In this powerful episode, Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross speaks with pioneer in addiction and trauma recovery, Dr. Claudia Black. The discussion centers on the deep, interconnected issues of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic shame, and the urgent need for a complex approach to healing addiction and mental illness. They explore how early life trauma fuels destructive adult behaviors, the necessity of treating trauma alongside addiction, and the escalating crisis facing youth due to the pervasive negative impacts of social media and overprotective parenting. Dr. Black shares insights from her latest book, Undaunted Hope, offering a roadmap for true transformation.

Guest Links:

https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaBlackPhD

Dr Carolyn's Links

www.CarolynRossMD.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-c-7b81176/

TEDxPleasantGrove talk: https://youtu.be/ljdFLCc3RtM

To buy "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies" - bit.ly/3ZuSp1T

In this powerful episode of the Inclusive Minds Podcast, Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross speaks with liberation psychotherapist Liana Maneese about her personal and professional journey. Liana, a transracially adopted Afro-Brazilian and Black American woman, shares her "origin story" and the deeply personal impact of anti-Blackness within her own family and most intimate relationships.

The conversation explores how racism doesn't disappear in the presence of love and family. It instead manifests as an "unseen hurt," with microaggressions, unexamined biases, and a defensive lack of awareness from those we are closest to. Liana introduces the concept of undoing, a lifelong process of decolonizing our minds and rejecting the white supremacist ideas that are so deeply ingrained in society—and ourselves.

She emphasizes that true healing requires more than just calling out racism in public; it demands we confront it in private, and a liberation-focused therapy offers the tools to do this. Liana's lived experience highlights the critical responsibility of therapists to create a space where these difficult, painful truths can finally be seen, heard, and healed.

Guest Bio: Liana Maneese is a liberation psychotherapist and identity navigation specialist. She is the founder of Transitional Characters, a Pittsburgh-based liberation-focused practice, and is a member of the #NotWhite Collective. Her chapter in the book Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies is titled "Interracial Relationships: How Anti-Blackness Informs Kinship and Therapist Responsibility."

Guest Links:

@transitionalcharacters (instagram)

Dr Carolyn's Links

www.CarolynRossMD.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-c-7b81176/

TEDxPleasantGrove talk: https://youtu.be/ljdFLCc3RtM

To buy “Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies” - bit.ly/3ZuSp1T

Is our identity only about what people see on the outside? In this powerful and personal conversation, I welcome psychotherapist Meyleen Velasquez, one of the incredible authors from the book that inspired this podcast. Meyleen shares her journey as a Latinx immigrant and how her experience with vitiligo, a condition that affects skin pigmentation, has given her a unique perspective on how the world perceives race and how we define ourselves.

We explore the complex and often harmful idea of "colorblindness" within Latinx communities, discuss the life-threatening impact of medical racism on Black and Brown mothers, and learn about a practice called "critical self-reflection" that can help us all uncover our hidden biases. This episode is a moving exploration of what it means to carry your identity on the inside, regardless of how the world sees you on the outside.

Meyleen Velasquez, DSW, is an immigrant Latinx psychotherapist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. She focused her doctoral research on anti-racist and anti-oppressive mental health services and works to support birthing people and providers from an anti-oppressive framework. She is a contributing author to the book, Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• Meyleen’s personal story of living with vitiligo and how it has shaped her experience of her Latinx identity.
• The concept of mestizaje (the idea that all Latinx people are "mixed") and how it can unfortunately erase the identities of Black and Indigenous people.
• The power of "critical self-reflection" as a tool to better understand our own values, beliefs, and biases.

Connect with Our Guest

https://www.youtube.com/c/meyleenvelasquez

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyleen-velasquez-5b780985/ https://www.instagram.com/meyleenvelasquez/

Follow the Host

www.CarolynRossMD.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-c-7b81176/

TEDxPleasantGrove talk: https://youtu.be/ljdFLCc3RtM

To buy “Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies” - bit.ly/3ZuSp1T

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