Joi McGowan
Co-Host of Resilient Black WomenJoi McGowan is a licensed professional counselor with a rich educational background in psychology and mental health counseling. Her unwavering commitment to mental health support manifests in every aspect of her practice at Amani Counseling & Co,LLC. She has worked as a therapist for the last ten years. She is a mother of four and has been married to Dustin McGowan for 12 years.
With this podcast, Joi hopes to convey a message of empowerment and inspiration. The Resilient Black Women Podcast exists to demystify mental health for Black women, women of color and women everywhere. Meditation is one of her most supportive tools and breath work— she says, “Peace is always possible, as long as you have your breath and your body.”
You can learn more about Joi by visiting her website at amanicounselingnco.com and reading her blog from her website. Joi is also available for speaking engagements/professional training. Follow her on Instagram @amanicounseling_co
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Welcome back to our new segment called “Producer’s Corner”!In this episode our producer, Leah will interview Joi about how she got into therapy and why she continues to pursue her passion in the mental health and wellness community. -
Lakisha Bradley is no stranger to the podcast. She has been a consistent friend and community partner for us. We are excited to have her back! In this episode she shared her passion for art as it stems from both her father and her mother. She traces the early civil rights activism her father had as one of many Black children desegregating schools back in the day. As she reflects with Joi & Denshia it shows that the legacy of social activism started with her father and continues with her work now with MYTBYDESIGN. Lakisha Bradley, is finishing up her Master’s in Counseling and a Certification in Art Therapy. She is currently interning with Cartsen Counseling where she is able to offer free Art Therapy for the community. Lakisha reports how she wants to continue to offer therapy for free or at a discounted price once she is licensed. Lakisha shares with us her journey! We hope you all gain something from her! -
This episode is a reflection of what has happened since 11/5. Joi, Dr. Jordan and Dr. Silena share their reflections of the election. This episode is all about helping us find our way in during a Trump Presidency! We deal with issues of feminism versus womanism. Dr. Jordan reminds us all that we have permission to ALL of our FEELINGS. Dr. Silena reminds Black women to care for their WHOLE SELF. For the next four years, take care of you. Create when you can. And never give up hope.
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On this podcast, we often hear the Black woman’s perspective but we also want to listen to Black Men. In this episode, Deneshia and Joi want to pause to interview a Black man on how he has allowed his passion to fuel his healing journey.Nate Walls has been a pillar in the Northwest Arkansas community by using his career in the food industry to service people from all walks of life since 2017. He uses his catering business, SecondHand Smoke to bring healing and dignity to those who exist in underserved communities.Throughout this episode, Nate shares experiences about how he healed himself among/with Black Women despite the tension that exists in the Black community and how Black women encouraged him to seek support through therapy.We really hope you enjoy the message of resilience and hope that Nate shared with us!Find out more about Nate Walls by visiting his website. https://www.secondhandsmokenwa.co -
SPECIAL EPISODE FOR THE CULTURE: In this episode you hear Joi McGowan talking with special guests Dr. Silena Scott and Dr. Jordan Harris all things ELECTION! As we know this year is election year, tensions are high and yet this election is so monumental to have a Black woman running for president. We hope you can grab some tangible skills for how to manage emotions regarding the election. We also hope you can celebrate with us that a Black woman is running for president!Dr. Silena is the executive director of Hearts for Healing Therapeutic Services in NWA. A member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Dr. Scott works tirelessly to uphold Zeta’s tenant of being a “community-conscious, action-oriented minority leader!” Additionally, Dr. Scott remains deeply invested in nurturing the next generation of clinicians, enriching the field through her role in training aspiring therapists at John Brown University.Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S is the lead author of the book Deliberate Practice in Multicultural Therapy. Dr. Harris is also co-developer of the Private Practice Incubator, a coaching program teaching therapists how to leave community based work and start their own solo counseling practices. Dr. Harris runs a solo counseling practice (Harris Couples Counseling, Marriage Therapy, & Private Practice Coaching) in Northwest Arkansas where he specializes in working with couples. -
Deneshia and Joi had a chance to sit down with Na’Tosha Devon to talk about her way of finding healing through the arts. She reminds us that our resilience is not just about out strength. She asserts that our resilience has a lot more to do with our ability to be vulnerable and deeply connected. Na’Tosha shares ways that the arts have been healing for her. Na’Tosha discusses how she navigates telling the messiness of the middle, triumph of our stories, and the softness of who we are and who we get to be as Black women. You can learn more about what Na”Tosha is doing by visiting her website: https://www.natoshadevon.org/aboutLet us know what you are taking away from this episode! Na’Tosha has two poetry books out that you can purchase if you want to support her work at https://www.natoshadevon.org/category/all-products -
The podcast “Resilient Black Women” is a space for reimagining mental health access for communities of color. Hosted by Joi McGowan and Deneshia Simpson, the series is in its fifth season and has begun a recurring segment called “Producer’s Corner.” In this part of each episode, show producer and multimedia artist Leah Grant brings a question or topic to discuss. In this excerpt from this month’s episode, Leah and Joi talk about how to implement care while navigating certain attachment styles. -
On today's show, assessing gender equity with the the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. Also, work begins to restore the Carnegie Library building in Fort Smith. Plus, April Wallace gives us local events for your weekend. -
Our Producer Leah Grant is an artist in her own right. Leah is a passionate artist based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, who brings a personal touch to her craft. She graduated with her MFA in Studio Art from the University of Arkansas’ School of Art program in 2021 and her BFA from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 2016. Leah’s art practice is all about building intimacy in public spaces by incorporating reflective thought processes in mediums such as print, photo, audio, and writing.This season she graces us with her presence in our new segment called “Producer’s Corner” , where Leah bring’s a topic or question she has about mental health. In today’s episode, We talk about how you can implement care with each other while navigating our attachment styles,managing expectations on assigned roles, and giving yourself permission to show up “messy”.We hope you love this one! Let us know your thoughts!
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Larissa Ramey is a multi-disciplinary maker, entrepreneur, and arts organizer. Deneshia & Joi invited Larissa for a conversation on the intersection of art and mental health. Larissa, shares her unique perspective within her own healing journey, motherhood, and the development of her artistry. We hope this episode leaves you feeling INSPIRED! Tell us what you think in the comments!
