After 4 months sober, Mary joins Tarek in sharing her testimony of addiction to alcohol, diving into the false validation it previously provided her. Creating a safe space and emphasizing radical grace, Tarek helps Mary connect with her inner child to evaluate what she needs and how Mary can now be the one to provide for her. Mary experiences a range of emotions in the episode from anger to heartbreak to shame, but Tarek reminds her that it is through her experiences that she is qualified to heal others and how forgiveness is crucial to the journey towards peace.00:00 - 10:15 Sobriety - An Internal break from the Past10:15 The First Sip to a Culture of Drinking 12:50 Alcohol was the Bridge19:08 Fulfilling the Needs of Our Inner Child27:04 The Exhausting Process of Healing35:34 Conscious Change for an Ideal Life39:39 Radical Grace46:50 Experience is Qualification, Accepting the Struggle, & Forgiving Yourself55:15 Addicted to the Escape1:04:04 Life Cleanse - Experiencing Everything for the First Time Again1:13:38 Making Space for Sobriety to be Unenjoyable1:20:12 Celebrating the Journey

After suddenly disappearing from the podcast for 6 months, Tarek returns with a powerful episode full of radical transparency and vulnerability like he never left. In this episode, Tarek takes us on the journey of what caused him to hit rock bottom when he thought he was on top of the world, a shocking diagnosis from his psychiatrist, navigating new medication, and everything he has learned about himself and anxiety in the process.This episode will give you insight into the process of starting a new medication for your mental health, how to identify and manage your own anxiety and/or depression, and encourage you to allow more support in your life from family, friends, and more. 0:00-10:06 Too Much Trauma — stressors that got me here10:06 Overcompensating, Avoiding Depression, Toxic Positivity, Sacrifice15:42 The Evaluation18:40 The Diagnosis20:36 Fear of Starting Medicine, Self Shaming, Not Deserving Help23:15 Changing Perspective of Medicine, Fighting Stigma30:12 No Time to Live, Only Time to Cope38:35 Healing with my Dad42:40 Keep Trying. Keep Trying. Keep Trying.44:20 Identifying Anxiety.50:00 Not a Cure52:14 Normalizing Anxiety1:00:00 0 to 100...mg? Self Shame, Giving Anxiety a Voice1:04:00 Affirmations, Motivation, & Encouragement

In one of his most transparent episodes to date, Tarek revisits the traumatic events that led him to uncover his own self-hatred and the harm it was causing to others. From vulnerable conversations with his best friends that went left, to colorist tweets from grade school that resurfaced online in 2020, he shares how all of these experiences were just stepping stones to him learning how to love himself more. Aside from his powerful storytelling, this episode will provide you with the tools to help you reflect on your own (hidden) beliefs that may be keeping you from loving yourself to the fullest. 

In this episode, Tarek offers a new mindset that will help you see the light in your dark times. Not just after the storm, but while it's happening.  He uses examples from his own journey and gives you the tools needed to allow yourself to not be ok, and see how the storm you're in is needed for what's next. So that the next time a storm comes,  you'll allow yourself feel and to not be ok while also showing up to your higher self and staying in a position for growth. 

Depression and anxiety are much more than just feelings of sadness. They are changes in behavior that make you act out of character and turn to others for the validation you should be giving to yourself. In this episode, Tarek reveals the therapist-approved method he uses to nurture himself back to health when he was close to burnout. Including tools and methods he came up with to use when feeling triggered by unmet childhood needs. Because we are human. We get depressed. But it is the process of climbing out and loving ourselves that helps us suffer less and grow more.Please like, rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast.Tarek Reveals:After Fashion Week, Tarek realized he was getting close to burnout.Meditating with the Daily Calm app and journaling relieved some of Tarek’s anxiety but he realized he was going through depression.Tarek acted out of character so he knew he needed to better understand his behavior.Dating apps feel like a necessary evil to Tarek but they also provide him with validation.In NY, people didn’t see Tarek for who he wanted to be seen as.12-year-old Tarek is still crying about his unmet childhood needs.  Tarek’s family felt love through eating soul food together. When he wants to feel comfort, he eats.Self-care is a way Tarek validates himself but not caring for himself is an outward expression of his internal depression.Identifying your needs helps you embrace better methods.Tarek shares the method he uses to remind himself of when he wants to validate himself.Care enough about yourself to put in the work. It is worth it!Join the community!:THAT Convo Pod@thatconvopod on InstagramConnect with Tarek:@itstarekali on Instagram@itstarekali on TwitterTarek Ali on YouTube@itstarekali on TikTok