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https://www.blackenterprise.com/psychohairapy-therapist-hairdresser-hybrids/

Afiya Mbilishaka is a hairdresser who also happens to be a clinical psychologist, a role that many hairdressers (and barbers) have informally served, particularly in the Black community. Mbilishaka told Well And Good that what sparked her interest in exploring the connection was a bout of indecisiveness before she left for college. Her aunt encouraged her to do both, referring to Mbilishaka’s conflict between studying hair and psychology, and the result was her own company, PsychoHairapy. 

Mbilishaka says that Black women’s mental health can be assisted through conversations with hairdressers, telling Well And Good, “To engage Black women on a cultural level, mental health providers must acknowledge the significance of hair and make use of the existing social support of hairstylists, the natural helpers in the community.”

She earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was a full-time therapist at Columbia University. Then, she was a professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Mbilishaka is a natural hairstylist and partners with N Natural Hair Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Mbilishaka also explained the purpose of her company, saying, “The purpose (of) PsychoHairapy is to direct attention to treatment modalities that culturally and spiritually fit within the lives of Black women. To reach large numbers of this population, PsychoHairapy is centered on addressing the psychological needs of people who are often neglected by offering accessible options in the safe space of the hair salon.”

We need new strategies to address mental health…OR perhaps we need old strategies, repackaged for our use today! Check this article I wrote about one of my favs, Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka!

PsychoHairapy: Healing Through Hair https://t.co/X8XW1pdGCb via @PsychCentral

— jameta nicole barlow (aka dr. j) (@allaboutafya) February 26, 2022

Mbilishaka offers her students a 12-hour, skills-based training program that goes over the history of Black hair, how to see, understand, and empathize with mental illness signs, and how to respond to client concerns of the mental health variety. Mbilishaka says that the program is unique, often leading to breakthroughs once hairstylists realize how vital they are to their communities.

“Hairstylists who have taken the course have become emotional over realizing their work could have such a far-reaching impact,” Mbilishaka said. “There is no mental health training in cosmetology school. Therefore, hairstylists appreciate getting the language to process the emotions that come up in their chair. Hairstylists [also] love learning about the history of our hair in particular, and enjoy practicing techniques of…reframing some of the concerns coming up in their clients’ lives.”

Dr. Afiya Mangum Mbilishaka is a #BlackPsychologist & professor. She developed PsychoHairapy, a therapeutic approach based on over 10 yrs of research w/African diasporic women. Her work focuses on the relationship between hair care & self-care. #BlackHistoryMonth #citeblackwomen pic.twitter.com/gwK4ixWBPK

— Jonathan Mathias Lassiter (@lassiterhealth) February 9, 2020

This type of mental healthcare is not only growing in the U.S. but also in parts of Africa. Though not associated with Mbilishaka’s practice, Tele da Silveira is one of 150 women trained in mental healthcare in West and Central African cities. Hairdressers like da Silveira, who has a salon in Lomé, Togo’s capital, are being trained to ask open-ended questions to their clients during hairdressing sessions, identify signs of distress, and offer emotional support in areas where mental health counseling is scarce and expensive.

“People need attention in this world,” da Silveira told The New York Times. “They need to talk.”

This initiative aims to address the mental health gap in developing countries and has been particularly effective in West and Central Africa, where hair salons serve as community hubs.

RELATED CONTENT: Morace Landy’s Mission: Foster Lasting Careers And Holistic Wellness In The Music Industry

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2023/11/20/the-nerd-elements-holiday-gift-guide-for-2023/

I know it seems like the Christmas holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier every year, but let’s be honest: The sooner we can knock out getting those special items for our loved ones, the sooner we can go back to reading comics, or watching movies and TV, or whatever our preferred nerdy pursuits are.

We’re here to help you gear up for the holidays ahead of Black Friday to suggest some presents your fellow nerds may like. This list will grow as we get closer to the holidays, so check back periodically to see what else gets added!

Movies & TV on Blu-Ray/4KUltraHD/DVD

For the film and/or television buff in the family, Blu-Ray/4KUltraHD/DVDs are a good buy. In addition to never having to worry if your preferred streaming service removes the film/series you want to see from existence (because let’s face it–it’s happening far too often lately!), you get lots of extras, whether it’s director or cast commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes featurettes, or even exclusive posters! Okay, you also get a code for a digital copy, but that’s besides the point! Program your own festival in the comfort of your own home without having to worry if your wi-fi connection is strong! Here’s some ideas to get you gifting:

1. The Barbenheimer Bundle

Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)

Okay, this doesn’t actually exist, but there’s no stopping you from making your own! Treat yourself or a loved one to the best double feature of the summer. Our recommendation is to start with Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan’s triumphant film about the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy. The film traverses time as it shows a young Oppenheimer listening to the “music” in his head as he develops his theories, through the Manhattan Project and Trinity nuclear test and beyond. The implications for humanity were and continue to be devastating. Nolan doesn’t let anyone off the hook as he takes a deep dive into one of the most complex minds of our time.

Finish your Barbenheimer double feature with the bubbly Barbie, co-written and directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera as Barbie, Ken, and Gloria, respectively. Everything in Barbie Land is perfect until one day, Robbie’s Barbie starts thinking about death. One doll’s existential crisis leads to major changes and a journey of self-discovery. It’s fun, it’s weird, and it’s thoughtful. Beneath the shiny pink veneer beats a heart full of intelligence and emotion and horses. Yes, horses.

You can find Oppenheimer at the links here starting at $19.95 and up: https://watch.oppenheimermovie.com/ (click on “Disc” for physical media)  Bonus content includes: The Story of Our Time: The Making of Oppenheimer, Trailers, Innovations in Film: 65mm Black and White Film in Oppenheimer, 

Meet the Press Q&A Panel: Oppenheimer, and To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb.

You can find Barbie at the links here starting at $19.95 and up: https://www.barbie-themovie.com/ownitnow/ (scroll down for retailers that carry physical media). Bonus content includes It’s a Weird World, All-Star Barbie Party, Musical Make-Believe, Becoming Barbie, Welcome to Barbie Land, and Playing Dress-Up: An Extended Look at the Costumes of Barbie.

Make it a true gift bundle and add an “I am Kenough” T-shirt to the mix: https://creations.mattel.com/products/barbie-the-movie-i-am-kenough-unisex-shirt (or check Etsy, Tee Public, or one of numerous shirt outlets with their own Barbenheimer designs), or even a copy of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-prometheus-kai-bird/1008414292?ean=9780375726262

2. Blue Beetle

(DC/Warner Bros.)

Xolo Maridueña starts as Jaime Reyes, just your normal college graduate hoping to get a good job to help out his loving family. When an ancient scarab “chooses” him and transforms him into the Blue Beetle, Jaime’s life becomes chaotic and dangerous. Maridueña is completely charming as the reluctant superhero who has to navigate his new reality while protecting his family. The movie is big, brash, and full of humor and warmth. Plus some epic superhero fights! There’s also some very specific humor Latine audiences may love (especially if, like me, you had a Nana like Jaime’s). 

You can find Blue Beetle at the links here starting at $19.95 and up: https://www.dc.com/bluebeetle. Bonus content includes: Blue Beetle Generations: Origins, Blue Beetle Generations: Production Begins, Blue Beetle Generations: In Full Flight, Blue Beetle Generations: A Hero’s World, Scarab Vision: Episode 1: Initiation, Scarab Vision: Episode 2: Mastery, and Blue Beetle’s Nana Knows Best.

3. Rick and Morty – The Complete Seasons 1 – 6 

(Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment)

Seven seasons in and Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty” is still going strong. In advance of the new season, the first six seasons are collected on a nice box set for your favorite Rick, Morty, Summer, Beth, or yes, even Jerry. The six-disc set includes all 61 episodes and an extensive and impressive set of extras, plus an exclusive poster. Animation nerds will especially appreciate the animatics (including deleted scene animatics). The total viewing time tops out at a whopping 1,342 minutes of OOH! WEE! and a little wubba-lubba-dub-dub. NOTE: The extra features include uncensored content with mature themes and explicit and vulgar language.

The set is pricey ($114.99 retail for DVD and $124.99 for Blu-Ray), so for nerds on a budget, we recommend checking out sites such as DeepDiscount.

4. Succession: The Complete Series

(HBO)

HBO’s original series, Succession, gets the box set treatment. The 12-disc set includes all four seasons of Roy Family treachery, power, and avarice, and over two hours of special features that have appeared on the individual season sets. The series stars Brian Cox as Logan Roy, whose health issues trigger his four children into jockeying for position as the heir apparent to the Roy media and entertainment conglomerate. Succession won several awards, including multiple Emmy® awards for Outstanding Drama Series.

The set retails for $89.99. You can find the set on sale at DeepDiscount.

5. Other ideas: We highly recommend the Blu-Ray/DVDs of Venture Bros: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart and Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar (click the links to read our reviews of both films), as well as the DVD set of Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends.

Figures/Toys

For Godzilla fans, 2023 has brought many blessings, including the new Toho film, Godzilla: Minus One, and an Apple TV+ series, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” So what do you get the Godzilla fan who has everything? More Godzilla, of course! Head to the Godzilla store at https://godzilla.com/pages/store for your favorite kaiju collectibles. While there are plenty of items to choose from, we recommend shopping the exclusive collectibles straight from Japan (available for pickup in-store if you happen to live somewhere like Los Angeles where that’s possible, too). Our top picks:

1. The Movie Monster Series Hibiya Square Godzilla Statue ($20) from Bandai: https://godzilla.com/collections/exclusives/products/movie-monster-series-hibiya-godzilla-square-statue  Godzilla is fearsome and frozen and here to guard your square (until he thaws out!). Stands 170mm tall and comes with poseable arms and legs.

2. The Shin Godzilla Second Form Keychain ($8):

https://godzilla.com/collections/exclusives/products/godzilla-2016-second-form-key-ring  Known as Kamata-kun in Japan, Shin’s second form is a cute, viscera-spewing monstrosity with big soulful eyes. Made of PVC resin.

Themed Fun

Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans are also having a happy 2023, what with more MST3K in the Gizmoplex, MST3K and Rifftrax channels on Twitch, and 14th season of MST3K getting kickstarted. But wait, there’s more, and it’s at Dumb Industries, home of shows such as The Mads Strike Back, The Mary Jo Pehl Show, and new horror host Ichabod yelling at movies during The Witching Hour. Whether you’re signing up to watch live events with Q&As, or showing your pride with a swanky Dumb Industries t-shirt, you have plenty of choices for gifts. 

We recommend getting a Clubhouse subscription to The Mary Jo Pehl Show: 

https://dumb-industries.com/store/the-mary-jo-pehl-show  Known to many MSTies as Dr. Pearl Forrester and Magic Voice, Pehl is an accomplished writer, comedian, and actress. 

You can also pick up this awesome t-shirt and book bundle on sale for the Pehlie (Pehling? We fans have many names for ourselves!) in your life: https://dumb-industries.com/store/p/mary-jo-pehl-t-shirt-book-bundle The book, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb: My Mother’s Book Reviews, celebrates Mary Jo’s relationship with her mother and is a joy to read.

The post The Nerd Element’s Holiday Gift Guide for 2023 appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/rhonda-morrison-detroit-family-business/

Rhonda Morrison has developed the lessons she picked up from her father as a young woman and is carrying on with the family business. According to the Detroit Free Press, Morrison runs House of Morrison Shoe Repair, which was started by her father, the late Theodore Morrison in 1954. Morrison’s shop is part of the larger Avenue of Fashion, a section of Detroit encompassing the area between Clarita and 7 Mile Road.

As Morrison told the Detroit Free Press, “In this business corridor, we share a vision of being successful, and what we have figured out is that the best way for us all to be successful is to work together.”

Morrison’s vision includes her functioning as kind of a motherly figure, indicating her willingness to bring others together in times of conflict or confusion. Morrison says it comes from how she was raised, “Where there is confusion, I always try to find a solution. And sometimes all you have to do is just give a big ole hug,” Morrison continued, “That is what’s needed sometimes — just shut out all of that conflict and confusion and bring it to a hug. I do that because I was hugged all of my life growing up.”

Sevyn Jones, who owns Skin Bar VII, one of the establishments in the Avenue of Fashion, says that Morrison’s hugs often have the desired effect that Morrison intends for them, telling the Free Press, “Her (Morrison’s) hugs are infectious,” Jones said. “And if there is a problem, once that hug goes down, the problem is solved because the hug came from the Queen Mother.” 

Jones, who was instrumental in pushing for the activation of the Avenue of Fashion, told the Free Press in 2022 that she sees Morrison as a mentor in their tight-knit community, “I feel that a lot of time people use the word ‘mentor’ loosely, but the Queen Mother has demonstrated a long-term drive and spirit, along with a reality that hard work is required and that there are no shortcuts.”

Theodore Morrison also remains an important part of the fabric of House of Morrison Shoe Repair, according to his daughter Claudia Helton. Helton told the Free Press, “We talk about dad every day. He taught us that there is nothing too good for the customer and that you always give the customer the ultimate respect, and that concept has carried us through all different lines of life that we have been in.”

Helton added, “We keep all of our ancestors very close to us and we have shared what we have learned, which has helped to create a spirit of community in the Avenue of Fashion.” 

RELATED CONTENT: Detroit Black Business Alliance Speaks Out Against City Ordinance That May Affect Black Contractors

https://www.blackenterprise.com/unwrp-grand-marnier-hip-hop/

During this holiday season, the tradition of gift-giving embraces a whole new rhythm as UNWRP, a Black-owned gifting company, comes together with Grand Marnier. This collaboration is a celebration that resonates with the 50-year legacy of hip-hop. It marks a groundbreaking union, spearheaded by the creative fusion of artist Teezo Touchdown’s distinctive style and Grand Marnier’s tribute to the rhythmic spirit of hip-hop.

BLACK ENTERPRISE discovered the inspiration behind UNWRP.

Grand Marnier with UNWRP has designed a limited-edition line of (w)rapping paper, paying tribute to hip-hop’s half-century mark. Drawing inspiration from Touchdown’s artistic versatility, this paper becomes a canvas, chronicling the evolution of hip-hop through musical elements.

“UNWRP’s collaboration with Grand Marnier draws inspiration by the unique opportunity to celebrate 50 years of hip hop, the holiday season, and of course, Grand Marnier cocktails,” founder Ashley L. Fouyolle told BE.

The limited edition (w)rapping paper design draws inspiration from Teezo Touchdown’s style and the evolution of hip-hop over the decades.

“It features music listening devices and players that chronicle how music lovers have listened to hip-hop throughout its history and aims to capture the essence of hip-hop’s journey and the joy of gift giviing during the holiday season. The concept of the ‘Grand Encounter’”’ is reflected in the collaboration, echoing Grand Marnier’s history of blending unexpected elements, such as fine cognac and bitter orange liqueur, to create something extraordinary,” says Fouyolle.

Beyond visuals, Teezo curates the Grand Margarita holiday cocktail kit for Grand Marnier. 

Andrea Sengara, vice president of marketing for Campari U.S., noted in a press release, “Grand Marnier honors blending unexpected elements to create something extraordinary. Grand Marnier is once again honoring our storied history of blending unexpected elements to create something extraordinary.”

The Grand Margarita holiday cocktail kit is not merely a drink; it’s an experience that embodies the fusion of tastes and culture.

“Just like the unexpected encounter of orange liqueur and cognac coming together to create something grand, this collaboration with UNWRP and Teezo Touchdown to create an item that blends hip-hop, the holidays, and cocktails demonstrates the fun you can have when you bring together the unexpected,” shared Sengara. “Grand Marnier’s Grand Encounter speaks to me on many levels. As a former bartender, this collaboration is extra special to me.”

Committed to commemorate the history of hip-hop, Grand Marnier is donating to The Hip Hop Museum, set to open its doors within a housing community in the Bronx in 2025. Funds from Grand Marnier will support the museum’s research and curation of exhibits and collections.

The limited-edition UNWRP (W)rapping Paper + Cocktail Kit is available here.