M.E.S.H.

What if the very wounds that drew you into helping others are also the ones quietly putting you at risk of burnout? On this thoughtful and deeply affirming episode of M.E.S.H., Dr. Pamela Brewer welcomes back Dr. Adam McCormick, professor of social work at St. Edward's University and author of Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma. 💛 Together they turn the familiar phrase "hurt people hurt people" on its head, exploring how so many caregivers, clinicians, and helpers were shaped by early adversity into people of remarkable kindness, compassion, and emotional intuition. Dr. McCormick shares his own story of growing up as his father's "social worker," unpacks why the same gifts that make us extraordinary at this work can leave us most vulnerable to compassion fatigue, and offers a hopeful path forward through self-awareness, supervision, and reconnecting with our authentic needs. This is an empowering conversation for anyone in a helping role who has ever wondered whether there's room in this work for them, too. 🌟 Topics Covered: Why healing professionals benefit from examining their own past Reframing "hurt people hurt people" as "hurt people help people" One-over and one-under adaptations from childhood trauma How emotional intuition becomes both a gift and a vulnerability The real reason self-care advice so often falls flat Supervision as a space for modeling and support Attachment versus authenticity in childhood Compassion fatigue and the two buckets of helping work Key takeaways: The wounds that shaped you can make you an exceptional, compassionate helper. Ask "what happened to me?" rather than "what's wrong with me?" You can't care for a self you've become disconnected from.. Sustainable caregiving means actively filling the bucket of compassion satisfaction. Learn more about our guest: Book: Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma (published through NASW Press) Weekly author newsletter on trauma-related topics (linked via LinkedIn) LinkedIn: Dr. Adam McCormick Dr. Adam McCormick is a professor of social work at St. Edward's University and an author, educator, and trauma-informed care trainer Resource List: Books mentioned: Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma by Dr. Adam McCormick Programs mentioned: Trauma-informed care training for communities and practitioners Organizations mentioned: St. Edward's University; NASW Press (National Association of Social Workers Press) patreon.com/meshjourney #HelpingProfessionals #Trauma #CompassionFatigue #WoundedHealer #SocialWork #MentalHealth #SelfAwareness #TraumaInformed #MESHPodcast #PamelaBrewer #AdamMcCormick #Burnout

What if a trip to the dentist is about far more than your teeth—about health, history, access, and who gets to see themselves reflected in the people who care for them? On this illuminating episode of M.E.S.H., Dr. Pamela Brewer welcomes Dr. Leo E. Rouse, Dean Emeritus of the Howard University College of Dentistry, the first African American president of the American Dental Education Association, and former commander of the Army Dental Command. 💛 With warmth and quiet authority, Dr. Rouse traces his path from a wax-carving third grader inspired by his family dentist to a 50-year career devoted to breaking paradigms and holding doors open for others. He makes a compelling case that oral health is total health, explains why representation in dentistry is a genuine concern when only 3.8% of U.S. dentists are African American, and shares the legacy captured in the book Undaunted Trailblazers. This is a rich, hopeful conversation about mentorship, legacy, and the truth that becoming a trailblazer means holding the door wide open for everyone who follows. 🌟 Topics Covered: Why representation in dentistry matters for a 14% population served by 3.8% of dentists The deep link between oral health and total body health Breaking the historical paradigm of mistrust in care Mentorship, role models, and seeing yourself in others A 28-year Army dentistry career devoted to equitable care The legacy of HBCUs like Howard University in training dentists The book Undaunted Trailblazers and the stories it preserves Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the professions Key takeaways: Oral health is total health—your mouth can reveal diseases throughout the body. Representation matters; seeing yourself reflected in a profession is powerful. Mentorship can plant a seed that grows into a lifelong calling. HBCUs remain vital to training clinicians, researchers, and leaders. Trailblazing means holding the door wide open, not just ajar. Learn more about our guest: Book: Undaunted Trailblazers 2: Contemporary Men of Color Shaping Oral Health (co-authored with Dr. Jean Sinkford, Dr. Keith Mays, and Dr. Todd Ester) Dr. Leo E. Rouse is Dean Emeritus of the Howard University College of Dentistry, the first African American president of the American Dental Education Association board of directors, past president of the American College of Dentists, and former commander of the Army Dental Command patreon.com/meshjourney Resource List: Books mentioned: Undaunted Trailblazers 2: Contemporary Men of Color Shaping Oral Health; the U.S. Surgeon General's report on oral health (2000), authored under Dr. David Satcher Organizations mentioned: Howard University College of Dentistry; Meharry Medical College; American Dental Education Association; American College of Dentists; U.S. Army Dental Command #OralHealth #Dentistry #Representation #HBCU #HowardUniversity #HealthEquity #Mentorship #Trailblazers #MESHPodcast #PamelaBrewer #LeoRouse #TotalHealth #DrLeoRouse #HBCU’S

What if fear didn't get to decide your next step—and resilience was simply a choice you could make again each morning? On this energizing episode of M.E.S.H., Dr. Pamela Brewer welcomes Michelle Kuei, founder of Elevate Life Coaching, for a conversation about courage, choice, and the quiet power of refusing to let expectations become your reality. 💛 Michelle shares the remarkable story of hiking 26 miles to the summit of Machu Picchu—on two crutches, at four feet four inches tall—and what that four-day journey taught her about belonging, possibility, and who she really is. Along the way, she offers her "Five C's" framework for building resilience, a practical reframing exercise anyone can try today, and a liberating truth: courage, like fear, is already inside you. This is a warm, galvanizing conversation for anyone who has ever felt too different, too afraid, or too anything to begin. 🌟 Topics Covered: How resilience begins with a single daily choice The Five C's: choice, commitment, courage, connection, confidence Lessons from hiking Machu Picchu on crutches Why fear and courage are both already within you Turning discomfort into useful information The role of accountability and community A simple reframing exercise for negative self-talk Moving from "comfortable" toward courageous Key takeaways: Resilience starts with recognizing the choices you make every single day. Courage isn't found outside you—it's already within, waiting to be cultivated. You can be fearful and courageous at the same time; fear doesn't have to decide. Discomfort is information, not a stop sign. Connection and accountability help you stick to the choices you make. You can reframe the story you tell yourself—one neutral or positive line at a time. Some questions I ask: What are your thoughts about how to overcome fear and build resilience? Can you tell us about hiking Machu Picchu on crutches? What did you learn about yourself at the end of that journey? Can you falter along the way, and what do you do then? You coach other coaches—help me understand that. Can you be courageous and fearful at the same time? What do you say to someone who feels too different, too old, or too afraid to begin? Learn more about our guest: Website: elevatelifecoaching.org (her story, her book, and her work as a marketing coach) Michelle Kuei is the founder of Elevate Life Coaching, a clinical pharmacist of over 20 years, an International Coach Federation–certified coach, author, speaker, and business and marketing coach for coaches Resource List: Books mentioned: Michelle Kuei's book (available via elevatelifecoaching.org) Programs mentioned: Elevate Life Coaching; business and marketing coaching for coaches patreon.com/meshjourney #Resilience #OvercomingFear #Courage #LifeCoaching #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #Confidence #Choice #MESHPodcast #PamelaBrewer #MichelleKuei #Empowerment #Dr.PamelaBrewer #Bravery

Show Notes What if the behavior we're quickest to punish is actually a wound asking to be understood? On this profound episode of M.E.S.H., Dr. Pamela Brewer welcomes Dr. Adam McCormick, a professor of social work at St. Edward's University, author, and facilitator of trauma and masculinity groups for boys and young men in the foster care and criminal legal systems. 💛 With deep compassion and clarity, Dr. McCormick reframes trauma not as the terrible things that happen to a young person, but as the wound left behind—and the stories a child constructs to make sense of it. He explains why boys so often push away the very connection they need to heal, how the most rigid institutions hold the most wounded young people, and why accountability and compassion can absolutely coexist. Through a striking story of a young man placed in 26 different foster homes, Dr. McCormick reveals both the depth of the harm and the profound hope at the center of his work: while we can't rewrite what happened, the meaning a young person makes of it is negotiable—and connection is what heals. This is a moving, illuminating conversation for parents, caregivers, helpers, and anyone who loves someone carrying old wounds. 🌟 Topics Covered: Understanding trauma as the wound, not just the event Why boys often can't access what they need to heal The stories traumatized children construct—and confirm How rigid, punitive systems deepen trauma Why boys are hungry, not reluctant, to open up Holding accountability and compassion together The brilliance of a child's survival adaptations Connection as the only true path to healing Key takeaways: Trauma is the meaning we make of the wound—not simply the event itself. Boys often push away the connection they most need to heal. The most punitive systems tend to hold the most traumatized young people. Accountability and compassion can, and should, coexist. Connection and relationship are the only true path to healing trauma. Learn more about our guest: Book: "Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma" Weekly author newsletter on trauma-related topics (linked via LinkedIn) LinkedIn: Dr. Adam McCormick https://www.stedwards.edu/directory/sociology-social-work/adam-mccormick Resource List: Books mentioned: "Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma" by Dr. Adam McCormick Programs mentioned: Trauma and masculinity groups for boys and young men in foster care and criminal legal systems Organizations mentioned: St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas #Trauma #TraumaInformed #Masculinity #FosterCare #Healing #MentalHealth #BoysAndTrauma #Connection #MESHPodcast #PamelaBrewer #DrAdamMcCormick #ChildhoodTrauma

What does it really mean to be on the autism spectrum—and how can we build a world that meets people where they are? In this warm and illuminating episode of M.E.S.H., Dr. Pamela Brewer welcomes Alisha Simpson-Watt, a social worker, board-certified behavior analyst, author, and founder of Collaborative ABA Services. 💛 Drawing on both her professional expertise and her experience as the parent of a child on the spectrum, Alisha helps us understand autism as it truly is: not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis, but a spectrum that looks different across individuals and across a lifespan. She walks us through what autism can look like in children and adults, why early support matters, and how to talk about a diagnosis with family members who may be reluctant to hear it. Throughout, Alisha offers a message of grace and hope—reminding parents that a diagnosis is not their fault, that inclusion means adjusting our world rather than the person, and that focusing on a child's strengths changes everything. This is a compassionate, myth-busting conversation for parents, partners, employers, and anyone who wants to understand the spectrum more deeply. 🌟 Topics Covered: What autism is, and why it's understood as a spectrum How autism can present in children versus adults Recognizing developmental milestones and early signs Releasing parental blame and self-judgment Talking about a diagnosis with reluctant family members The meaning and value of true inclusion Reasonable accommodations at work and school What current science says about causes and vaccines Key takeaways: Autism is a spectrum—it looks different across individuals and across a lifespan. A diagnosis is not a parent's fault; give yourself grace and seek support early. Focusing on a child's strengths and needs is more helpful than focusing on a label. True inclusion means adjusting our environment and expectations, not the person. Reasonable accommodations are often simple, and protected by law. There is no scientific evidence linking vaccines to autism. Some questions I ask: What does it mean to be autistic, or to be on the spectrum? What does struggling with changes in routine actually look like? Are there adults on the spectrum, and how might it present? How early can a child be diagnosed, and what should parents watch for? Is an autism diagnosis the parent's fault? How can parents explain the diagnosis to reluctant family members? What does inclusion really mean when working with children? Do vaccines cause autism? Learn more about our guest: Website: www.collaborativeabaservices.com Book: "It's Okay, Maddie: A Story About Autism, Big Feelings and Learning to Cope" (includes a resource guide for adult readers) YouTube: Collaborative ABA Services — the "Collab Talk" series Instagram: Leading With Alisha LinkedIn: Alisha Simpson-Watt #Autism #AutismAwareness #AutismSpectrum #Inclusion #Neurodiversity #ABA #ParentingSupport #SpecialNeeds #MESHPodcast #PamelaBrewer #AlishaSimpsonWatt #AutismAcceptance