Moments of Authenticity Amber Boyd, LMFT

Hey there, it’s Amber Boyd, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I’m excited to be back with another episode of Moments of Authenticity.



Today, I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind a lot lately: mental health. In this episode, I talk about my journey into the mental health field and how it’s been shaped by my own experiences with mental health and my mentor, Mrs. Mary Augustine. She was the one who encouraged me to think bigger and go into the field of marriage and family therapy.



I am passionate about dispelling the myth that mental health is unimportant, particularly in communities of color. As a person of color myself, I strive to create spaces where people can talk openly about their experiences and know that they are not alone. It’s important to me to co-create space with my clients so they can express themselves and get the support they need.



During this episode, I also touch on the different layers of well-being that are encompassed in mental health, including generational trauma, capitalism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of phobia that affect different communities. I believe that it’s essential to acknowledge and address these issues in order to provide comprehensive mental health support.



I hope that this episode inspires you to take care of your mental health and reach out for support when you need it. Remember, mental health is something that we all have, and it’s important to prioritize it just as much as we prioritize our physical health. Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to speaking with you in the next episode of Moments of Authenticity.

Timestamps:


[01:10] The reason I got into this work.


[03:21] Why mental health is so important for communities of color.


[06:01] How mental health affects how we think, feel, act and relate to others.


[08:27] When your social foundation is shaken, it can really impact your mental health.


[10:41] How do we make space for what’s happened?


[15:23] You are human with really big feelings. You deserve to have a space to experience them outside of your body.



Notable Quotes:


“Mental health is impacted by, and impacts, the other aspects of well-being.” 


“Mental health incorporates different layers of well-being, so I think sometimes we think it’s just one thing, but it’s actually multiple things.”


“If I can be half of the person that she [my high school counselor] was to me to someone else, then I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing in life.”


“My hope is always to make space for folks to be able to express their experience and let them know that they are not alone in that going through things in isolation is incredibly harmful.”


“You are human with really big feelings, ideas, and experiences and you deserve to have a space to experience them outside of your body. Do something that supports your mental health, writing, singing, talking, meditation, yoga, etc. You deserve it, you deserve it, you deserve it.” 





Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie

 

Moments of AuthenticityEmail: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Hey there, it’s Amber Boyd, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I’m back with another episode of Moments of Authenticity. 



In this episode, I explore the question, “Have you done all you can?” which is a topic that often comes up in my therapy sessions. While it’s easy to think that we’ve exhausted all options when faced with a dilemma, the truth is that there may be more we can do outside of our comfort zone. I talk about the cognitive distortions that can lead us to believe that we’ve done all we can, and how important it is to recognize half-truths and explore uncomfortable options.



I also discuss the idea of giving ourselves grace, acknowledging our fears, and recognizing the tools and support we already have at our disposal. Change can be uncomfortable, but it’s often necessary for growth and healing. 



So, if you’re feeling stuck in a situation and wondering if you’ve done all you can, this episode is for you. Join me as I delve into this topic and provide insights and tips on navigating dilemmas healthily and authentically.

Timestamps


[00:47] Have we really done all that we can?


[02:38] What do you do when you’re uncomfortable?


[04:20] How do we thrive outside of our comfort zone?


[06:30] What shifts need to take place if you’re going to have this conversation?


[08:25] Making space for change is the only consistent thing.


[10:04] Giving yourself grace to name your fears.


[12:18] Have you done all that you can within the scope of your comfort?



Notable Quotes


“Change does happen outside of your comfort zone.”


“Resolving a dilemma doesn’t always fit within a scope of black or white or all or nothing. Sometimes it is compromise.”


“I think sometimes there’s a full truth, your truth, and there may be another truth that also exists in the same realm.”


“You deserve to be in a space where you don’t have to hold difficult uncomfortable things within your body, but expel them, and do so in a way that feels healthy.”


“You are an incredibly talented, incredibly intelligent person who actually has a lot more tools than you give yourself credit for.”


“The goal is to get to healing through authenticity. So what is really happening for you, and let’s not sugarcoat it.”


“Give yourself grace about your fears, you don’t have to be perfect at any of this, you are human.”


“There’s redemption in owning what has happened or taking place, and being able to move through it in a way that feels healthy for you.”


“It’s okay to need things. It’s okay to need people, it’s okay to need a different perspective.”


“Have you done all you can? Sometimes the answer is I’ve done all that I can within the scope of my comfort.”





Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie

 

Moments of AuthenticityEmail: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Episode Summary

Welcome back to another episode!

In this episode, this topic came up in one of my therapy sessions with a client whom I got permission from to talk about this.

We discussed how my client would leave spaces when she has a particular emotion. She would do this to punish herself for any mistakes she makes or to convince herself that she has not atoned for her mistake/experience. As a result, she experiences a spiral of negative self-talk.

Timestamps


[00:04] Punishing yourself with isolation
[01:18] Figuring out your narrative alone
[05:21] Understanding the impact of your emotions
[07:04] How to identify your feelings
[08:36] Validating your emotions and trusting your intuition
[10:13] Why do you punish yourself in isolation
[11:40] You’re responsible for your feelings

Notable Quotes


“I think that when you are dysregulated, having a person tell you that you need to go off and figure it out by yourself.”
“Your feelings are valid, and your intuition is likely correct.”
“I think it's also important to seek out support from an addictive party.”
“Think about how unhealthy that felt, or having to manage other people's emotions that may have been more complex.”
“So being one in your body, what am I feeling? Where am I feeling?”



Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie

Moments of Authenticity

Email: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Episode Summary

Welcome back to another episode!

As for this month's episode, we will discuss being concerned and not consumed. Running into a circumstance where buildings without the right equipment may appear uneasy. By using that metaphor, we can include the times when we encounter challenges. This may be personal or social.

Today, we will highlight the importance of discussing the challenge of not caring about what's going on with your loved ones and others.

Timestamps


[00:04] How to be concerned and not consumed
[02:07] How do we care about people who are struggling?
[04:15] Managing our response to difficult situations
[05:57] Being selfless in a challenging situation
[08:08] You can express concern and experience the outcome.
[10:05] Analyzing internal discussion of cognitive errors.
[11:37] Be aware of how your choices are affecting others.

Notable Quotes


“The desire to be selfless, instead of cognizant, can throw off the ability to actually make space for what that person is going through.”
“We have to also be mindful about how we step in for folx, because folks may not need that kind of support. ”
“Taking over that person's grieving process can take away from them actually having space to authentically fall apart.”
“ And while you're focusing on other people's things, your challenges and issues and problems may not be addressed.”
“So if you are not aware of how you feel, and why you feel that way, then sometimes that can become a burden on the person that you're supposedly trying to help. ”

Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie

Moments of Authenticity

Email: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Episode Summary

Welcome to our very FIRST 2023 episode for Season 3!

If you're listening to this episode of my podcast Moments of Authenticity, then allow me to re-introduce myself.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) by the name of Amber Boyd. I am a bariatric patient, an author, and a podcaster. My goal in creating this channel is an effort to grow my community, namely the bariatric community. I want to approach this from various health-related perspectives, including mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. I am excited to announce that I am starting a Youtube channel and this is my way of introducing that! 

Timestamps


[00:05] Episode introduction
[01:08] What is your intention for the year?
[03:44] What is your word for the year?

Notable Quotes


“So I think it's important to recognize that I'm not the end all be all to anything in particular.”
“I think it's important to not only provide information but to also learn from the community that I am a part of.”
“I'm providing from a perspective of both mental health and within the bariatric community.”
“Think about how unhealthy that felt, or having to manage other people's emotions that may have been more complex.”
“I feel like resolutions and expectations, they tend to have such a strict idea of what it's supposed to be.”



Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie

Moments of Authenticity

Email: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Episode Summary

Welcome back to another episode!

Today, I’m sharing part three of a three-part interview I did with Zipporah Herbert on her podcast, Bariatric Confessions. Zipporah Herbert is a Bariatric community builder and supporter. She shares her journey in hopes to inspire and motivate the community. After getting the gastric sleeve, she created a community for people who did not have support from their inner circle. Zipporah took her background in digital marketing and focused on being a bridge to connect the barbaric world. She's hosted exercise challenges, meetups, and her daily podcast called Bariatric Confessions.

In this final episode, we talk about building the mental power to stay on track, dealing with post-surgery emotions, the importance of staying true to yourself, and transfer addiction.

Timestamps


[01:09] What’s a good way to build mental power when you want to revert back to old eating habits?
[03:46] How can someone balance their emotions after surgery?
[12:44] How do you manage moodiness and feeling unbalanced?
[15:12] Learn your true self.
[19:40] Transfer addiction: is it real?
[24:33] Work with me!

Notable Quotes


“If you don’t name the emotion, it will keep coming back.”
“There’s a lot of things that transpire that feel normal to us but we don’t know why we do them. They just become innate.”
“The loss of being able to explore can create a cognitive dissonance as well.”



Interested in learning more about Zipporah Herbert:

Podcast: Bariatric Confessions (Apple & Spotify)

TikTok @bariatricjawn

Instagram @bariatricjawn

Join Her Facebook Group



More about Amber Boyd, LMFT

Email: amber@amberboydtherapy.com | Instagram  | Facebook | Website

Find the Preparing for Your Bariatric Journey workbook here



Music by: Noir Et Blanc Vie