Today I am sharing a beautifully organic and rich conversation I recorded with my dear friend Joanna Oliver last year. I didn’t think it would make it because the recording quality was so bad (I’ve learnt my lesson) even the professional that I reached out to couldn’t help me but I think I’ve done a good job of cleaning it up over the last couple of days.
The focus of this conversation is on Identity and reclaiming our identity, deciding for ourselves who we are and who we want to be in the face of others’ desires, projections, beliefs and expectations. Jo does a great job of exploring the intricacies and nuances of this using her lived experience as a black woman of mixed parenting as she unfolds, delayers, questions and comes back to who she is beyond conditioning, religion and race.
The timestamps below are prior to me adding the intro so are off by about 30 seconds but it gives you a good indicator of how fantastic the conversation is/was:
5:08 - The origin of conditioning as it relates to understanding and shaping our identity. Identity formation as projections, assimilation and core essence
12:34 - Navigating when other people struggle to accept how you see yourself
18:00 - The Ego’s role in regulating and strengthening our identity vs the popular notion that the ego is bad
23:30 - Learning to be reflexive as a way to counteract reactivity
25:00 - Creating space to BE by reconnecting to the rhythms of Life
33:00 - “Are you still a Christian?” and when people try to protect/warn you from alternative spiritual pathways
39:30 - Becoming Sick of yourself as a turning point towards congruence
40:10 - Being Courageous when it comes to walking out your Deconstruction/Deconditioning Journey
Thank you!
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About Joanna
A mum to three children, Joanna Oliver has a diverse professional background, including within universities, charities, social care and therapeutic communities. Having left school aged fifteen and qualifying as a Youth Worker, BA (Hons) in Advertising, Media and Marketing, Masters in Therapeutic Child Care, Masters in Education and Post Graduate qualification in Professional Supervision, Joanna’s work involves empowerment, enablement and promoting personal and social agency.
Joanna’s academic career led to giving talks at university conferences, including in Milan, Padua, Thessaloniki, Seville and the UK, a doctoral study related to collaborative working between statutory and independent sectors and a current doctoral study, related to experiences of black young men who are autistic, within the criminal justice system. In her various roles, Joanna undertakes ghost-writing, proofreading and editing books/copy/social media, delivers training, professional supervision and mentoring, mainly related to personal/professional growth and development, including in equality, diversity and inclusion and writing funding bids. Joanna has recently set up a community interest company, ‘Chameleon Collaborative’, which consolidates her professional expertise, to provide services for the good of individuals and community organisations.
Contact Joanna by Email - joliverconsultancy@hotmail.com
Websites - www.consultachameleon.com • www.consultachameleon.co.uk
Search Joanna Oliver – for Facebook and LinkedIn (and check pages/groups)
Search Consultachameleon – for Instagram and YouTube
EP09 Reclaiming your Identity and Living with Congruence with Joanna Oliver