We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Martin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

The best insight I give all of my clients, whether organizations or individuals, is that the way that we work in this country is unhealthy. We center quantity over quality, metrics over people, and many are working in a constant state of urgency. This way of working can keep us stressed, isolated, and exhausted. It is the killer of creativity and innovation. Our toxic work culture is an equity and a trauma issue because it impacts and harms those with the least power the most. I help individuals to change their relationship to work, to broaden their sense of self worth and bring in more joy to their lives. I work with organizations to center people and authentic relationships to create healthier and more equitable spaces.

Lisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For generations my family has survived despite countless traumas and impacts of structural racism. I had a brilliant high school teacher who gave me context to understanding this and a place to process this history and its personal impact. I knew from a young age I wanted to be a psychologist and I knew that my capacity for healing work went beyond the therapy room. In college I majored in psychology but was voracious in learning and had nearly enough credits for three minors (I ended with two). I had poetry, photography, and anthropology professors that inspired me and believed in me. I went to a school small enough that I could take on leadership roles in anti-racism efforts and take risks. I had what seemed like a winding road after college but every thing I did continues to inform my work today – being a teacher, working on research, and working in an education based non-profit. Graduate school was tough, and I’ve come to know that the racism I experienced from some and the tremendous support from others is a very common experience for Black women in academia. I spent as much of my time in graduate school learning about clinical work as I did about racism with support of a couple of incredible mentors. Even today I am supported and inspired by mentors and colleagues, no one can make it alone. Today, I have found a way to craft a career that blends all of my passions. I have a private practice in New York and Florida where I work primarily with adult survivors of childhood trauma. I also provide trainings and consultation to organizations around the country. Through my consultation work I help organizations to have shared language and understanding around racism and trauma and find relational and structural ways to undo harm and build healthier and more equitable workplaces. I take time to build authentic relationships with my clients and I use humor, storytelling, and multiple sensory experiences to help folks connect, heal, and grow on a deeper level. I’m most proud that when I work with an organization I see change not only in the system itself but individuals and in the richness of relationships.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I am a first generation Black Jamaican woman. My family has survived a lot and part of our resilience is in being healers for many generations. I have inherited this gift and am proud to be in line with others before me. However, I have had to unlearn my family’s unhealthy relationship to work. Similar to the patterns in other immigrant families, my parents worked hard and all the time. I am in an active process of balancing my life so that work isn’t the center. This means setting firm boundaries with communication and time. This means that I make less money than I could be but I have more time for family, fun, exercise, and most importantly myself.

Any advice for managing a team?

My best advice for managers is to begin a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness helps you to slow down, feel grounded, and know yourself and your reactions on a deeper level. This is critical because an effective manager needs to be able to be present and listen non-defensively to the concerns of their staff and clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.healwithdrlisa.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-martin-phd-a03b735b/