence Lester is a minister, speaker, community activist, author, and founder of Love Beyond Walls, a not-for-profit organization focused on poverty awareness and community mobilization. His awareness campaigns on behalf of the poor have been featured in USA Today, Essence, Black Enterprise, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS News, NBC, Upworthy, and “The Bright Side” with Katie Couric. They have been viewed by millions of people globally.  He has spoken on the same platform as other civil rights activists such as Bernice King, Roland Martin, Gina Belafonte, Michael Eric Dyson, Tamika D. Mallory, and many others. Terence’s unique approach combines storytelling and digital media to help illustrate social justice issues with practical approaches to solving these ailments. In 2018, Terence led the March Against Poverty as he walked from Atlanta to Memphis (386 miles) to bring attention to poverty and homelessness.  He finished the march and spoke at the historic Lorraine Motel for the 50th Anniversary of MLK’s assassination. Terence’s unique approach combines storytelling and digital media to illustrate social justice issues with practical strategies to solve these ailments. In 2013, Terence founded the non-profit Love Beyond Walls and has helped hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty rebuild their lives.  In 2019, Terence launched the first museum in the U.S. representing homelessness out of a shipping container, called Dignity Museum.  Terence has written five books. His new book, “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together,” will be released May 18th, 2021, with InterVarsity Press. He also holds four degrees and is working towards his Ph.D. at Union Institute & University in Public Policy & Social Change.  He is happily married to his best friend, Cecilia Lester. They have two amazing children, Zion Joy and Terence II. Find Terence Lester, and his books, including his new book When We Stand here. Love Beyond Walls The Dignity Museum For more Still Becoming, follow Monica on Instagram @monicadicristina.

Each month, Still Becoming brings you a Mental Health Check-In episode. These episodes are focused on mental health, emotional health, or personal growth, and involve a short teaching and a few take aways in around 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is to take a therapeutic topic or technique and expand it to help us in our everyday lives.⁣⁣ ⁣This month I have put together what I like to think of a the "Greatest Hits of Boundaries," or the "Cliff Notes" of boundaries. These are very cheesy names for some of the most important things I would want you to know about boundaries, AND some of the most common questions I get about boundaries. This is boundaries 101 - how important they are for your mental health, what they are, what they aren't, how they work, internal versus external boundaries, and how good it can feel to have boundaries. For more Still Becoming follow Monica on Instagram.