Episode 139: The Impact of Racial Trauma and The Power of Speaking Up [featuring Dominique Pritchett]

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Transcript

PATRICK CASALE: Hey, everyone. You are listening to another episode of the All Things Private Practice podcast. I'm your host Patrick Casale. I'm joined today by my friend and colleague, Dr. Dominique Pritchett. She's a motivational speaker, keynote speaker, like speaker extraordinaire, speaker coach, the owner and founder of the Space for Sistas. I don't know what your therapy practice is called in Wisconsin, Dominique.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Beloved Wellness Center.

PATRICK CASALE: Beloved Wellness Center, that too, a therapist, but an upcoming retreat host in South Africa in October. We're going to talk a little bit about that today. I'm butchering this introduction for this incredible woman because I am super sick while we're doing this recording. So, I'm just going to name that now.

But this is really important because we wanted to talk about the event that you're going to be hosting. But more importantly, we want to talk about some recent experiences that you have actually had, and sharing that with the world, and there's been a lot of buildup.

So, Dominique, if I missed anything in your bio please fill in the cracks. And also, just welcome back to the podcast you've been on before. And always love talking to you.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Thank you. Thank you. You know I'm going to give you a pass on destroying my bio because, like you said, you're sick, and I empathize with you.

And so, he gave me a few extra things. But for those of you who don't know me, my name is Dr. Dominique Pritchett. One thing about me is I'm born to challenge the status quo. I partner with organizations to elevate their people so they can prioritize their mental wellness.

So, I am the founder and owner of Beloved Wellness Center, founder and podcast host of Space for Sistas. And my newest endeavor, I'm the founder of Speak to the Soul. So, at Speak to the Soul, I work with mental health and wellness professionals on business solutions so that they can ignite the opportunities that they desire to serve deeper and add paid speaking into their business.

A few other things about me is I volunteer on a boatload of committees, organizations. I'm a member of NASW, APA, and Delta Sigma Theta. I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology, master's in clinical social work, as well as my bachelor's. And I've been featured on BBC London, Shondaland, Women's Health magazine, New York Times, and so many more.

So, you forgot a few things, Patrick, but it's cool.

PATRICK CASALE: You know, that's the first time I've had someone on who's, like, excited to share their accolades. And I give you a lot of credit for that because you are one of those people where I'm like, "She's really out there doing the thing and, like, leading by example."

Usually, when I read bios you can see people are cringing. They're like, "I don't like being talked about." Tell me why it's so important to talk about all of these accomplishments and to take pride in them.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely. If you don't talk about them and celebrate yourself, many times people won't. And as a professional speaker, when I turn speaking from a hobby, like, "Oh, I love to speak." Into it being a primary revenue source and a primary way to expand my impact on people, I need to tell my wins, my story because that in turn keep the referral cycle, that in turn builds partnerships and relationships.

And here's the thing, if you follow me on socials, you don't pretty know nonsense when it comes to advocating for folk's mental health. But if you don't tell your story and brag on yourself a little bit, no one is going to know you. You are going to be the best-kept secret.

My goal is to work with a lot more ease and have my name spoken in rooms when I'm not there. But if you don't know anything about me, and I say that with excitement, you're not going to bring my name up.

PATRICK CASALE: That's so true. I'm like taking some of that in for myself. Like, maybe I should start being more prideful in some of the stuff that I've accomplished.

Other things we left out of your bio is that you are the keynote speaker for the Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway summit that we're hosting in Italy. You're speaking in Ireland, Scotland, Spain, with us and all the things.

So, listen, you all, if you are looking for a speaker or a speaker coach, Dominique is the person. You're the person that anytime someone mentions speaking, how to get paid speaking gigs, how to fine-tune a proposal, how to, like, really work with these partnerships, you are the first name that comes out of my mouth in rooms that you're not always in or a part of because you are so talented. And I've done one-on-one with you before, and I'm just, like, blown away every time I leave that setting. So, I really want to say that and just highlight that.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Thank you. Oh, see, that's what I've been working towards. So, Patrick, thank you so much for that. And here's the thing, because I took that leap of faith and just, you know, putting it out there, people who are on your social medias, if they get annoyed with you celebrating yourself, you need to reevaluate those relationships. But I imagine if I don't share those things Patrick would not be able to do that confidently on my behalf.

And one thing about me is I value building meaningful relationships and partnerships. But I have to stand on what I know to be true and this is what I know.

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah, yeah. That makes a lot of sense. And I think that that comes across in every interaction that people have with you. So, job well done there.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Yeah.

PATRICK CASALE: We're going to get to the event that you're going to be hosting this October in South Africa. Because, you know, I said it to you, I would sign up in a heartbeat. But I told my wife, like, "I want to go to this event, but I think the first time we go to Africa it needs to be together and not a work trip."

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: But your girl's not about to get me. No, no, I'm not getting in the middle.

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah, Arielle, she wouldn't have that. So, that's first and foremost. I think the event looks spectacular. We'll talk about that. We'll talk about the creation and why it feels important.

But, you know, you and I were talking before we started recording, you've been very public about some of the experiences that you and your family have had recently out in the community that have been really racially charged and racially driven. And I know you wanted to talk about that a little bit first before we dive into some of the other stuff too.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Yeah, yeah. So, recently, I live in Wisconsin. And it is a very complex state as it relates to racism and all the isms that plague the people we serve, as well as many of our lives. And I don't think there's any secret about that. And you know, with every state, every community you have your pockets where people are progressive and thriving.

So, last week, I was coming from a conference up north, with an F, as we call it. What is with an F you mean? It's way up there. And so being at that conference, being one of few black people, it was eye-opening. Again, and I want to talk a little bit about why I didn't fall apart because of that, and how I leveraged that because you can't help but notice me if I'm one of few.

And so, then I come back home, and I'm headed to a dinner to support my friend at an event they're putting on. And I get out of my car and I hear, "You better watch yourself nigga." I'm going to say the word. I'm not going to make it pretty. I'm not going to use any bleeps because that's because that's what was said to me.

And so, I'm sure you can imagine I'm like, "Whoa, whoa! You didn't see that coming." And here's the thing, I am a black person, but I'm on the brighter end of the spectrum. And I acknowledge and recognize a lot of the privileges I have, colorism, the texture of my hair, my eyes are green, and all the things that I have been able to naturally use. But in that moment, I was a black person that someone saw and wanted to hurt.

Then fast forward, a few days later, my phone rings at 2:30 AM and I was like, "This better be an emergency because my phone's on Do Not Disturb. But people know if it's an emergency, call me twice.

And so, my sister calls and says, "I'm not okay." And I said, "What happened?" And she said, "We were just assaulted by the police." And so, four words that really plague the black community is you fit the description.

And so, her partner, her boyfriend, at the time, fit the description of someone whom they were looking for. Mind you, they just got off the highway, came into town. And, you know, this isn't a sundown community, meaning that we are not unsafe when the sun goes down, but experiences like that makes you think you are.

And so, going through that, and, you know, experiencing secondary trauma from her being assaulted, her partner being assaulted, and her children witnessing that trauma is, I'm still holding it today. And it's been a few days since I've gone outside because, you know, I had to contain myself.

I shared this story with you because we are avid kids. We fight the good fights. We cause good professional trouble, but when it hits home to you, it does something different.

And so, Patrick my experiences in my life I share because I know someone else can relate to them, but also this continues to give me my spark to speak up. That is the name of our retreat, the Spark to Speak.

And so, going back to sharing your wins, sharing your story, use your life experiences to give you clarity on what do you speak about? How do you speak on it? And who do you speak for? I know I need to heal before I take it to a stage, but it just continues to add value to my resilience and why I'm not going to stop talking and advocating for folks who are disenfranchised.

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah, absolutely. And I appreciate you sharing that on here too because I know you've kind of been public on your Facebook. I think when we take it to, you know, other platforms it's like we really need to make sure that people know this stuff is still happening.

Because I think if you look like me, you don't really have to go through life at any time, in any setting, and be concerned for safety. I'm always hyper-focused on, like, my wife's safety. I'm always, like, scanning the room. And I'm always very aware of, like, wow, she's the only black person in the bar, restaurant, places that we're at. Like, this is so strange for such a "progressive" city, which is problematic in itself.

But the fact that you're mentioning the NAMI, the situation in northern Wisconsin. And I know you've talked before about, like, examining business' values and then pitching them based on their values.

So, if you notice, like, let's just take NAMI because I think most people listening know what NAMI is. What is it? The National Alliance on Mental Illness. I'm just trying to make sure I get the acronym right. But if we would have to assume, right? That value of NAMI would be like, inclusion, diversity and inclusion, education, awareness, inclusivity. So, if you go to conferences and you're one of four people of color that, like, really shines and illuminates that perspective of like, how are we ensuring that all people feel included, or safe, or protected, or have education and awareness brought to them for their communities, for mental health and education?

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely. It definitely was an opportunity to take in what was happening. You know, always, you know, we're investigators, we're assessors. So, I'm assessing, I'm asking questions.

And you know, one thing I learned, it was in the middle of Wisconsin because it was at, I think they called it like the mid-state convention center. So, no matter which point of Wisconsin you drive from, it's likely three to four hours inward. And so that was good for me to know. However, when we look at fairness and things like equality and equity, it may require other people to drive a little bit further for other people to feel safe to show up. That three might need to go into about four and a half.

And so, I did a lot of assessing, a lot of just networking. And I used to be afraid, or I used to be angry about being one or a few, or the only person in a room. But like you said, you know, I'll go back and say, you know, I observed this. How can I partner with you so that we can eradicate the impact that I had so other people don't have to experience it?

And so, when you find yourself in environments take it in because you never know what might be your next breakthrough as a speaker, as a long-term partnership.

And here's the thing, what we know about NAMI is that they desire those things. What is getting in the way?

PATRICK CASALE: Right. When you bring this stuff up to executives, to partners, to boardrooms, etc., what's the response typically like when you're like, "Hey, this is just an observation, how can we eradicate this?"

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Well, first, it's all in my approach, in my delivery because folks don't like to be called out for things like that. I can't imagine they're pleasant. And what do we get? Well, we intended to or we desire to.

I need you to be a little uncomfortable with this first of all. And so, it's all in your approach and your delivery. We're naturally curious people and professionals as mental health and wellness professionals. And so, I wonder a lot. I'm a solution-focused therapist. So, I spend time wondering what it would be like if we did A, B, and C? What would you need in order to make that happen?

Because maybe way up there, I mean, clearly you all don't have maybe certain organizations that need to cultivate that relationship, but down here we got them. Well, how can we build a bridge and a partnership?

And so, I always approach it through the lens of wondering and observation. For example, I sent one of my strategy clients some pitch templates, and she wrote this whole book. I was like, "Honey, take all that out. Ain't nobody trying to read that, okay."

The minute they feel like they're being sold to, we need to gather the data so that we know how to effectively pitch. Say, "Hey, I was recently at this conference, and I noticed A, B, C, and D. I'm wondering, did you notice that too?" I didn't say you all were racist, I didn't say this, and I didn't say that. I need to have a shared understanding that we both are observing something similar. We may not have the same emotional impact.

And then, "Yeah, we noticed it." Then we'll get a litany of reasons of why. And then I can say, you know, one of the areas where I shine is cultivating communities and relationships where people can feel seen and heard. And the goal is for them to walk away feeling emotionally safe.

PATRICK CASALE: Right. I love that approach because, again, breaking that apart, there's a lot of intentionality there, and you're never saying in that initial, like, pitch, right? That you're pitching. You're not like saying, "And by the way, here are all the ways I can help, you know, do A, B, C, D, and E." You have to establish that relationship. You have to kind of showcase your expertise and understanding of the issue.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Yes, yeah. And I think it definitely helped that I was a speaker there. So, I spoke on the Spark to Speak. And I spoke on that signature topic. And it was focused on burnout prevention for the caregiver, the client, the community, and clinician.

And so, being able to incorporate that in there, "Hey, I actually spoke on burnout and I wonder how etc., etc." I believe a lot of mental health and wellness professionals are afraid to go after opportunities because they don't want to sound salesy or sleazy and all of that. Those are the very things we are going to uncover at my retreat because I have to start with the foundations of what does a curious conversation start with. How does a curious conversation sound in order to build up the ramp to get paid to speak?

I see a lot of programs, and this is no shade because everyone has their ideal audience and who they want to start working with, or how they want them to come into their ecosystem of, "Get this contract, get this $25,000 contract." Or whatever. But we are not ready for our yes. And we don't have the systems and solutions for people to pay us.

PATRICK CASALE: Right. Yeah, and people in that regard, right? Like, aren't even ready for like a $500 contract because there are systems in place or you feel so uncomfortable discussing money. Because what you'll see a lot of the time is in these Facebook groups like, "Want to get into speaking and consulting and I don't know what to charge. Do you all just charge your hourly clinical rate? Like, is that how this goes?"

And people are like, "Yeah, that's what I've heard you do." And then all of a sudden, it's like, "I just did a three-hour talk for $100." Or whatever the case is. And ultimately, that goes round, and round, and around.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Right? One of the things to keep in mind to piggyback off that no one can ever pay you your worth. However, I know I'm worth more than 150 bucks for three hours. And so, that's important. But yeah, starting with those foundations.

So, I focus on systems. What are the systems, the programs you need to make it easy to work with you? Patrick, that is one of the most amazing compliments to get. All the, you know, things people say to me and about me, but when people say, "D, it was easy to work with you." Whoa!

PATRICK CASALE: I can co-sign that. I've hired you for multiple events. You're like, "Okay, let's lock this in. Here's my system, here's my contract, here's my payment link, here's all the things." I'm just like, "Holy shit, that was so efficient. That was amazing." Then I am like, "Oh, I really want to adapt that." And then I don't do it for whatever reason. And, yeah, [INDISCERNIBLE 00:18:53] complicated than needs to be.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: And here's the, you got your systems too, you know? I wouldn't keep saying yes to speak at your events if you were totally jacked up. You are doing well.

PATRICK CASALE: Thank you. [CROSSTALK 00:19:05]-

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: No, we focus on those systems, and then we focus on the solution. So, that is one area I love digging deep and unpacking is what are your solutions to deliver services, not a one-off speaking engagement, but can you take one concept you have and develop a product of services, a suite of services?

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah. And that can look like so many different things, right? Like, different talks that you can do, like a series of talks on a specific topic. You can turn them into workbooks. You can turn them into, like, actual books. You can turn them into all sorts of things that you can monetize and that can create an increased value when you're trying to get into this area of speaking and consulting.

And I think, like, you know, a lot of mental health professionals listen to this podcast primarily, and I would say, like so many of them, and I've been in this camp before where I'm like, "I don't really have anything to offer in the speaking world. Like, what do I really know how to talk about for an hour?"

And I don't think that about myself anymore. But I know that for a very long time that was my mentality. And I hear so many people say the same thing, like, "I don't really know what I can talk about or train on, or consult on or speak on." And I feel like we all have those topics inside of us.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely, but I think we have to lean into that. The very things that we feel like we want to avoid is probably your higher power, or the energy saying, "Lean in."

And, you know, I'm not saying, you know, dive into anything that you're not healing from. We want to be in a healing state as speakers. We don't want to get on stage fall apart. You know, in that room, we are the expert. People are entrusting us to take their audience on a transformation. And so, then that's not to say I have cried on stage where I had to pause. It was like, "Whoa. That hit my spirit." And I incorporated into my speech. And do that, you know, hey, if you felt that, give me an amen or a wave. People are like, "Oh, I felt that too." So, I roll with it. But I need to be in a healthy state in order to keep going through those emotions.

But here's the thing, if you ever find yourself saying, well, I don't know what to speak about. What do you daydream about? Speak on that.

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah, I love that. That's a good way to get unstuck. You know, when you're starting to question those things. But I agree, being in a healthy place where you can roll with that stuff that comes up. I know I'm like unbelievably anxious on stage at first. Like, the first five minutes, especially. And then as I start to get into it, you start to see the energy increase, start to feed off the crowd's energy, that really helps me quite a bit. And being able to include that, incorporate that engagement, and that excitement factor is really important for me.

But it's all through, like, lived experiences and actual examples of my own struggles or struggles of close friends and colleagues and etc., because that always feels so relatable to me when I'm talking about the topics that I'm talking about.

But I agree with you 100%, daydreaming, super important. Strategizing, moving into your retreat.

I imagine a lot of your retreat is going to focus on, besides the experience of being in Cape Town, South Africa, which sounds freaking amazing. I know you were just there. And I imagine a lot of this is going to be like strategizing, proposals. Like, how to actually do the thing. Because you can have the concepts, right? You can have the greatest concepts in the world. I can speak about A, B, and C forever. I'm so passionate about it. But where do I go from here? How do I actually pitch? Where do I actually find speaker opportunities? I imagine that's going to be a big part of what you're doing.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely. So, I was just in South Africa, multiple areas. In fact, I was at someone's event, Jennifer's event. And I was a speaker, a workshop speaker. And so, I'm sitting on Table Mountain, one of the most beautiful mountains and sceneries, you know, 360 views. And I'm sitting on this mountain, 3500 feet above sea level. And it hit me, and I just said, "This is my where I'm going to birth my retreat."

And so, you're right, it's not just do these things. No people are investing into being taught and shown well, how do I do them? So, I consider the Spark to Speak retreat is get it done and have fun. It's not going to be heavy lecture, heavy workshop intensives. We're going to unpack what we need to and they're designated on-site, live coaching time where you are going to get it done. Oh, you need a website? Great, here is a template to get your website done. Oh, you need a speaker one sheet or a speaker kit. Great, here's a template to get it done. And whatever else. Oh, you don't know what to speak about? Let's come up with your three signature this. Okay?

And so, it is get it done and have fun. And when I'm researching a lot of the people who are doing retreats, I think that distinguishes us is that, you know, my goal is for you to walk away where you have the foundations to go after your first or your next speaking opportunity because I live with anxiety. You've talked about being anxious before you hit stage. People always say you just [INDISCERNIBLE 00:25:18]. And I say, "Honey, I'm a ball of anxiety all the time." Okay?

And that is why I intentionally come out dancing to music is because I need to get the [PH 00:25:28] oobies out. And see, I don't know what's called oobies. But yeah, so Patrick, I need you to have some lit music at your thing. We're going to be in a cathedral, so I don't really know what the acoustics are going to be.

So, that's why I come out. And so, with the goal of get it done and have fun, that is my intention. Because, as I was saying, as someone that lives with anxiety, perfectionism, self-sabotage, you know, if you're listening to me just say amen if that hits you.

We will get in our own way and do nothing. I'm going through it right now, so I have to take a reset period and say, if I want this bad enough, I got to do what's necessary. And I have people like you and people like my sister circle, you all are not going to let me fail.

And so being at the retreat, my goal is for you to come back and be ready [INDISCERNIBLE 00:26:20] than you arrive there. That's what makes us different.

PATRICK CASALE: I love that because I think a lot of the times, like, beautiful location, destination, we're just going to have fun, right? I think that's great because a lot of people, I think it's got to be like a 70/30 split, 60/40 split.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: We're going to have fun now.

PATRICK CASALE: Yeah, people want to come away with something though. Like, besides the fun. Like, they want to be able to say, like, I can implement. Like, maybe I didn't get everything done in five days, but I'm ready and confident enough to start and implement when I get back.

Because what happens in these retreats is, like, they're in these great locations. There's so much inspiration, there's so much creativity, all the connections, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, then you go back to life and you're like, "I don't want to do any of this stuff."

So, having that strategy in place and feeling really confident in being able to implement and actually act on is really the kicker, right? Because you come back to the United States, or wherever people are traveling from, and all of a sudden, you're like, "I got to go back into my day-to-day." Like, it's really hard to then transition into that mindset of, how do I build in this time to make this a priority, especially, if this is a goal of mine? And I think that's really, really important.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely, you've been there, I've been there. And, you know, after two weeks to a month after the retreat or conference, you're just like, "Damn, was that investment worth it?" It wasn't the whole sort of organizer, it was our inability to execute. But like you say, real life takes over, and so why not fly back into where you came from saying I'm ready to get started.

And here's the thing that term readiness, you will never feel like you're ready to do something first, but you are more than ready.

One of the reasons why I curated it for mental health and wellness professionals, as well as all of these services under Speak to the Soul, which is the company for that is our gift as clinicians and as mental health pros, can you imagine what that would be like to translate that into a speaking and consulting arena? We have a gift the world may not have access to, and we understand people. And so, speaking and consulting is understanding people, building relationships, and all the bells and whistles, we have a gift. We are needed in every industry. So, don't think, "Oh, I will only speak at nonprofits." No, you're needed everywhere.

PATRICK CASALE: You are someone who exemplifies that because I know you've gotten speaker opportunities at like tech firms, and C-level businesses, and all over the world. So, it doesn't have to just be, and there's nothing wrong with speaking at a nonprofit, for those of you listening, this is a great place for you to fine-tune those skills, give back to the community, etc. But there's so many opportunities. And like Dominique just said, not only do we understand people, and culture, and creating connection, and dropping in, and vulnerability, and working through stress, and burnout, and all the things, you also have a skill set that a lot of people do not have.

And I think when we surround ourselves with lots of therapists, lots of mental health professionals, we kind of have this false assumption that everybody has this knowledge, everyone has this training, everyone has this language and understanding. And then the reality is, like so many people don't, right? Like, we're actually probably in the minority because we have master's degrees or higher education than a PsyD or a PhD, etc., etc., etc. And it's like, no, we're actually probably in the minority in a lot of the world.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Well, and we've invested all of that time, and money, and everything else to train our brain to think differently than a majority of the world. We have to take in a boatload of information each session or assessment or intake and synthesize that and make it make sense to our client.

And so that sounds like if you were to extend that gift into a consulting arena, you go in, you assess, you gather the data, you present it in whatever findings, and say, "This is how I can help you address those issues." The same way you would tell a client, "You know, based on what you shared at your intake, I do believe I'm the right provider for you, and this is why."

PATRICK CASALE: Absolutely, I love that.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: And I want to speak on the, yeah, there's nothing wrong with speaking at nonprofits. But one of the things I understand in all my research on speakers is people believe, one, nonprofits can't pay. That is false. And two, they equate speaking at nonprofits to their worth. I'm only worth what I believe nonprofits can pay.

PATRICK CASALE: Yep, it's similar in the mentality if you worked in community mental health, you leave community mental health to start a private practice, your initial mindset is that nobody can pay for private practice services, right? Because, like, all I know is community mental health where we worked, Medicaid, state-funded, uninsured, etc. And then it's like, well, no, there's so many people out there who can pay. Nonprofits have grant funding. They have funding that they can tap into. You just have to know how to kind of seek that out and who to connect with to have these conversations. And I think that's a big part that keeps people from pursuing those options because they just don't know.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Right. And when we talk about speaking, I want you to keep in mind speaking involves consulting and strategizing services, maybe organizational assessments. So, don't think speaking is I'm speaking on stage in front of hundreds and hundreds of people.

Here's the thing, I am primarily a keynote speaker. I love workshops because I get to, you know, really have fun with people. And speaking in front of large crowds, I love it. Wasn't always the case, but I love it.

If you are an introvert or someone that is maybe neurodiverse, and they're just like, "I cannot. You know, that just overwhelms me." There's still room for you because guess what? Other introverts need you.

PATRICK CASALE: And I like that you mentioned, like assessing workplace culture or assessing like different processes within organizations. Like, that can be a part of it, too.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

PATRICK CASALE: And that's often overlooked. Like, people can move into so many different arenas within this profession because our skill sets are so diverse.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: It is. Yes, they are. And so, if you are listening, I want you to ask yourself, are you willing to risk who you are today for who you are destined to become?

PATRICK CASALE: Ooh, I like that.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: And that is how I usually end many of my talks because they are about recovery and prevention of letting some folks go, letting some things go. So, are you willing to risk who you are for the lifestyle you desire, for who you're destined to become, for taking that daydream and making it a reality? Are you willing to risk that?

PATRICK CASALE: That's a big question. I hope you were all absorbing that. I also like that Dominique just flipped the script and was like, okay, I'm going to end this interview right now by dropping this quote.

Before we end, share your event. Like, tell the audience why they need to come to South Africa and when the event is? How they can find it? All things Speak to the Soul.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely. So, our retreat is called the Spark to Speak retreat. We will be in Cape Town, South Africa, October 14th through the 19th. And if you are a runner, they're having a 10K and some other races on the 19th and a marathon on the 20th, which I'll be running in. It's not public yet. But that's where I'll be running it.

So, it's October 14 through the 19th. And we'll have, you know, about three days of workshops, on-site coaching, intensives, fireside chats, and get it done. And then we're going to have retreats. So, our gift to you will be covering three group excursions, three group dinners, so to take that off your plate.

You can head to bio.speaktothesoul.com. You can see our packages, room selections, and all the other accompanying amenities that we'll offer. We will be staying at a Waterfront Hotel that overlooks the ocean that can you can see the mountain in the background. And so, to be around that beautiful scenery, I know you're going to birth something beautiful and amazing.

And so, we're five months and a few days out. Our room selections are limited. We have private and we have shared room. If you are private, you can bring in a guest that's not a mental health pro for an additional fee. You're responsible for your flight, travel, and all the other bills listed on the website. But our retreat is October 14th through the 19th. And it is the Spark to Speak. It is time that you ignite that spark because the world is waiting to hear you.

PATRICK CASALE: Love it. And that stuff will all be in the show notes so that you have access because I know you only have a couple of spots left.

Y'all, if you're listening and this is something that's a goal or a passion of yours, this is the event. I'm telling you I don't really like to go to other people's events. I don't really ever do it. If I could do this one, this would be the one that would be my priority by far for so many reasons that we just covered. So, again, all of that information will be in the show notes. Dominique, where can people connect with you on social or in general?

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Absolutely. So, I am @dominiquepritchett across all social media platforms. I do a lot of business on LinkedIn. I have a fun and party over on Facebook and Instagram.

But if you are in need of any business development services, whether it is strategizing, helping you come up with all of those things I talked about so that you have a foot in the door when you come to the retreat, feel free to reach out to me and my team will take care of you, to get you on my schedule. But I'm @dominiquepritchett across all social media platforms and dominiquepritchett.com.

PATRICK CASALE: Perfect. Dominique, thank you so much for coming on and sharing all of this. This is a great conversation, and I'm just really excited to connect with you in all these trips, and excursions, and opportunities. You are an absolute inspiration to this community. So, thank you so much.

DOMINIQUE PRITCHETT: Thank you so much, Patrick.

PATRICK CASALE: To everyone listening to the All Things Private Practice podcast, new episodes are out every single Saturday on all major platforms and YouTube. You can like, download, subscribe, and share. Doubt yourself, do it anyway. We'll see you next week.