Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Houston.
Joshua, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, my story is much like most other inner-city kids. I grew up with a single mother and was basically raised in a house full of women. My uncles were away (one in the military the other living his life). My father was there when he could be (no shade… I was a kid out of wedlock). I spent most of my early years with my grandmother in church. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt like an outcast. Just different. Mentally and emotionally.
Somewhat dejected from others. Stayed to myself a lot. I found a love for basketball from my family and really wanting to be accepted by my father and oldest brother. It honestly was all I knew and cared about. Carried that all the way to the anger of 18 when things took a turn. That feeling of being an outcast became overwhelmingly heavy and I didn’t want to be Josh anymore. So, I attempted suicide on my 18th birthday. That’s where all of this started. Feeling suffocated and alone. Not being able to express myself. Afraid of judgment and talk amongst family. I built an outsider’s persona and mastered it.
Fast forward to today… realizing there are so many people out there suffering in silence. I want to be an ear and give people a voice to be able to confront those feelings in a safe space. While also working to end the stigma of mental health illness in urban communities.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been everything but smooth. When you build a house around your heart and emotions, it’s hard to step outside of that at times. The road has had its fair share of traumatic events:
-Multiple suicide attempts.
-Almost killed twice.
-Two failed marriages.
-Kids taken away due to one marriage ending.
-Lost everything I owned multiple times.
-Lost my mind more times than I can count.
There’s so much more.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Understandings Of The Misunderstood story. Tell us more about it.
My company Understandings Of The Misunderstood started really in college studying Psychology. Although, it wasn’t formed until many years afterwards that knowledge learned would be the foundation combined with my own struggles to build something bigger than myself. The company serves as an umbrella for me as a Cognitive Behavior Coach, A Mental Health Awareness Speaker, and as a published author. Cognitive behaviuoral coaching (CBC) is a corporate and personal coaching technique used to enable those restricted by emotional or psychological barriers to reach their goals.
The effective principle of CBC is this: what we think about a situation, affects how we feel about it. As we can control what we think of things, we can therefore subsequently control our feelings. The tools and methodology I use can equally be applied to non-clinical scenarios, such as dealing with a lack of motivation, confidence issues and general personal or professional skill development. With regards to leadership and business, I help with the intention of aiding individuals in overcoming functional weaknesses or mental obstacles within the workplace.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, divine intervention, or whatever one would want to call it is essential in my life. I’m not supposed to be here by many standards. From suicide attempts to almost losing my life randomly on a Saturday night, to every day socioeconomic barriers.
I’m here for a reason. I’m still standing for a reason.
Contact Info:
- Email: joshhoustonspeaks3@icloud.com
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Life-Motivated-Inspired-Motivation/dp/154670860X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=live+live+motivated+and+inspired%3A+60+days&qid=1573270757&sr=8-2
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
