Episodes

  • Sex, Stigma & Communication: Breaking the Silence in Love & Intimacy

    Sex, Stigma & Communication: Breaking the Silence in Love & Intimacy
    Jul 4 2025
    In this powerful episode of Ask Nyomi: Bridging the Gap, host Nyomi Banks and co-host Dog Pound Mike Mike dive deep into one of the most taboo yet essential conversations: the stigma surrounding sex and how it affects communication in our most intimate relationships. From cultural conditioning to religious beliefs, we unpack:
    • Why so many people still struggle to talk openly about sex
    • The generational silence and shame passed down in relationships
    • How vulnerability can build trust and intimacy
    • Practical ways to start having honest conversations about pleasure, needs, and desires
    Nyomi shares personal stories, lessons from her own journey, and insights as a relationship and intimacy coach, offering real talk and healing strategies for anyone looking to elevate their love life and deepen connection. 🔥 Whether you're single, dating, or in a long-term relationship, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you show up, speak up, and love more authentically. 🧠 Ready to Elevate Your Communication & Connection?
    Download our free resources and join the Love & Mental Health Challenge starting this May! 📬 Share your thoughts or ask a question:
    Email: asknyomi@gmail.com | Subject: “Bridging The Gap” 🎧 Suggested Hashtags/Tags (for search & visibility):
    #SexAndStigma #AskNyomi #BridgingTheGapPodcast #RelationshipCommunication #SexualHealing #IntimacyMatters #BreakingSexualTaboos #VulnerabilityInRelationships #MentalHealthAndSex #TalkAboutSex #NyomiBanksLive #LoveWithoutShame #SexualEmpowerment #RelationshipCoaching #CulturalStigma #SafeSpacesForLove #OpenConversations #EmotionalIntimacy #ElevateLove #SelfLoveJourney

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Bridging the Gap: Understanding Identity and Gender with Ami Herrick

    Bridging the Gap: Understanding Identity and Gender with Ami Herrick
    Jun 24 2025
    Join host Nyomi Banks for a powerful and enlightening conversation with transgender author, podcaster, and activist Ami Herrick as we explore the universal journey of identity and gender expression.
    In this special Pride Month episode, we dive deep into:
    • The science behind sex vs. gender and why it matters for everyone
    • Ami's personal transformation journey at age 52 and the courage it took to live authentically
    • Breaking down myths and misconceptions about gender identity
    • Why understanding identity isn't just for the LGBTQ+ community - it's a human experience we all navigate
    • The power of storytelling in shifting perspectives and building empathy • Practical advice for anyone feeling trapped or questioning their identity

    Ami shares her motto "making transgender normal" and explains how gender expression is something every human develops throughout their lifetime. From discussing sports and societal barriers to celebrating the beauty of living authentically, this conversation will challenge assumptions and open hearts.

    Whether you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about the complexity of human identity, this episode offers valuable insights wrapped in compassion and understanding.

    Key Topics: Gender identity, transgender experience, authenticity, self-love, family relationships, societal acceptance, Pride Month
    Hashtags: #BridgingIdentity #PrideMonth #GenderIdentity #AskNyomiBTG #Authenticity #SelfLove #LGBTQ
    Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music/Audible, Castbox, Deezer, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, and JioSaavn.
    Remember: Always Keep It So Sexy (A.K.I.S.S) 💜


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • Behind the Curtain: A Candid Conversation with Former Porn Producer Vic Lagina

    Behind the Curtain: A Candid Conversation with Former Porn Producer Vic Lagina
    Jun 17 2025
    In this explosive, no-holds-barred episode of Ask Nyomi: Bridging the Gap, host Nyomi Banks and co-host Dog Pound Mike Mike sit down with legendary adult filmmaker and author Vic Lagina, whose new memoir Filthy pulls back the curtain on the raw, untold truths of the porn industry. From his days as a mainstream TV producer to directing for Brazzers and navigating the chaos of adult sets, Vic shares it all—addiction, industry politics, wild behind-the-scenes stories, and his personal rebirth after leaving porn. We explore:
    • His surprising entry into the adult world
    • How drugs, power, and burnout collided on set
    • What the public gets wrong about sex work and performers
    • The evolution of adult content from DVDs to OnlyFans
    • Why he wrote Filthy and what he hopes to change
    Plus, live callers ask bold questions, from roleplay taboos to the emotional toll of adult work. This is one of the most honest, eye-opening conversations about the business behind the fantasy. 🎧 Trigger warning: Contains real talk about mental health, substance use, and sexual content in the adult industry. 📚 Get Vic Lagina’s Book:
    📖 Filthy is available on Amazon and free to stream on Spotify as an audiobook narrated by Vic himself.
    Visit 👉 VicLagina.com for more info. 🧠 Join Us in every Thursday at 6PM PST—real talk, real healing, real love.
    💌 Want to share your story? Email: asknyomi@gmail.com (Subject: “May Series”) 🔖 SEO Tags:
    • #PornIndustryExposed
    • #BehindTheScenesOfAdultFilm


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 25 mins
  • Unmasking Loneliness & Redefining Fantasy: A Deep Dive with Pepper K

    Unmasking Loneliness & Redefining Fantasy: A Deep Dive with Pepper K
    Jun 2 2025
    In this bold and emotionally raw episode of Ask Nyomi: Bridging the Gap Live, we welcome the multi-dimensional Pepper K — former news producer turned adult entertainer and creator of Design Your Dream Girl. Together, we explore the hidden truths behind male loneliness, emotional connection through fantasy, and the healing power of adult intimacy. Host Nyomi Banks, co-host Dog Pound Mike Mike, and guest Pepper K dive deep into:
    • How the adult industry reveals unmet emotional needs in men
    • Why companionship, not sex, is often the true desire
    • The mental toll and emotional intelligence required for sex work
    • Overcoming shame, setting boundaries, and creating safe spaces for expression
    • What Design Your Dream Girl offers that mainstream platforms don’t
    Plus, Pepper K shares her journey of living a double life, confronting online backlash, and finding empowerment in vulnerability. Live audience callers ask hard-hitting questions about disability, abandonment, boundaries, and emotional attachment—creating a powerful community dialogue around empathy, sexuality, and acceptance. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the emotional layers behind sex work, the silent struggles of men, and the power of human connection. ✨ Stay tuned through the end for a special announcement about our upcoming Love & Mental Health Series kicking off in May — featuring therapists, coaches, and powerful guest stories every Thursday at 6 PM PST! 📍Connect with Pepper K:
    Visit DesignYourDreamGirl.com for one-on-one sessions, custom content, and all her platforms. 📬 Share Your Story or Join the May Series:
    Email: asknaomi@gmail.com | Subject: May Series 🎧 Hashtags for Visibility (Use on Spotify, Apple, YouTube & Social Media):
    #AskNyomi #BridgingTheGapPodcast #MaleLoneliness #FantasyAndConnection #AdultIndustryVoices #EmpathyInSexWork #DesignYourDreamGirl #PepperKLive #SexualHealing #EmotionalWellness #LonelinessInMen #NyomiBanks #RealConversations #IntimacyAndBoundaries #SpiritualSexuality #SexWorkIsWork #MenNeedLoveToo #DisabilityAndDating #BreakingStigmas #PodcastForHealing #SexPositive

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • Breaking Generational Barriers: Navigating Mental Health & Relationships

    Breaking Generational Barriers: Navigating Mental Health & Relationships
    May 27 2025

    In this deeply moving finale of our Love & Mental Health series, host Nyomi Banks is joined by renowned psychologist Dr. Lori Beth Bisbee and resident therapist Dr. Will Washington for a profound discussion on generational trauma, family dynamics, and the urgent need to normalize mental health conversations. Together, we explore how unspoken family wounds impact love, vulnerability, and emotional safety in relationships today. From inherited silence to identity confusion, from cultural stigma to algorithm-driven stress—this episode doesn't shy away from the hard truths. Plus, we read a powerful listener letter about fear, family history, and the courage to break the cycle before having children. 🔔 Subscribe now and turn on your notifications to never miss a live taping or replay!
    🧠 This series was created in partnership with Mental Health America. 100% of all donations go toward providing life-saving mental health resources. Support here: AskNyomi.com 📌 Don’t miss next week’s LIVE RECAP episode with Nyomi, Dr. Will, and Dogg Pound Mike Mike—where we take your questions and reflect on the entire 4-week journey. 🎧 Listen, Share, & Join the Movement!
    🧠 Healing is generational. Love is intentional. Let’s bridge the gap—together. 📌 Topics Covered:
    • Breaking generational silence around mental illness and trauma
    • Emotional safety, self-trust, and relationship healing
    • The impact of social media and misinformation on mental wellness
    • Reclaiming identity after inherited pain
    • Parenting after abuse: breaking the cycle for future generations

    #MentalHealthAwareness #GenerationalHealing #LoveAndMentalHealth #AskNyomi #BreakingGenerationalBarriers #DrLoriBethBisbee #DrWillWashington #PodcastCommunity #RelationshipHealing #TherapyTalk #EmotionalWellness #SelfLoveJourney #BlackMentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #HealingTogether #TraumaRecovery #BreakingTheCycle #FamilyHealing #MindHeartBalance #MentalHealthPodcast #ParentingAndHealing

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • “The Intersection of Mental Health and Relationships” with guest Alex Olosunde

    “The Intersection of Mental Health and Relationships” with guest Alex Olosunde
    May 19 2025
    In this deeply moving episode of Ask Nyomi: Bridging the Gap, host Nyomi Banks continues the Love & Mental Health series with a powerful discussion on the complex intersections between mental wellness and intimate relationships. Joining the conversation are Marriage & Family Therapist Alex Olosunde and Dr. Will Washington, our resident therapist, for an unfiltered dialogue on how untreated trauma, emotional fatigue, codependency, and societal expectations affect how we love—and how we heal. 🔥 Inspired by a listener's letter and a tragic real-life story shared during the show, this episode pulls no punches in asking the hard questions:
    • Can you truly love someone struggling with mental illness without losing yourself?
    • How do you support a partner who refuses help?
    • What role does trauma play in attachment and relationship sabotage?
    💔 From emotional exhaustion in partnerships to the often overlooked burden of caretaking a mentally unwell partner, this episode speaks to anyone who’s ever asked: Am I still lovable, even in my pain? 🧠 This is not just a podcast episode. It’s a call to action. A reminder that mental health is not a private struggle—it has public, generational consequences when left unacknowledged. 🎧 Whether you’re in a relationship, healing from one, or just trying to understand yourself better—this conversation is for you. 💡 Topics Covered:
    • The emotional cost of loving someone battling mental illness
    • Self-love vs. codependency in relationships
    • The role of trauma in communication breakdowns
    • Misdiagnosis, stigmas, and cultural silence
    • Supporting men’s emotional evolution in communities of color
    🌍 Visit: 💻 AskNyomi.com — Learn more, donate to our Mental Health Fundraiser, or grab limited edition Mind & Heart Merch.
    📩 Email your stories to: AskNyomi@gmail.com 🔗 Don’t forget to: ✔️ Like
    ✔️ Comment
    ✔️ Subscribe
    ✔️ Share with someone who needs this conversation. 🎧 Hashtags (for optimization): #LoveAndMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #RelationshipsMatter #BlackTherapists #AskNyomi #MentalHealthPodcast #SelfLoveJourney #EmotionalHealing #HealingThroughLove #TherapyTalks #CodependencyRecovery #MenAndMentalHealth #CulturalTrauma #MentalHealthInRelationships #FamilySystemsTherapy #DrWillWashington #AlexOlosunde #NyomiBanks #BridgingTheGapPodcast #MentalHealthSupport #TMSAwareness #EmotionalWellnessMatters

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Supporting a Partner with Mental Health Challenges

    Supporting a Partner with Mental Health Challenges
    May 12 2025

    How do you love someone through anxiety, depression, PTSD, or bipolar disorder—without losing yourself in the process? In this deeply moving second episode of the Love & Mental Health series, host Nyomi Banks welcomes marriage and family therapist Aqueelah Wheatley (Founder of Support Advice) and returning expert Dr. Will Washington to explore the emotional complexities of supporting a partner who is navigating mental health challenges. Inspired by letters from real listeners—including a powerful story from a veteran and a parent coping with a partner’s diagnosis—this episode dives into the emotional labor of caregiving, the fine line between support and enabling, setting loving boundaries, and raising children amidst a partner’s mental health crisis. 💬 Real Talk.
    💡 Actionable Strategies.
    💖 Soulful Healing.
    Whether you're currently in a relationship, a caregiver, or simply looking to understand love through the lens of mental wellness, this episode is for you. 👕 Support the Cause:
    Shop our Mind & Heart Collection or donate at AskNyomi.com – 100% of proceeds go to Mental Health America. 🎧 Listen, Learn, and Heal. Because when it comes to love and mental health—knowledge is power. 🔗 Guests Featured:
    • Dr. Will Washington – Health Psychologist & Founder, Washington Wellness Institute
    • Aqueelah Wheatley, MFT – Marriage & Family Therapist, Founder of Support Advice
    🛒 Support Mental Health Awareness Month
    💚 Donate: Give.Classy.org/loveandmentalhealth
    🛍️ Shop: AllNyomi.creator-spring.com
    📲 More: AskNyomi.com 📢 Subscribe + Follow Us:
    ✅ Apple | Spotify | iHeartRadio | YouTube
    📧 Share your story or question: AskNyomi@gmail.com 🔥 :
    #MentalHealthAwareness #LoveAndMentalHealth #AskNaomi #NaomiBanks #BTGCrew #CouplesTherapy #CaregivingAndMentalHealth #MentalHealthSupport #TherapyMatters #DrWillWashington #SupportAdvice #HealingJourney #BoundariesInRelationships #EmotionalWellness #DepressionSupport #PTSDInRelationships #BipolarDisorderAwareness #RelationshipAdvice #MentalHealthMatters #KeepItSexy #MindAndHeartChallenge

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • Love & Mental Health: Dating While Healing, Faith, and Finding Worth

    Love & Mental Health: Dating While Healing, Faith, and Finding Worth
    May 5 2025
    In this powerful kickoff to Ask Nyomi: Bridging the Gap’s Love & Mental Health series for Mental Health Awareness Month, host Nyomi Banks dives deep into what it really means to date while managing mental health challenges. Inspired by a heartfelt letter from a 42-year-old disabled veteran, this LIVE episode explores vulnerability, disclosure, and self-worth in modern relationships—especially when anxiety, PTSD, depression, or trauma are part of your story.

    Joining Nyomi are an incredible panel of experts:
    🧠 Dr. Will Washington, resident therapist and clinical psychologist, brings raw insight into disclosure, therapy stigma, and emotional safety.

    🙏🏽 Krista Nicole, faith-based coach and trauma-informed educator, shares wisdom on healing through faith, reclaiming identity after heartbreak, and dating with divine discernment.

    🎤 Dog Pound Mike Mike delivers real-world perspectives on love, honesty, and the challenges of navigating relationships in the era of constant online influence. This episode balances the clinical, spiritual, and cultural realities of dating while healing. It's bold, transparent, and soul-stirring. 🧩 Topics Include:
    • When (and how) to share your mental health story when dating
    • The difference between trauma bonding and authentic connection
    • Why therapy should be seen as strength, not shame
    • Faith-based healing after rejection and shame
    • Real talk on self-love, soul ties, discernment, and spiritual alignment
    • What dating in 2025 really looks like—and how to guard your peace
    🧠💞 100% of proceeds from the Mind & Heart Collection go to Mental Health America. Support healing. Wear your truth. ➤ AskNyomi.com

    🙋🏽‍♀️ Listener Call-In Prompt: What’s something you wish more people understood about dating while managing anxiety or depression?

    Drop your thoughts in the comments or DM @AskNyomi on IG!

    🎧 Tune in every Thursday at 6 PM PST for real talk that bridges love, truth, and mental wellness.

    📣 Hashtags for Optimization: #LoveAndMentalHealth #AskNyomiPodcast #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #BlackTherapistsMatter #DatingWhileHealing #TherapyIsHealing #SelfLoveJourney #FaithAndHealing #ChristianDating #EmotionalHealth #TraumaHealing #DatingWithAnxiety #DepressionAndLove #MentalHealthInRelationships #HealingThroughFaith #RelationshipAdvice #PTSDRecovery #AskNyomiLive #LivePodcast #MindAndHeartCollection #MentalWellnessMatters

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ask-nyomi-bridging-the-gap-podcast--5343726/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 25 mins