Hey y'all, it's your favorite girl! Welcome back to The Enjoli Renée Show! Today's conversation is going to hit different, and I mean that. I'm sitting down with the incredible Michael Johnson, therapist, pastor, powerlifting champ, and honestly just a whole vibe. Y'all, this episode is packed with transparency, freedom, and powerful reminders about learning to love yourself and live unapologetically. We're diving deep into Mic’s journey to becoming the mental health counselor and man of God he is today. But we're not talking to Pastor Mic today. We're talking to just Mic, and he's opening up about everything from witnessing his mom survive domestic abuse to getting robbed at gunpoint twice and not realizing he had PTSD until 2020. Yes, you read that right. He lived with undiagnosed trauma for over a decade because, like so many of us, he normalized it. He shares how a panic attack triggered by a car slowing down finally made him confront what he'd been carrying all those years. But this conversation goes beyond trauma. We're talking about the Holy Spirit revealing he didn't love himself, how he was giving everyone else grace and compassion but being cruel to himself, and why he finally decided to go to therapy after already being a therapist for seven years. Mic gets real about setting unrealistic standards for himself as a husband and father, trying to be perfect at things he'd never even seen modeled, and how he learned to give himself the same kindness he freely gave everyone else. We're also getting into Mic's family life, his two older sisters, his parents' divorce when he was seven, and how his mom packed up three kids and moved into her parents' attic to escape an abusive marriage. He shares how his dad has always been present despite the divorce, how he met his wife on the first day of seventh grade, and why his kids call their house "our house" instead of "dad's house." Plus, we're talking about his journey into powerlifting, how his trainer Matt Scott saw potential in him that he didn't see in himself, and how he won his first competition in the novice category. And don't miss our Triggered Moment featuring Worthless Wendy from my book "Triggered," available now on Amazon. This segment hits hard as we explore how trauma and circumstances can make us believe lies about our value and worth. We're also playing a fun game of music versus where Mic breaks down Drake versus Kendrick (and why Drake is the culture's biggest hit maker), Beyonce versus Rihanna, old school versus new school R&B, and his top three R&B artists from 2000 to 2008. Spoiler alert: Destiny's Child, Mario, and India.Arie made the cut, and he'll fight you over Mario. This episode is a beautiful reminder that freedom is for you, that you deserve the same grace you give everyone else, and that life is meant to be enjoyed. Mic's transparency about his mental health journey, his marriage, his parenting, and his refusal to surrender a single day without finding joy will inspire you to get free and live unapologetically. So go ahead and like, share, subscribe, and hit that bell so you never miss an episode! Drop "get free" in the comments and tag your people because all of 2026, we're getting free! And remember, friends: Live Life, Love God, and Live Chic! Tap in! Connect with Michael Johnson at UpgradeCounseling.com for therapy sessions and speaking engagements!
