After twelve very interesting months, we got the chance to catch up with one of our earliest guests; psychotherapist, LCSW, founder of MENTL.SESH and style queen Liz Beecroft. Liz has been on a roll since our last conversation, building and launching her private practice, making big moves with brand collaborations, leading in-person events promoting mental health and some of the best fit pics on social media. After a year of uncertainty but much excitement, it was only right that we catch up with Liz to chat about how she's feeling coming out of the pandemic and everything she has in the works. Check out the highlights from the conversation below!
So, Liz! How have you been over the last 12 months?
"Really good! There have been a lot of amazing opportunities that have been coming in. It's been really busy with a lot of restructuring with the team but all good and we recently had a great activation at ComplexCon and with MSG for Women's Empowerment featuring MENTL.SESH. I'm really spending a lot of time now trying to position MENTL.SESH properly so that we can do more in-person events which is really exciting!"
Everything with MENTL.SESH lately has been really awesome!
"We have a lot of exciting opportunities this year where we can quite literally meet people where they are and teach them how they can bring mental health into these spaces. We actually want to give you skills and get something for your mental health out of these experiences."
March is the month where all the brands bring out their "Women's Empowerment" content but we keep an eye on who continues to do the same year round. May is the same for Mental Health.
How are you looking at this when you see companies posting about these causes?
"I’ve been doing a lot more trainings over the last year where I'm training companies internally on mental health in the workplace and I think that has given me a really good look at what brands are really doing it the right way and starting internally first and then going externally with that message.
Having people who are not only really good at their jobs and talented in their respective craft, but who also have passions about a diverse range of causes, is really important because when you look at leadership, you want to make sure that those people are walking the walk and modelling that behaviour for other people. That’s also going to seep through to different teams and throughout the company."
Liz on how to approach the world re-opening again.
"Just like it was a huge adjustment to go into lockdown, it’s now going to be another huge adjustment to get back into what we've known. Our bodies and our minds have all adapted to slowing down. It’s OK to feel like you don’t really have the motivation and energy to do something all the time. It's normal." (LISTEN BELOW)
TALK NICE TO ME!
"If you aren’t feeling it, don’t force it. Listen to yourself, give yourself grace, be gentle and really start talking yourself in a nice way. We have to start first with ourselves because of the way we speak to ourselves matters. We need to really talk nice to ourselves and when we do that, everyone else and can also talk nice to us because we will be kicking ass!"
You've mentioned that you don't just want to be known as the "Sneakerhead Therapist" anymore. How does tying into where you're at and what you're interested in to your brand?
"I think it's all about growth. We have to be self aware and know what we do and don't want for ourselves because that's how we can set different goals and go after them. I've grappled with this for a while but I know that I can still love sneakers and I don't need to have a collection of 270 pairs and that does not take away from what I do and don't know about shoes."
Lastly, we know you have a big wedding coming up! Any big plans for that?
Yes!
Can't wait to be together with all of my family and friends again.
Crocs is sponsoring! White crocs for everyone!
...and I have a plan to get Post Malone to my wedding! (Watch Below)
Make sure to keep up with Liz on Instagram as well as MENTL.SESH and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.