Because Life

Latest Episodes:

Relationship with Self as a Function of Healing (feat. Molly Carmel) Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

In today’s very special episode, I am joined by my new friend, the amazing, Molly Carmel. Molly is an addictions and eating disorder therapist, author of ‘Breaking Up with Sugar,’ and host of the podcast ‘What You’re Craving.’ We talk about the complicated relationship we have with food, the toxic impact diet culture has on that relationship, recovering from food addiction and disordered eating, and how we can learn to love and appreciate our bodies. Molly details her own journey overcoming disordered eating and addiction, her experience breaking up with sugar, and the ongoing road to recovery.

“The harder the choice, the better the outcome.”

If you enjoyed our guest as much as I did, you can check out her podcast, ‘What You’re Craving’ or pick up her book, ‘Breaking Up with Sugar’

For more information on mental health, learning how to help a loved one, developing coping skills and more, visit the Mental Health Coalition’s Resource Library at thementalhealthcoalition.org/resources

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

Follow Because Life: @becauselifewithsydel

Follow Me: @sydelcurrylee

Follow Molly: @mollycarmel

Post-Adoption Depression & Middle Child Syndrome…Let’s talk about it Jul 21, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Ebony is back as the co-pilot today to help us navigate some new waters in the mental health space for me personally. We are joined by the incredible Erin, whose journey with mental health started as a teenager and came to a head when she was diagnosed with post-adoption depression. We discuss navigating mental health and mental illness in a religious household, especially as a Black person in America, the very real ‘middle child syndrome,’ and the struggle of postpartum depression, whether you reared the child or adopted. We are so thankful she joined us and helped shine a light on these very real struggles that aren’t always talked about…especially among Black women in America.

If you’d like to learn more about the resources Dr. Ebony suggested in today’s episode, check them out below:

‘The Self Care Prescription Workbook’

InsightTimer App

‘It Didn’t Start with You’

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

Follow Because Life: @becauselifewithsydel

Follow Me: @sydelcurrylee

Follow Dr. Ebony: @drebonyonline

Fertility & Mental Health Q&A – Navigating Jealousy, Anxiety, Loneliness & More Jul 14, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode, we are continuing the conversation surrounding fertility and mental health. Following the episode outlining my own journey to parenthood and the impact on my mental health, today, I am answering your questions about navigating mental health while struggling to become a parent. We touch on the anxiety of constant test results, dealing with jealousy of others’ pregnancies, finding a new support system and more.

While I can only speak to my own journey and experiences, I hope something can help you on your journey or make you feel less alone.

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

Follow Because Life: @becauselifewithsydel

Follow Me: @sydelcurrylee

Overcoming Unimaginable Grief Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

In today’s pod, Minaa B is back as a co-host to help guide a heavy but extremely important conversation with our incredible guest, Taffie. Taffie has dealt with struggles with her mental health for much of her life but her struggles became unimaginable when she lost her daughter to suicide. In today’s episode, Taffie joins Minaa and me to share her daughter’s story, dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to suicide, and what we can do to break the stigma.

Please be advised that today’s discussion does include the topic of suicide, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK [1-800-273-8255].

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

Follow Because Life: @becauselifewithsydel

Follow Sydel: @sydelcurrylee

Navigating Mental Health with Astrology (w/ The Pattern App Founder, Lisa Donovan) Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode, I am joined by the Founder of The Pattern App, Lisa Donovan, for an illuminating conversation about using Astrology as a tool to navigate your mental health. We talk about how her own mental health struggles sparked her introduction to Astrology and how the practices she learned from it helped her forge her way out of turmoil. We discuss finding and living in our purpose and how she created The Pattern App as a tool for users to help understand their own purpose and navigate their mental health. Plus, she reads me (for filth).

Thanks again to Lisa Donovan for joining me today. You can follow her at @motherofpatterns or check out the Pattern App at https://thepattern.com/

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

Follow Because Life: @becauselifewithsydel

Follow Sydel: @sydelcurrylee

Mental Health in our Education System: A Deep Dive into the Structural Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode, Dr. Ebony is back in the co-hosting seat fresh off of Austin Black Pride. We catch up on the current happenings in our lives now that the world is finally opening up, pregnancy news, and the miracle of modern medicine. Then, we are joined by a pioneering modern man, Ricky, for a conversation we have been waiting to have on the podcast: opening the conversation surrounding mental health among men and boys. We discuss Ricky’s experience navigating his mental health struggles in a culture that sweeps it under the rug and how it lead to his work in the mental health space. We dive into how we can better teach emotional literacy in our youth, especially boys, and how the lack of mental health in our education system impacts the rest of our society. It’s a eye-opening conversation about systematic and structural challenges with the role of mental health in our education system. We learned a lot and we hope you do too.

Because Life is a Dear Media Production in association with Scale Productions.

My Journey to Parenthood and the Mental Toll Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode, Sydel opens up about her long and taxing journey to parenthood and the mental health implications she faced along the way. She details her struggle to get pregnant naturally and the many, often taxing fertility treatments she and her husband explored to start their family together. Sydel opens up about her feelings of depression and hopelessness she fought facing consistent, bad news, navigating her mental health and relationship to her faith, and the importance of her support system. And finally, some hopeful news…

For information on mental health, learning how to help a loved one, developing coping skills and more, visit the Mental Health Coalition’s Resource Library at thementalhealthcoalition.org/resources.

In association with Scale Productions

Produced by Dear Media.

Giving Ourselves Permission Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

In this week’s episode, Sydel is joined by friend and licensed therapist and healing advocate, Tasha Bailey. The two speak with guest, Mariam who shares her long journey with depression that started when she was a teenager. Mariam has overcome many extremely difficult challenges and situations including being hospitalized after a family member recognized signs of suicidal thoughts. Her story is one that many can relate to and empathize with and recognizes the importance of a strong support system and continuing to prioritize your mental health even after recovery.

In association with Scale Productions

Produced by Dear Media.

Forgiveness vs. Acceptance Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode Sydel and licensed psychologist, Dr. Ebony Butler are joined by Lexie. Lexie’s journey with mental health struggles came to a head in the wake of losing her mother suddenly and a betrayal by her father shortly thereafter. They discuss the power of naming your feelings, the struggle between your faith and the religion you were raised in, and dealing with multiple forms of grief at the same time.

For information on mental health, learning how to help a loved one, developing coping skills and more, visit the Mental Health Coalition’s Resource Library at thementalhealthcoalition.org/resources.

In association with Scale Productions.

Produced by Dear Media.

I Am Deserving May 26, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s episode, Sydel is joined by friend and licensed therapist, Minaa B.! The two speak with Chantal from New York City, who has a story we can all likely relate to, especially over the last year. Chantal’s anxiety and depression peaked once the pandemic hit, and she felt an overwhelming amount of stress and inadequacy. Being a teacher, she was used to interacting with her students on a daily basis face to face. That reality was turned upside down, and she was forced to navigate virtual teaching. During the conversation, the women discuss overcoming feeling unproductive and “not good enough,” living with a partner during the pandemic, and then making the shift once again to reentering the world as things started to open up. Enjoy the conversation!

Produced by Dear Media.

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