Therapist Uncensored Podcast

Testimony is more than telling your story—it’s reclaiming the power to heal

Psychologist, scholar, and activist Dr. Makungu Akinyela explores Testimony Therapy, an African-centered approach that emphasizes storytelling, cultural identity, ancestral wisdom, and community connection. Alongside co-host Sue Marriott, they examine how colonialism and systemic oppression shape mental health, the power of oral traditions in healing, and why meaningful change requires moving beyond individual treatment toward collective healing and liberation.

“The story is not just one person’s story. It’s a shared story.” – Dr. Makungu Akinyela

Time Stamps for Beyond Western Psychology: Decolonizing Mental Health Through Testimony Therapy with Dr. Makungu Akinyela (313)

01:09 Dr. Akinyela’s background and activism

02:22 The influence of Western psychology and decolonial thought

03:56 Fanon, Du Bois, and the roots of testimony therapy

10:32 Testimony therapy and the question of cultural narratives

13:40 Double consciousness and the experience of Blackness

17:58 Colorism, internalized racism, and social trauma

21:28 Fanon’s zone of non-being and political realities

28:10 African-centered worldview and community healing

34:04 Orality, storytelling, and the power of testimony

42:53 Signification, rhythm, and body in oral traditions

48:41 Cultural practices and healing modalities

58:13 Decentering the therapist and collaborative healing

01:02:03 Global resistance and decolonial mental health movements

About our Guest – Dr. Makungu M. Akinyela 

Dr. Makungu M. Akinyela (Mah-koon-goo Ah-keen-yay-Lah) is a leading authority on cultural democracy, narrative practice, anti-racist resistance, and mental health. He is a licensed psychotherapist practicing in Atlanta, Georgia, and an Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Georgia State University. He is the creator of the African-centered approach to narrative practice called testimony therapy and the author of the book Testimony Therapy: Decolonizing Mental Health for Black Therapists and Clients, published by W.W. Norton. He is also the author of the book Culture, Politics, Spirituality and Practice: A book of resistance and critical theory for disturbing times, published by Dulwich Publications. As a scholar activist and a therapist. Dr. Akinyela is a lifelong committed social justice organizer with a focus on struggles for human rights and justice for Black people in the United States and the African diaspora. His research and writing include such subjects as cultural democracy and mental health care; cultural domination and therapeutic resistance; reparations and the role of mental health workers in repairing oppressive wounds; and African-centered family therapy. He is a Clinical Fellow and an Approved Supervisor of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Resources for Beyond Western Psychology: Decolonizing Mental Health Through Testimony Therapy with Dr. Makungu Akinyela (313)

Testimony Therapy: Decolonizing Mental Health for Black Therapists and Clients – Get your copy of Dr. Akinyela’s book

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Beyond Attachment Styles –

Deepening Security in Yourself and Fostering More Secure Relationships

Course available NOW – New LIVE Q&A Coming December 2026!

Everyone’s heard of attachment styles – but you likely don’t know how much the popular press gets wrong and what the science actually says about how to improve your relationships long term (including how we relate to ourselves).  This course is for anyone wanting to more deeply understand attachment (styles vs patterns), unconscious defense activation patterns, implicit scripts… and most importantly, what to do once you do get activated!  Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout.

Ready to dive deeper into Secure Relating? Grab the book or explore the course, and use code BAS15 for a limited-time listener discount.

Or read Marriott & Kelley’s critically-acclaimed book, Secure Relating: Holding Your Own in an Insecure World (HarperCollins,2023) for the most in-depth experience of learning about Secure Relating.

Therapists love it, but it’s accessible to everyone.  If you aren’t interested in the background science, just start at Part 2 and we will be talking directly to you – it’s fun!

Attention self-proclaimed Neuronerds!🚨

If you refer others to the pod, use it in your professional life or just love this stuff – you’re in the right place!

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What does self-worth really look like when we stop trying to be perfectly secure?

Dr. Ann Kelley talks with psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Marisa G. Franco about her new book, Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment. Dr. Franco challenges the idea that healing means becoming perfectly “secure,” arguing instead for becoming “secure-ish”—learning to acknowledge insecurity, shame, vulnerability, and other difficult emotions without judging or rejecting those parts of ourselves. She explores the difference between self-esteem and true self-worth, why some people struggle to receive love or positive feedback, and how our deeply held stories about ourselves can shape the relationships and experiences we seek out. The conversation also navigates into the science of memory and memory reconsolidation, including how past experiences can continue to influence our emotions and reactions even when we don’t consciously remember them.

“Being a steward of self-worth for self and for others is about allowing people to make mistakes and be imperfect.” – Dr. Marisa G. Franco

Time Stamps for Secure-ish: Rethinking Self-Worth & Attachment with Dr. Marisa G. Franco (312)

01:57 Why friendship matters more than we think

04:01 The problem with attachment styles as status symbols

08:00 Memory as the database of self-perception

13:58 The role of implicit and explicit memory

25:59 The role of body sensations in healing

31:59 Overcoming self-criticism and building resilience

36:07 The Science of Memory and Emotional Triggers

40:02 Addressing detachment and dissociation

47:57 Practical tools for lasting change

49:55 The Future of Self-Worth and Emotional Freedom

About our Guest – Dr. Marisa G. Franco

An enlightening psychologist, international speaker, and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Marisa G Franco is known for digesting and communicating science in ways that resonate deeply enough with people to change their lives. She works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends and Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like The New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. She speaks on belonging and self-worth at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities. For tips on friendship, you can follow her on Instagram (DrMarisaGFranco), or go to her website, www.DrMarisaGFranco.com, where you can take a quiz to assess your strengths and weaknesses as a friend & reach out for speaking engagements. Dr. Marisa G. Franco professor, speaker, and author of Platonic and the forthcoming Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment.  

Resources for Secure-ish: Rethinking Self-Worth & Attachment with Dr. Marisa G. Franco (312)

Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment – Marisa’s book, get your copy!

Dr. Franco’s LinkedIn – Profile

@DrMarisaGFranco – Instagram profile

Newsletter – Subscribe to receives yours

Website – Information, speaking engagements and more

Please support our sponsors – they keep our podcast free and accessible to all! 

SimplePractice is an all-in-one EHR that is HIPPA compliant, HITRUST certified and built specifically for therapists.

If you are ready to simplify the business side of your practice, now is a great time to try SimplePractice. Start with a 7-day free trial, then get 50% off your first three months. Just go to SimplePractice.com to claim the offer.

Beyond Attachment Styles –

Deepening Security in Yourself and Fostering More Secure Relationships

Course available NOW!

Everyone’s heard of attachment styles – but you likely don’t know how much the popular press gets wrong and what the science actually says about how to improve your relationships long term (including how we relate to ourselves).  This course is for anyone wanting to more deeply understand attachment (styles vs patterns), unconscious defense activation patterns, implicit scripts… and most importantly, what to do once you do get activated!  Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout.

Ready to dive deeper into Secure Relating? Grab the book or explore the course, and use code BAS15 for a limited-time listener discount.

Or read Marriott & Kelley’s critically-acclaimed book, Secure Relating: Holding Your Own in an Insecure World (HarperCollins,2023) for the most in-depth experience of learning about Secure Relating.

Therapists love it, but it’s accessible to everyone.  If you aren’t interested in the background science, just start at Part 2 and we will be talking directly to you – it’s fun!

Attention self-proclaimed Neuronerds!🚨

If you refer others to the pod, use it in your professional life or just love this stuff – you’re in the right place!

Your fellow Neuronerds are waiting – Join our exclusive community to get exclusive bonus content, early access to training opportunities, and an ad-free, private podcast feed. It’s this warm community that allows us to donate half of all corporate profits to mental health access for marginalized peoples.

Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!

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