What are some helpful tips for managing seasonal depression and grief during the holidays?

In the 100th episode of the podcast, Sarah hears from her listeners and shares their advice or words of encouragement for those who are struggling with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), seasonal depression, and grief during the holiday season. Special thanks to all who shared their responses!

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Thanks so much for listening and have a wonderful day!

What does it mean to be a "strong black woman" and how does this stereotype hinder mental wellness?

In this week's episode, Sarah explores the characteristics of the strong black woman stereotype and its effects on mental health, the historical origins of this archetype, how it shows up in various aspects of her life, and lessons that she's learned by dismantling the strong black woman persona.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

Articles used in this episode:

The Strong Black Woman Concept: Associated Demographic Characteristics and Perceived Stress Among Black Women - Lisa F. Platt and Sandy C. Fanning

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When Being Strong Hurts: Trauma and the Strong Black Woman Stereotype - Suzanne C. Swan

How can we learn how to thrive while managing invisible disabilities?

In this week's episode, Sarah is joined by special guest, Dr. Amee Shah.

Dr. Amee Shah is a trailblazer boldly navigating her professional life and her journey with epilepsy. I have a no holds barred approach to mental health advocacy that challenges the stigma that often surrounds invisible illnesses/mental health. My story is more then just about survival- it’s about thriving in the face of adversity.

Join these ladies as they discuss Amee's journey with managing epilepsy, lessons that she learned during her healing journey, how parents can support their children as they learn to manage epilepsy, and how to de-stigmatize epilepsy through education and raising awareness.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

More about Amee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthebindis/

How can music be beneficial in managing mental health conditions? In this week's episode, Sarah is joined by special guest, Brittney Smith.

Brittney Smith is the owner and principal music teacher at One in a Melody, a boutique music studio in Georgetown, TX. She teaches private piano, guitar, and ukulele lessons to kids ages 4-18 years old. When she’s not working, Brittney is engaging with her community through volunteer and networking events in the Austin area. Brittney is also a committed advocate for mental health and uses her bipolar diagnosis to share hope and light to world through her social media accounts.

Join these ladies as they discuss Brittney's journey in managing bipolar disorder, how music can help to create discipline and grounding for mental health management, Brittney's experiences as a music teacher, and lessons that she's learned in becoming a mental health advocate.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser.

Brittney’s Contacts:

Website: https://oneinamelody.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittneybenavidezsmith/

Today commemorates 3 years since Rough Edges was created and it feels so surreal!

In honor of the podcast's third anniversary, Sarah conducted a live recording to celebrate this milestone. Join Sarah as she discusses her motivation for podcasting, lessons that she's learned after 3 years of podcasting, and what's next for Rough Edges in the near future.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Thanks so much for listening and have a wonderful day!

How can we learn more about autism spectrum disorder in order to dismantle the stigma surrounding it?

In this week's episode, Sarah is joined by special guest, Sonia Chand.

Sonia Chand is a person on the autism spectrum. She is the host of a podcast called On the Spectrum with Sonia. On that podcast, she discusses mental health related topics, autism spectrum disorder, and inspirational stories. The purpose of the podcast is to leave the audience feeling inspired and connected. Sonia also has a memoir coming out in early 2025 called Dropped in the Maze. The memoir is about being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age 20.

Apart from being a podcast host and author, Sonia is an avid runner and featured on NBC. She also works as a psychotherapist by profession.

Join these ladies as they discuss Sonia's experiences with managing autism spectrum disorder, how we can learn to de-stigmatize autism through empathy and understanding, and helpful tips for managing autism spectrum disorder. Sonia also shares some takeaways from her upcoming memoir!

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Thanks so much for listening and have a wonderful day!

Sonia's contacts:

Website: https://soniakrishnachand.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chand_sonia/?hl=en

On the Spectrum Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mDTKqqgaswALC31UEruaY

Can faith & mental health work together to improve mental wellness?

In this week's episode, Sarah hears from her listeners and shares their thoughts about whether faith can be incorporated into mental health practices to improve a person's mental health journey.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Thanks so much for listening and have a wonderful day!

How does speaking kind declarations to ourselves help us manage mental health challenges?

In this week's episode, Sarah is joined by special guest, Vasavi Kumar.

Vasavi Kumar is a first-generation Indian immigrant raised on Long Island, NY. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19, she made it her mission to understand her mind, starting by making room to hear herself think.

Through her *Say It Out Loud* podcast, keynote talks, and group programs, Vasavi has taught thousands of entrepreneurs, creatives, and artists how to work through any situation—by saying it out loud. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Special Education from Hofstra University and Social Work from Columbia University. Her book, Say It Out Loud is published by New World Library.

Join these ladies as they discuss the creation of Vasavi's book, her journey with managing bipolar disorder, how her culture shaped her view of mental health and practical tips on how to speak more kindly to ourselves during mental health challenges.

If you want more updates on this podcast, please follow @rough.edges.podcast on Instagram or visit the podcast website at www.roughedgespodcast.com. If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com or leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Thanks so much for listening and have a wonderful day!

Vasavi's contacts:

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Say-Out-Loud-Thoughts-Courageously/dp/1608688267

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynameisvasavi/

Website: https://vasavikumar.com/