I Am Speaking

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW): “School social workers are often called on to help students, families, and teachers address problems such as truancy, social withdrawal, overaggressive behaviors, rebelliousness, and the effects of special physical, emotional, or economic problems.” Barker, 2003).  Meet Amanda Collins, who is going on her 16th year in the field of sch...

Most of us have seen a show meant for entertainment with a hypnotist. He hyponostizes someone from the audience, brings them up on stage and has then cluck like a chicken or bark like a dog. It’s entertaining to some, it’s embarrassing to others, but is it all real? What is actual hyponosis, and how is it used in a therapeutic, purposeful setting? For that we turned to Certified Hyponotherapist Ja...

Going to therapy can be difficult, scary and sometimes feel like one is opening Pandora’s Box. But it can also be liberating, healing and feel like someone is giving you the tools to live your best life  After years of complex trauma, abuse, anxiety and depression, Louisa discovered that therapy is all of those things and more   Living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) Louisa ha...

Every episode of I Am Speaking w/ Shailushi and Kosha is special. We love all of our guests. Without their openness and honesty and willingness to be vulnerable, our show would be two sisters just razzing each other and talking about growing up in the middle of corn fields (that might be an awesome show but it is not *this* show.) Every so often we get a guest on the show that is amazing for a som...

Dr. Tara C. Smith is a gem. It’s that simple. She’s a gem.  Her CV is not so simple. It’s stacked. Tara has a Bachelors in Biology from Yale, a PhD in Microbiology from University of Toledo, post-doc training in molecular epidemiology at University of Michigan. She was an Associate Professor at University of Iowa and the director of its College of Public Health’s Center for Emerging Infectious Dis...

What does it take to effect change in our communities? It takes money, for sure. It takes resources, of course. And it takes people like Tatiana Rohner del Sordo.  Tatiana is an immigrant from Colombia (she’s our third person of Colombian heritage on our podcast. We love Colombia!) When she moved to the US with her husband, her anxiety began to flare and she didn’t have her family and friends arou...

To hear Kate Frese Phillips talk about her life, and everything she’s been through, you might understand if she has resentment or anger or distrust. But to actually listen to her, you realize that she’s actually filled with resilience and curiosity and strength.  Kate was subject to religious indoctrination at a young age. She quietly suffered from anxiety and depression for years, only to be told...

What does it meant have Bipolar Disorder? Did you know there is more than one type? Did you know that you don't realize you are in a manic episode when you are in it? Did you know there was such a thing as "rapid cycling" when it comes to the manic or depressive episodes? Sally Alter is here to answer some of these questions. Sally experienced her first manic episode at the age of 15, right when h...

She is back for Season 4! I Am Speaking's Resident Therapist, Karen Rothstein Pineda, is here to talk some Therapy Basics. We talk about therapist credentialing, some important questions to ask yourself and your therapist, what might be going through a therapist's mind during your first few sessions, and why your therapist might not acknowledge you if you see them at the grocery store. Also, we di...

Representation matters. Just ask Kosha’s daughter, when she discovered that a talented artist has *her name*.  Our guest today on I Am Speaking with Expert Voices is the amazing Anu Chouhan. She’s an animator, illustrator and soon-to-be published author. She also is passionate about showing strong brown girls with swords, as well as brown kids just having fun.  Her story is filled with heart and p...

Season 4 is upon us. We cannot believe it. Everyone at I Am Speaking w/ Shailushi and Kosha (and I Am Speaking w/ Expert Voices) is thrilled to embark on our second year of this podcast. Mental Health & Neurodiversity.  We cannot predict exactly what will ensue, but we know it’ll be a rich, nuanced and important set of conversations.  We encourage our listeners to add comments to episodes or the p...

Kosha here: Shailushi is my older sister and my best friend. She’s my mentor and my confidante. And a few years ago, we were told that she had cancer. And it was everywhere. And suddenly, my life imploded a little bit. Then a badass oncologist came on the scene. Dr Amina Ahmed was kind, she was smart, she was hopeful…and she saved my sister’s life. And in doing so, she kept my family whole.  Today...

Very few people actually have to pause for a moment to remember how many patents they have for their life’s work. Our guest today not only wasn’t sure (“five or six” was her answer) but also tried to downplay just what an accomplishment it is to have a patent to their name.  Dr Smriti Mehta, Phd, Mom, Grandmother, Aunt, and Woman Extraordinaire, joins us in the Speaker’s Chair today. And she is so...

Kosha outdid herself for this birthday surprise. Conspiring with someone right under Shailushi’s nose to surprise her on the podcast…Shailushi’s own child!! That’s right, Isha Ritchie joins us in the Speaker’s Chair today. They are hilarious, talented, and bright (Kosha hopes to be like them when she grows up!) Our listeners have heard a lot about Isha over the last year. Now you get to hear strai...

Academic Bowl. Math Team. Paper punch art projects. Paper link competitions. Fish Fry. The memories and nostalgia go on and on.  Mrs. Joanna Cave was a huge influence in Shailushi and Kosha’s lives (and those of the entire Baxi Family). Mrs Cave, who has gone by Bunny for her entire life because she was born on Easter, was the 8th grade teacher at St. Stephen’s School in Streator, IL. She only tau...

Emily Bleeker is the best-selling author of six novels. Combined, her books have reached over 1.5 million readers. She is a two-time Whitney Award finalist, a Wall Street Journal bestseller, Amazon charts bestseller and was recently listed as one of the top 100 Kindle authors “of all time.” That is about what she’s accomplished, but she’s so much more than her resume. She and Kosha are best friend...

What does over 30 years of friendship sound like? Get ready to find out.  In our first installment of Shailushi’s Birthday Surprise Series, we welcome Beth Guerra to the Speaker’s Chair. Shailushi and Beth met when they were 15. They have been through high highs and low lows in their lives - graduate schools, cross country moves, marriage, kids, sickness, death, and rebirth - always knowing they a...

A day late but never a dollar short! We have been doing some Spring Break travel with their families, but never fear, we do have an episode this week! You lovable cohosts wind down Season 3: Bucking Gender Norms with a recap, some funny memories and some poignant moments from the season.  We have something fun and different for April (an A-Term, per se). Listen in for details. And then season 4 wi...

Our first experience with having a guest at the Speaker’s Podium fit perfectly within the current theme of the season, and be an Expert guest! Sharmili Majmudar is a good friend of Shailushi, a brilliant mind, and a steadfast advocate for equitable and fair rights   Sharmili Majmudar oversees Women Employed’s development and implementation of strategic policy and systems change priorities advancin...

This man’s CV reads pretty impressive: Dr. Darshan Mehta is Medical Director and Director of Medical Education for the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (BHI-MGH) and Director of Education at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (OCIM). Dr. Mehta received his BA in Biology from Illinois Wesl...

We love seeing a young, fierce, badass woman with a badge! Anmole Kaur, nickname Anu (no relation to Batsy) is a Deputy in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Her story is inspirational and you can feel how much she’s made for this career as she speaks. Anu’s interest in becoming a police officer started in high school and never faltered, and she had some resistance along the way. She refused to...

Kevin Shelton Jr. Is Speaking.  What an amazing guest. Kevin and Kosha work at the same company. Kevin shares his experiences working in corporate America while continuing a high level of activism, which sometimes can be frustrating. But when he’s working on “changing hearts,” it also can be fulfilling.  Our time with Kevin was fascinating and inspiring. He promised to come back and we are going t...

Rockstar-turned-preschool teacher joins us in the Speaker’s Chair this week to discuss his adventures in molding the minds of 3-4 year olds.  We had some preconceived notions of what it might be like to be a male daycare teacher, but Chris gave us the real scoop of what it’s like, what he loves about being led by a strong team of women, and how gender does (and doesn’t) play a part in his job. Wha...

We love interviewing our friends! We get to spend time learning about them and understanding a little more what makes them tick. This week in the Speaker’s Chair is Leigh Steffy, one of Shailushi’s closest friends.  Leigh life never has been split into blue and pink roles. She and her brother went fishing together with their dad, and then went to the theater with their mom. She loves using power t...

Dr. Javier Gomez is a cardiologist at John H.  Stroger Hospital, also known as Cook County Hospital. He immigrated to the US from Colombia to train and specialize, and then he stayed. His story of how he came to Cook County Hospital is fascinating. The reasons why he stays are inspiring.  Javier has an undeniable charm. He’s warm and funny, but he’s also sharp and deeply passionate about treating...