Wellness is a multi-trillion dollar industry, but it's not “one size fits all.” For some people of color, Eurocentric beauty standards can be harmful, and trying to achieve an arbitrary wellness goal can actually cause stress. We talk with registered dietician, Dalia Kinsey about the book, Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation. We also talk with and highlight the expertise of two local women in the industry working to make beauty and wellness accessible to all.

GUESTS:


Dalia Kinsey: Registered Dietician, creator of the Body Liberation for all Podcast, and Author of Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation


Maryah Gonzalez: Owner of Haus of Vanity in Cheshire, Conn.


Seryna Simmons: Owner of skin and hair care boutique, Seryna’s Holistiq in Middletown, Conn.

Wellness is a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/1263527059/its-been-a-minute-wellness-spirituality-religion">multi-trillion dollar industry</a>, but it's not &ldquo;one size fits all.&rdquo; For some people of color, Eurocentric beauty standards can be harmful, and trying to achieve an arbitrary wellness goal can actually cause stress. We talk with registered dietician, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/daliakinsey.rd/">Dalia Kinsey</a> about the book, Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation. We also talk with and highlight the expertise of two local women in the industry working to make beauty and wellness accessible to all.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Dalia Kinsey: Registered Dietician, creator of the Body Liberation for all Podcast, and Author of <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Decolonizing-Wellness/Dalia-Kinsey/9781637740309">Decolonizing Wellness</a>: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation
</li>
<li>
Maryah Gonzalez: Owner of <a href="https://www.vagaro.com/hausofvanity">Haus of Vanity</a> in Cheshire, Conn.
</li>
<li>
Seryna Simmons: Owner of skin and hair care boutique, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/holistiqbeauty/">Seryna&rsquo;s Holistiq</a> in Middletown, Conn.
</li>
</ul>

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">ctpublic.org/disrupted</a> for more!

Disrupted

What does it mean to decolonize wellness?

When Tara Pringle Jefferson was 26, she was a freelance consultant and writer. She says she often worked 18 hour days. After some time, she started feeling pain in her neck and shoulder. When she went to the doctor, the doctor prescribed a treatment that she didn’t expect— rest. Tara writes, “I was only 26 but I was already working myself to death.”

A lot changed after that appointment. Tara started thinking about how hard she worked and how hard the other Black women she knew worked. Eventually, Tara shifted careers. Today, she is a wellness advocate who wants to break down the barriers to self-care that Black women face.

GUEST:


Tara Pringle Jefferson: Author of Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing. She’s also Founder of The Self Care Suite, a wellness community for Black women.

Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

When <a href="https://www.tarapringlejefferson.com/">Tara Pringle Jefferson</a> was 26, she was a freelance consultant and writer. She says she often worked 18 hour days. After some time, she started feeling pain in her neck and shoulder. When she went to the doctor, the doctor prescribed a treatment that she didn&rsquo;t expect&mdash; rest. Tara writes, &ldquo;I was only 26 but I was already working myself to death.&rdquo;
A lot changed after that appointment. Tara started thinking about how hard she worked and how hard the other Black women she knew worked. Eventually, Tara shifted careers. Today, she is a wellness advocate who wants to break down the barriers to self-care that Black women face.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.tarapringlejefferson.com/">Tara Pringle Jefferson</a>: Author of <a href="https://www.tarapringlejefferson.com/books">Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman&rsquo;s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing</a>. She&rsquo;s also Founder of <a href="https://www.theselfcaresuite.com/">The Self Care Suite</a>, a wellness community for Black women.
</li>
</ul>
Disrupted&nbsp;is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disrupted/id1534163465">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f8967bbf-ebf9-4abe-a31f-9363adaa2383/disrupted">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0zWn3s3Wpj3CRbYg6WnHDc">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Disrupted-p1371247/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/disrupted-connecticut-public-radio-Mcm2UfSKxuq/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Despite barriers to self-care, Black women can still find ways to bloom

When Tracy K. Smith served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy’s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times.

GUEST:


Tracy K. Smith: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times.

You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "Everybody's Autobiography" and "Charity," online.

Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson.

This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025.

When <a href="https://tracyksmithpoet.com/">Tracy K. Smith</a> served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy&rsquo;s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324050988">Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times</a>.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://tracyksmithpoet.com/">Tracy K. Smith</a>: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324050988">Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times</a>.
</li>
</ul>
You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "<a href="https://poets.org/poem/everybodys-autobiography">Everybody's Autobiography</a>" and "<a href="https://onbeing.org/poetry/charity/">Charity</a>," online.
Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson.
This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025.

Poet Tracy K. Smith on how poems get us through ‘Perilous Times’

In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling— it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021.

This hour, we’re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students.

GUESTS:


Danny Funt: Reporter who’s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling.


Brian Hatch:Community Engagement Manager for the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. He’s also the host of All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast.

If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at ccpg.org. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738).

Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode:


To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a Bettor Choice Program.


You can find a local or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meeting through their website


You can also listen to Brian's podcast, All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast

In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling&mdash; it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021.
This hour, we&rsquo;re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://dannyfunt.com/">Danny Funt</a>: Reporter who&rsquo;s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Everybody-Loses/Danny-Funt/9781668062029">Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling</a>.
</li>
<li>
Brian Hatch: Community Engagement Manager for the <a href="https://ccpg.org/">Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling</a>. He&rsquo;s also the host of <a href="https://addictedgamblerpodcast.libsyn.com/">All in: The Addicted Gambler&rsquo;s Podcast</a>.
</li>
</ul>
If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling&rsquo;s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at <a href="https://ccpg.org/">ccpg.org</a>. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738).
Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode:
<ul>
<li>
To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a <a href="https://www.ccpg.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/bettorchoiceprograms.pdf">Bettor Choice Program</a>.
</li>
<li>
You can find a local or virtual <a href="https://gamblersanonymous.org/">Gamblers Anonymous</a> meeting through their website
</li>
<li>
You can also listen to Brian's podcast, <a href="https://addictedgamblerpodcast.libsyn.com/">All in: The Addicted Gambler&rsquo;s Podcast</a>
</li>
</ul>

What does it mean to decolonize wellness?

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