**Show Intro: On the Couch with Dr. Diamond & Friends**

Welcome back to another powerful episode of *On the Couch with Dr. Diamond and Friends*, where real conversations meet real transformation. This week, we’re honored to welcome a special guest whose journey, wisdom, and leadership have been impacting lives across communities.Joining us on the couch is **Michael A. Wiggins**, widely known as *Coach Mike*—a Certified Coach, Trainer, and Speaker with the Maxwell Leadership Team, and the founder of Progressive Traditions Leadership and Coaching.

With over 25 years of experience in leadership development, coaching, and instructional design, Coach Mike brings a unique blend of insight, authenticity, and heart.He’s opening up about reinvention, resilience, and what it truly means to start over—especially when life pushes you into a new chapter you didn’t see coming. His story is powerful, his mission is inspiring, and his perspective is exactly what so many people need to hear right now.

So settle in, get comfortable, and join us for a conversation that promises to challenge, uplift, and empower. This is *On the Couch with Dr. Diamond and Friends*—and we’re just getting started.

“On this week's episode of "On the Couch", we’re unpacking something many people feel but rarely talk about openly—The Holiday Blues. While the season is marketed as joyful and magical, for a lot of folks it brings stress, loneliness, grief, and emotional exhaustion.

And that doesn’t make you weak, ungrateful, or ‘not in the spirit.’ It makes you human.”

Don’t forget to listen to our show on your favorite streaming platform-whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in. Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode so more voices can be heard and more stories can inspire.

“On today’s episode of On the Couch Podcast, we are honored to welcome Alicia S. Azahar. Alicia is an author, actress, model, poet, wife, and mother whose life and work embody resilience, faith, and purpose.

As the founder of *Uninterrupted Thoughts*, she has created a powerful platform that inspires healing and self-expression through poetry and storytelling. Her words have been featured in the Waco WordFest Anthology from 2022 to 2024, and she has graced stages at events such as WFAA Channel 8 and the American Heart Association’s Go Red Live.

Beyond her artistry, Alicia serves as a Community Partner at The Phoenix Academy, where she teaches Social and Emotional Intervention classes, using spoken word and journaling to empower youth to find strength in their stories and purpose in their pain. When she’s not creating or teaching,

Alicia finds joy in reading, working out, writing, and cherishing time with her family. Please join me in welcoming the inspiring Alicia S. Azahar to the conversation.”

Stephanie Strickland is not only an accomplished author and dynamite speaker, but also a fierce survivor of domestic violence. Her journey is one of resilience, transformation, and advocacy.

In this episode, we’ll explore the power of storytelling, the strength it takes to rise, and how Stephanie is using her platform to ignite change and empower others.So grab your coffee, settle in, and join us for a conversation that promises to inspire, challenge, and uplift.

**On The Couch Podcast — Special Episode Alert!** ** Saturday, September 20th @ 11AM EST**Join Dr. Diamond and her co-host for a vital conversation that centers truth, healing, and advocacy in Black health care.We’re welcoming back **Douglas Curry**, a passionate health educator and advocate, to unpack the realities of **Sickle Cell Anemia**—a condition that disproportionately affects African Americans.

He’ll break down the importance of **blood work**, what our blood reveals about our health, and why early detection can be life-saving.

We’re thrilled to welcome **Markia Ashley** to the couch for a powerful conversation centered on her latest book and the journey behind it.

**Meet Markia Ashley Moore** Author. Motivational Speaker. Actress. Hailing from New Brunswick, NJ, Markia is a dynamic voice for young women seeking purpose and healing.

Through her personal story of overcoming childhood adversity, embracing self-discovery, and walking boldly in faith, she inspires others to rise above their circumstances and step into their divine worth. Her message is clear: honor God daily, know your value, and chase your dreams with courage and conviction.

Don’t miss this transformative episode—where faith meets resilience and storytelling becomes a tool for empowerment.

On The Couch Podcast – Special Episode Alert

Join Dr. Diamond and her cohosts tomorrow for a powerful conversation unpacking the controversial remarks made by Jillian Michaels about slavery and race.

This episode dives deep into the impact of her statements and the broader harm they pose to African American communities—especially when historical truth is distorted under the guise of “balance.”But it doesn’t stop there.

We’ll also explore the troubling efforts to censor key artifacts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture—an attempt that threatens to erase the very stories that demand to be remembered.This isn’t just a discussion.

It’s a call to protect our legacy, challenge revisionist narratives, and center healing through truth. Pull up a seat. Let’s get uncomfortable—in the name of growth.

Good Evening OTC Followers, On The Couch is excited to sit on the couch with Marlon E. Curtis II @ 11am on 8/9. We are going to sit down with him and discuss his accomplishments as an author. Look for the notification when we go live on Facebook or You tube click on links:https://www.facebook.com/ccdrdiamond/http://www.youtube.com/@aprilpiercy10 Marlon is an author of "31 Reasons: Why You Should Bet On Yourself."