"The Network" with Michael Prejean

Michael Prejean
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

"The Network" is THE educational podcast designed to help our community navigate the four areas of life that I like to call the Funky 4 Corners. I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite people with one goal in mind: To help the spiritual, physical, mental and financial health of our people as we navigate this thing called life. Subscribe to “The Network,” you may need it.

  1. Jul 7

    The Lie "Be Strong" Tells Black Women | Licensed Therapist Labrea Law on Women's Mental Health.

    She works with women who have been called "too emotional" their whole lives — and she's here to tell us why that messaging is dangerous. Labria Law is a licensed therapist and founder of Oak & Anchor Resilience Center in Houston, Texas, where she builds safe spaces for Black women to process trauma, life transitions, and self-identity — without shame. In this Women's Health Series episode, Labria drops gem after gem — including why "Be Strong" can do more harm than good, why your strongest emotions are actually boundary signals, and what to do when the volume of life exceeds your capacity. This isn't just for women. This is for everyone who loves one. ───────────────────────────────────────── 🕐 CHAPTERS: 0:00 — Welcome to The Network1:04 — Meet Labrea Law: Houston's Safe Space Builder2:33 — Giving Flowers to a 5-Year-Old Hero4:19 — The Quiet Strength in Our Women5:07 — Black Woman Superhero Syndrome Explained 🔑5:42 — On Authenticity: What's Really On Repeat10:06 — Inside a Therapist's Week: What People Don't See11:33 — The Story Behind Oak & Anchor Resilience Center13:31 — Why Emotional Honesty Is Hard for Black Women21:29 — The Danger of Calling Women "Too Sensitive"22:01 — 💎 YOUR EMOTIONS ARE TELLING YOU SOMETHING (KEY MOMENT)23:08 — "Be Strong" Is Actually Harmful — Here's Why25:28 — How Women Can Begin to Undo the Damage28:39 — When Mom Isn't Well: The Ripple Effect31:12 — The Laundry Service Moment + When Volume Exceeds Capacity33:34 — The Funky Four Corners33:49 — Spiritual Corner: God Leaves the 99 for the One35:25 — Physical Corner: Take Care of What Takes Care of You36:45 — 💎 MOTIVATION COMES WITH MOVEMENT37:31 — Mental Corner: Just Because It Feels True...38:17 — Intuition vs. Trauma — How to Know the Difference39:20 — Financial Corner: Have Your Own40:06 — Financial Independence & Mental Health (Maslow's Hierarchy)41:12 — Rapid Fire + Word Association45:14 — Good Medicine: Don't Abandon Yourself47:44 — Legacy: What Do You Want Them to Say You Built?49:44 — You Didn't Ask: Very Little Grows in Comfort51:44 — Make Love the Culture ───────────────────────────────────────── 💎 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: ✅ What "Black Woman Superhero Syndrome" actually is — and why so many women don't even see it in themselves ✅ Why saying "Be Strong" can disconnect women from the support they need ✅ How your strong emotions are a warning system — not a flaw ✅ The link between financial independence and mental health (Maslow's Hierarchy, explained simply) ✅ "Motivation comes with movement" — even 2 minutes counts ✅ When the volume exceeds your capacity — permission to get support ✅ How Labria's faith and personal journey through heartbreak, church, and an abusive marriage led to her own healing and her practice ───────────────────────────────────────── 🎙 CONNECT WITH LABRIA LAW: Instagram: @thetelecounselor Oak & Anchor Resilience Center: [insert link] 📲 FOLLOW THE NETWORK PODCAST: Instagram: @the_network_podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-lie-be-strong-tells-black-women-licensed/id1518062276?i=1000775744877 YouTube: https://youtu.be/NmzgJRcBxAs ───────────────────────────────────────── 📩 IF THIS EPISODE MOVED YOU: Hit like. Subscribe. Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway. And share it with one woman in your life who has been told she's "too much." You never know — she might need it. ───────────────────────────────────────── #TheNetworkPodcast #WomensMentalHealth #BlackMentalHealth #MakeLoveTheCulture #TherapyIsForUs

    The Lie "Be Strong" Tells Black Women | Licensed Therapist Labrea Law on Women's Mental Health.

  2. Jun 29

    She Beat Cancer, Got the DJ Scratch Co-Sign & Still Shows Up for the Culture | DJ Champ Lifestyle

    Black Music Month is bigger than a playlist. It's a legacy and DJ Champ Lifestyle (Chandra Hampton) is one of its most powerful living examples. In this Black Music Month episode of The Network with Michael Prejean, DJ Champ Lifestyle sits down for her third appearance to talk about: 🎵 How music has been the thread running through her entire life — from church choir to spinning at the Fillmore 🏆 The story of how DJ SCRATCH found her mid-set and said, "I need her on my team" 💪 Surviving breast cancer and the therapist moment that changed everything 🧠 Why acceptance — not strength — is the real gateway to mental health 💰 Cashing out her 401k and what compound interest taught her the hard way 🎤 Why Black music isn't just culture, it's EVERYTHING! This is The Network — your spot for elevating mind, body, spirit, and finances. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

    She Beat Cancer, Got the DJ Scratch Co-Sign & Still Shows Up for the Culture | DJ Champ Lifestyle

  3. Jun 28

    She Suffered in Silence So You Don't Have To | Nicole Franklin Jones | Women's Health Series

    What does it actually cost women to keep showing up for everybody else?In this powerful episode of The Network Women's Health Series, host Michael Prejean sits down with Nicole Franklin Jones — Outreach Director for AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), certified life coach, and a 35-year veteran of domestic violence prevention across Houston, Texas. Nicole brings the kind of truth that makes you pull over on the side of the road and run laps around your car.She breaks down how domestic violence is a full-body health crisis — spiritual, physical, mental, and financial. She dismantles the myth of the "strong woman" and the dangerous silence it creates. She shares what she saw in her late mother's obituary photo that rewired how she sees everything. And she gives every woman listening something they've desperately needed to hear: Permission.Whether you're a survivor, a single mother, a caregiver, a daughter, or someone who has been pouring from an empty cup, this episode is for you. And if you're a man? There's a word in here for you too.

    She Suffered in Silence So You Don't Have To | Nicole Franklin Jones | Women's Health Series

  4. Jun 8

    She Survived a Mass Shooting and Found Sound Healing | DJ Purple Smoke on The Network

    She survived a mass shooting, burned out at one of the world's largest retailers, and came out the other side as a Houston-based DJ, sound healer, and wellness founder. In this episode of The Network, Coach P sits down with Megan "DJ Purple Smoke" Patterson, founder of Higher Frequency 432 Sound & Wellness, for one of the most powerful conversations in Funky Four Corners history. 🎧 WHAT WE COVER: ► The 2017 mass shooting that changed everything (3:20) ► What she had to UNLEARN to heal (5:08) ► What is sound healing — the science explained (16:24) ► Why your body is tuned to 432Hz (19:26) ► Why this work is CRITICAL for the Black community (31:28) ► How tithing changed her financial life (51:50) ► Good Medicine: The Heartfulness App (1:00:05) ► You Didn't Ask: Choose Better (1:05:01) 🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED: - Heartfulness App: heartfulness.org- DJ Purple Smoke on YouTube: DJ Purple Smoke- Second Saturdays @ Clay Family Eastern Glades — Houston Memorial Park - YouTube search: "432Hz frequency healing" 📱 FOLLOW THE NETWORK:Instagram: @the_network_podcast Subscribe + hit 🔔 so you never miss an episode. #SoundHealing #BlackWellness #432Hz #TheNetworkPodcast #DJPurpleSmoke #HolisticHealth #NervousSystemHealing #Meditation #FunkyFourCorners #MichaelPrejean

    She Survived a Mass Shooting and Found Sound Healing | DJ Purple Smoke on The Network

  5. Apr 8

    The Truth About Black Voting Patterns | History Quarter w/ Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir

    This episode of The Network breaks down one of the most debated questions in American politics: 👉 Why do Black Americans vote Democrat? Coach P sits down with Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir to unpack the historical, economic, and political factors that shaped voting patterns in the Black community—from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights era to today. This isn’t opinion. This is context. 💡 In this episode: The real reason Black voters shifted parties The impact of the Great Depression & New Deal Why local politics matters more than you think The connection between politics, economics, and power 🎯 If you care about: ✔️ Black history ✔️ Civic awareness ✔️ Community empowerment... This episode is for you.📲 Subscribe to The Network for weekly conversations on mind, body, spirit, and finances.

    The Truth About Black Voting Patterns | History Quarter w/ Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir

  6. Mar 11

    History Quarter: The Millionaire You Were Never Taught About

    📲 Follow Dr. Sinegal-Decuir on IG: @dr.sinegaldecuirMost people know Madam C.J. Walker — but few know Annie Turnbo Malone, the Black entrepreneur who built a beauty empire before her. In this episode of The Network, Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir explains how Malone built a business from her kitchen, trained thousands of Black women, and created wealth for an entire community. But her story also carries powerful lessons about protecting ideas, patents, business partnerships, and legacy. If you're interested in Black history, entrepreneurship, and building generational wealth — this conversation is for you. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00: Podcast Opening – The Funky Four Corners 0:38: Guest Introduction – Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir 1:22: Giving Flowers – The Mentor Who Changed Everything 2:35: Who Was Annie Turnbo Malone? 4:20: The Woman Who Built A Beauty Empire 6:05: Madam CJ Walker Connection 7:45: Lawsuits, Divorce & Losing Wealth 9:30: Lessons for Modern Entrepreneurs 11:15: Documentary vs Book Debate 12:50: Teaching vs Public Speaking 14:15: Why Everyone Needs a History Book 15:05: Final Wisdom + Subscribe CTASubscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness. 📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

    History Quarter: The Millionaire You Were Never Taught About

  7. Mar 2

    Blacks in the Bible? The Truth They Never Taught You

    📲 Follow Prof. Ayers on IG: @ThoughtfulKingIn this powerful episode of The Network Podcast, Coach P sits down with Professor Michael Ayers to explore Black Liberation Theology, representation in scripture, and the sociological structures that shape identity. Are there Blacks in the Bible? Why were we “never meant to know”? How does faith connect to social justice? And is financial slavery keeping our community stuck? This conversation bridges theology, sociology, economics, and empowerment for African Americans seeking spiritual clarity and intellectual depth. The episode covers: • Blacks in the Bible • Colonization & identity • Dominant ideology explained • Love thy neighbor as thyself • Financial freedom & credit myths • Spiritual exhaustion TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Welcome to The Network: The Funky Four Foundation 1:11 – Who is Professor Michael Ayers? (Blacks in the Bible) 4:28 – Why We “Were Never Meant to Know” 8:38 – Sociology: Dominant vs Minority Groups Explained 12:41 – Colonization: Language & Religion 14:04 – Yeshua as Revolutionary 18:08 – Love Thyself First: Liberation Starts Within 21:32 – Coercive Identity Politics 30:40 – “I Don’t Want to Get Black” (Self-Perception & Colorism) 37:58 – Faith & Systemic Inequality 41:23 – Mental & Spiritual Exhaustion in Today’s Climate 44:13 – Vanity, Debt & Financial Slavery 48:26 – You Are in the Sacred Text 51:19 – Jeremiah 29:11 Testimony 1:07:18 – Financial Enslavement & Credit Score Myth 1:15:54 – Why Black Liberation Theology Is Misunderstood Subscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness. 📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

    Blacks in the Bible? The Truth They Never Taught You

  8. Feb 9

    Redlining Did Not End. Here's How It Still Controls Black Wealth.

    📲 Follow Dr. Sinegal-Decuir on IG: @dr.sinegaldecuirRedlining didn't end in the 1960s. It reshaped neighborhoods, schools, and generational wealth. In this episode of The Network Podcast, Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir breaks down how housing discrimination created lasting inequality, and what our communities must understand to reclaim power. TIMESTAMPS: Subscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness. 📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

    Redlining Did Not End. Here's How It Still Controls Black Wealth.
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5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

"The Network" is THE educational podcast designed to help our community navigate the four areas of life that I like to call the Funky 4 Corners. I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite people with one goal in mind: To help the spiritual, physical, mental and financial health of our people as we navigate this thing called life. Subscribe to “The Network,” you may need it.

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