Hi friends! The first three months of the year were very full and we are still trying to get back to some normalcy. We went to New York for my birthday again this year and I’m fighting off a bit of the morbs at not being there still. It was a wonderful trip and I got to see friends, shows, museums, and have a couple walks in Central Park. I’m a bit unnerved at just how happy I am in some of the pictures and this trip is going to have to sustain me until the next time. Also, I’m now an Andrew Lloyd Webber apologist apparently because the current interaction of CATS (CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL) is theatre-shaking and life-changing.

This week, an EEDA Pod Encore: How to Find a Therapist

Patricia and Nicole are off (from the podcast) this week so here is an encore of an earlier episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on finding a therapist. We cover what therapy is, why someone might seek it out, and the very real barriers — including cost, privilege, cultural stigma, and systemic biases — that make accessing mental health care difficult for many people. We walk through practical steps for finding a therapist and point listeners to further EEDA resources with additional directories, templates, and tips.

You can find our show, Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts. You can also support the show on Patreon, where we have some perks for paid subscribers with even more coming this year. You can also just make a recurring donation through subscribing to our Patreon, as our show is independently run and without ads. It helps keep us going!

Reminder that over on the EEDA Patreon, we do weekly accountability check-ins and quarterly goal check-ins for paid subscribers. Subscriptions start at $3!

Here’s what I’ve harvested for you this week:

Resource 1: National Association of Black Bookstores Directory

One of the things I appreciate about this directory is that they not only include brick and mortar shops, but also mobile shops, online shops, and pop-ups. You can also search by location, of course!

Resource 2: The Layoff Library via Freelance Opportunities

While the resources here are focused toward freelancing, there are some resources that are helpful for a variety of job-seekers. Why am I posting this in this newsletter? Because being out of work or not making enough money to get by can have huge negative effects on your mental health.

Bonus: The trick to getting the freshest rotisserie chicken at Costco

I hadn’t even considered this.

Essay: On Adding Friction