Dark Matters with Dr. Shemena

Send us Fan Mail Do you and your partner get into the same arguments, time and again? Often, this type of conflict takes on a life of its own where you end up arguing within minutes. This doesn't just happen with couples, but unwanted arguments happen with family members and friends. With a simple strategy of being non-defensive, you can learn to think about the issue and work towards a deepe...

Send us Fan Mail Relational ambivalence is those contradictory thoughts and feelings that make us wonder should I stay or should I go? The reality is that relational ambivalence is a fact of life. Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss the challenges and how to navigate the complexity of making a decision. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShe...

Send us Fan Mail Anxiety pretty much lies at the heart of many people’s difficulties. What lies at the root of anxiety is an extreme sense of tension and fear. But, many people try to cope with their anxiety by avoiding what causes their anxiety.  Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss one of the ways that anxiety can manifest itself -- control.  Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJ...

Send us Fan Mail For this episode, I was joined by Jennifer Archie of Junie Bees Buttas. We discuss some of the challenges that come with being an entrepreneur that can have an impact on mental health and the importance of having a support system. Learn more about Junie Bees Buttas ... Website: https://www.juniebeesbutta.com Instagram: www. Instagram.com/juniebeesbutta Get in touch with Dr. Shemen...

Send us Fan Mail Friendships are critical in understanding how positive and negative peer relationships shape you. Many times the depiction of friendships through television is usually infused with conflict or on social media, it depicts quantity over quality of friendships. What's your idea of a good friend? Listen in to Dr. Shemena share her idea of friendship and what a friend is. Get in t...

Send us Fan Mail We all bear the invisible wounds from our childhood and when these invisible wounds go unnoticed or unnamed, they can wreak havoc on our relationships. It becomes the heavy bag that you carry with you through life. But, why do you give away or put so many parts of yourself away in the bag? Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss how the power of our past can shape your relationships if you&...

Send us Fan Mail Everything changes, nothing stays the same. Even though we intellectually understand this concept, many individuals fear change. It's an interesting paradox of wanting to live a happy, fulfilling life and, on the other hand, engaging in behaviors that keep you in the same place. Listen to Dr. Shemena delve deeper into this interesting paradox. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena · ...

Send us Fan Mail Relationships are a part of life. And so are endings. But, it's not just about loss. Listen to Dr. Shemena turn the lens on understanding the nature of how relationships begin, end and can last forever after.  Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank yo...

Send us Fan Mail Shame is a powerful and painful emotion that is about self-experience. It can have a cultural component or exist at a core level. But, understanding the nature and circumstances of shame, fear, and humiliation can place you on a path towards healing.  Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss her "secret shame" and the underpinnings of shame. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        T...

Send us Fan Mail It feels very natural to take responsibility for the behavior of others. We all try to understand why he/she cheats, why mom/dad ignores me, or why my friend ditches me. While it may be true that the other needs to be accountable for their actions, it is also important to understand how others treat you and the reason you take ownership of their behavior. Understanding this is cri...

Send us Fan Mail In this podcast, Dr. Shemena shares some further thoughts on the topic of differentiation and how it can be applicable to the lives of people of color.    Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank you for listening!

Send us Fan Mail It's pretty awe-inspiring to think of the mental gymnastics we play on ourselves. Why? It's a crucial question that we must ask ourselves in order to dismantle the psychological processes that keep you stuck in place. Awareness gives you a fighting chance of bettering yourself. Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss the topic of psychological defenses so that you can begin to con...

Send us Fan Mail Racism is a tenacious and psychological problem for the lives of people of color.  In the aftermath of protests and the verdict of George Floyd, we cannot cut off from this topic any longer. It's another way of not having enough air. Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss this important topic of learning to confront the pain of racism. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me a...

Send us Fan Mail Your relationship arguments are not always about what you think. Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss the interpersonal dynamics under most relationships fights and how to stop the pattern. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank you for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Effecting change involves hard work and difficult choices.  Most of us want something for nothing. Listen to Dr. Shemena share her ideas on why change is difficult and how to work towards creating change.  Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank you for lis...

Send us Fan Mail A year ago, we realized everything was about to change. We scrambled to stock up on goods as the world shut down. This week is the anniversary of the global pandemic. Listen to Dr. Shemena share her reflections on this past year and routines that she's grateful for. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnso...

Send us Fan Mail What's your emotional playlist? I’m not the first one to note that music is connected to our emotions. It gives voice to emotions we’re already experiencing and can also induce new feelings within us.  Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss how bringing your emotional playlist into your awareness can give you the power to choose which feelings you want to rouse.  Get in touch with Dr....

Send us Fan Mail People don't become grown-ups until they realize that their parents, however wonderful, were misinformed in areas. Each generation's job is to question the things the parents accept , explore the possibilities, and learn to become your own adult. Listen to Dr. Shemena discuss the process of outgrowing your parents. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @Shem...

Send us Fan Mail What do you mean when you use the term "self-love"?  Higher sense of self or a state of wholeness. Listen to Dr. Shemena share her ideas on why this term is often times confused with a more grounded sense of well-being. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson...

Send us Fan Mail Living as a person of color unfortunately continues to be an acute low grade trauma. Trauma can go beyond what happened a moment ago or just one person's experience. It can span generations for African Americans. Listen to Dr. Shemena gives her most compelling reasons why therapy should be seen as a benefit and not a negative.  Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me...

Send us Fan Mail Are you exhausted? I think we’re all exhausted. We’re all crawling to the finish line of a long and challenging year. We’ve faced deep divides of black and white, rich and poor and red and blue. One major goal throughout all of this is learning how to regulate stress and supporting your emotional health. Listen to Dr. Shemena gives some tips on learning how to regulate stress duri...

Send us Fan Mail What is differentiation? And why is it important? Listen as Dr. Shemena discusses the reasons differentiation can help you define yourself and navigate relationships. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank you for listening!

Send us Fan Mail Call it emotional pain, psychological pain or just simply, suffering. We have all experienced these unpleasant feelings at some point in our lives.  But, when we try to avoid feelings, we miss the opportunity to explore deeper parts of ourself. Listen as Dr. Shemena discusses how to take a non-judgmental approach to look at your pain. Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet m...

Send us Fan Mail We're all in favor of high self-esteem -- but cultivating it is no easy task. In this podcast, Dr. Shemena discusses some of the reasons why building a good foundation helps to improve your self-esteem.  Get in touch with Dr. Shemena ·        Tweet me at @ShemenaJohnson ·        Follow me on IG at @DrShemenaJohnson ·        Email me at info@shemenajohnson.com   Thank you for...

Send us Fan Mail Are you growing? Are you evolving or are you a spectator of others? People who know their purpose, navigate stress better and have reduced levels of anxiety and worry. Nietzsche famously said that “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Finding meaning is about sculpting a new narrative for yourself. Dr. Shemena will explore this dynamic in this podcast. Get in tou...