W AP KOUTEM M AP KOUTE W

What happens when you talk about something that hurt you in childhood and the first response is: “But your mother did the best she could.” “You should be grateful.” “At least you had food.” “At least you went to school.” In many Haitian families, talking about childhood hurt can quickly be interpreted as disrespect, blame, or ingratitude. But what if more than one thing can be true? In this episod...

It has officially been one year since I started W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W. And honestly, this episode is simply a thank you. A thank you to those who have been listening since the beginning, those who found the podcast somewhere along the way, and even those of you who listen quietly without ever saying a word. In this short anniversary episode, I reflect on why I started the podcast, what this f...

What happens when you already have insight into who you are, but you still feel stuck? In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I am joined by Vivian Ip, founder of Tuesday Coaching. Vivian helps late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic professionals turn their insight into action. With an academic background in psychology research, and over 20 years of experience across commercial photography, sta...

Have you ever read a quote and felt like it was speaking directly to you? Maybe you saved it, shared it, or said to yourself, “Wow, I needed this.” And then a few days later, the old thought pattern came back. The same fear, doubt, the same way of seeing yourself., and the same way of interpreting what happened. In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I’m talking about why inspirational qu...

Have you ever looked back and realized that if you had not challenged your own fear, your own limitation, or your own belief that you were not ready yet, you would not be where you are today? In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I’m sharing a personal reflection about my own journey of waiting to feel ready. I talk about the moment I was invited to speak for a school district and how th...

Have you ever looked at someone’s behavior and assumed you understood what was happening? Maybe you saw someone talking to themselves. Maybe you heard someone being called “crazy” or moun fou .Maybe you watched someone act in a way that did not make sense to you and thought you knew their story. But what if there was so much more happening underneath the surface? In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M...

Have you ever noticed that Sunday night or Monday morning can feel heavy before the week even begins? In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I’m reflecting on the emotional and nervous system shift that can happen when the weekend ends and the week begins. Even when the weekend is busy, it still has a different rhythm. And then Monday comes, and your body begins preparing for responsibili...

Have you ever been told that you’re “too emotional”? Maybe someone said it to you when you were crying. Maybe you heard it as a child when your feelings felt too big. Maybe you have said it to yourself. Or maybe you have seen it said about an entire group of people. In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I’m reflecting on why the phrase “you’re too emotional” has been sitting heavy with m...

For years, people have asked me whether therapists ever stop being therapists. Does your therapist brain ever turn off? Do you analyze everyone around you? What is it like being married to a therapist? For a long time, I thought I knew the answer. Then I attended a healing retreat and realized something I had never seen before. In this personal episode, I share the experience that helped me unders...

In this episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I sit down with Kimberly Lauriston, LCSW-S, to explore Haitian identity, culture, ancestry, spirituality, and healing. Together, we reflect on what it was like growing up Haitian in the United States, the traditions that connected us to our culture, and the ways migration can shape our sense of identity. We discuss the wisdom passed down through our...

In this special video episode of W Ap Koute M, M Ap Koute W , I sit down with Dr. Gaetane Saint-Victor for a deeply honest conversation about healing in the Black and Haitian communities. Together, we explore the emotional weight many people carry silently while still appearing “strong” to the world. We talk about the “strong Black woman” archetype, perfectionism, survival mode, vulnerability, gen...

There’s a common belief that inner child healing is about being overly emotional, avoiding responsibility, or “coddling” yourself. But that’s not what it is. In this episode, I explore what inner child work actually means—and why so many adults are learning emotional skills later in life that they needed much earlier. For the first time, I’m joined by a very special guest: my daughter. Through our...

Sometimes what we call anxiety or depression is not random. It’s not something separate. It’s something your body has been holding for a long time. In this episode, I explore how trauma can live in the body and show up as anxiety, panic, emotional numbness, or depression — often without us realizing it. We talk about: * what trauma actually is (beyond the event itself) * how the nervous system res...

In this episode, I explore a question that has been sitting with me lately: Why is it so hard for so many of us — especially in the Haitian community — to ask for help? Many people are carrying anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, chronic stress, and emotional pain… while still functioning every day. They are going to work, taking care of their families, showing up for everyone else, and because th...

Sometimes, when you finally allow yourself to feel anger, the next emotion that shows up is guilt. In this episode, we explore a common and confusing part of the healing journey — especially when it comes to our relationships with caregivers. As adults, when we begin to reflect on our childhood, we may recognize moments where our needs were not met. This awareness often brings up anger — anger tha...

Why do some people pull away when relationships get close while others feel anxious when distance appears? In this episode, we explore attachment styles and how our earliest relationships shape the way we connect with others in adulthood. Attachment is the emotional bond we develop with our caregivers early in life. These early experiences often influence how we show up in romantic relationships,...

Have you ever walked into a space with a clear vision, only for everything to unfold differently? In this episode, I share a recent personal experience that challenged me to slow down, sit with discomfort, and reconnect with a younger part of myself. When things didn’t go as planned, old patterns around vulnerability, safety, and expressing needs resurfaced, and I had to pause long enough to liste...

If Valentine’s Day brings up loneliness, longing, or old wounds, this episode is for you. With Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to talk about self-love, not just for this season, but for all year long. In the therapy room, this time of year often brings up feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and worthlessness, especially for people who wish they had a partner or someone to celebrate with. In...

This is a bonus episode — a raw and honest check-in. In this episode, I’m showing up human in a moment where the world feels unsafe. The feelings I share come from different parts of myself, different experiences, and different layers of my life — as a therapist, an advocate for social justice, and a Haitian immigrant. We reflect on how current events activate the nervous system, collapse time, an...

If setting boundaries makes your body feel anxious, guilty, or unsafe — this episode is for you. In this episode, we explore how boundaries can activate survival mode in the nervous system, even when you logically know setting boundaries is healthy. We break down what boundaries really are, why they matter for healthy relationships, and why saying “no” can feel so difficult when your nervous syste...

Trauma doesn’t only live in our thoughts — it lives in the body. In this episode, we explore how the nervous system plays a central role in healing and why we can’t bypass awareness, emotional processing, and understanding what the body has been holding. Responding to a viral message encouraging people to “stop healing” and focus only on creating safe experiences, this conversation breaks down how...

Pausing Before Moving Forward As we approach the end of the year and step into a new one, this episode of W Ap Koute M M Ap Koute W is an invitation to pause — not to rush into resolutions, but to gently acknowledge where you are. This conversation is about reflection, awareness, and honoring the season you are in, especially if change feels heavy or uncertain. When Change Feels Unsafe I share a p...

Making Space for Every Experience In this episode of W Ap Koute M M Ap Koute W , I talk about the holidays, not just as a season of celebration, but as a time that can bring up many emotions. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Not everyone marks the New Year on January 1st. And not everyone experiences this season as joyful. Wherever you are, celebrating, observing, grieving, or simply getting thr...

Understanding Intergenerational Trauma In this episode of W Ap Koute M M Ap Koute W , we explore how unprocessed trauma doesn’t simply disappear it transforms into patterns, beliefs, emotional reactions, and ways of surviving that pass from one generation to the next. We talk about how trauma shapes: * our sense of safety * the way we love * the stories we tell ourselves * and how we navigate the...

Looking Beyond the Headlines In this episode of W Ap Koute M M Ap Koute W , I explore the heart of collective healing within the Haitian community — and why our nation’s pain cannot be separated from its history. Recently, Haitian economist Etzer Emile stated that we should stop celebrating being the first Black nation to abolish slavery, since over 200 years later, Haiti still faces poverty and d...