Latest / Rooted & Real With Keenan / No One Is Coming to Save You: Faith, Accountability & Recovery my Conversation with George P. Brooks
Transcript
- Keenan: All right. Hey, George, how are you today? George P Brooks: ⁓ blessed sir. How are you? Keenan: I'm good, man. So, know, thank you for being here. ⁓ know you're a CEO, an author, a philosopher, recovery addict, ⁓ advocate, excuse me, speaker, entrepreneur, and a father. And a lot of hats to wear. And a that I ask everybody when they come on here ⁓ is to tell me their story. So, George, how did you become the man that you are today? What is your story? George P Brooks: Right. ⁓ well, grew up ⁓ Memphis, Tennessee, two parent households. Round about age seven, I began to show symptoms of what they called as a time manic depression. which turned out to to fully manifest itself as a bipolar disorder. So ⁓ went through life, I was over eighteen, I I I dealt with a lot of family strife, poverty, and things like that. my bipolar really kicked in about age twenty-five. And if know anything about pop bipolar, that's typically the age where it fully kind of comes. to fruition. And over the years I went through some divorce trauma, ⁓ eight year addiction to cocaine, which I beat. And I've been over sober over eight years. And when I started to embark upon my recovery and deal with my health issues and and everything to try to realize and I know people may feel funny about this, but realize what my faith really meant to me. I started a nonprofit called Meta Association. ⁓ we've been around over eight years. We deal with well, we dealt with primarily black male mental health. ⁓ we we work on Keenan: for sure. Hmm. Yeah. for sure. OK. Wow. George P Brooks: recidivism, promoting healthy fatherhood and things like that. So we've been going eight years strong. ⁓ over the past eight years, I've I've done mentoring programs with different school districts. I've done food drives. I've done many speeches. So I've been really ensconced in the community. I've actually ⁓ worked with a few politicians, been to Austin a few times to try to craft ⁓ some things that would make it better for for men dealing with mental health because one of the things that I found and one of the things that really prompted me to start Meta was that Keenan: Yeah. Wow. George P Brooks: Upon my recovery, what I was told and what I experienced was that there were not many resources for men. ⁓ I wanted to try to do what I can to deal with that, especially with my oldest son, ⁓ 21 now, he was diagnosed at age seven with bipolar disorder. ⁓ I had full custody I had full custody of him, so that was interesting as well. ⁓ Keenan: Absolutely. Okay. Yeah. George P Brooks: So I I think I've done a lot in the past couple of years. I've I've written books, I've done essays, I continue to work, and I'm trying to collaborate with other people that are passionate about dressing addressing male mental health. ⁓ there have been a few people that that are I'm working with now. ⁓ Simone Middlebrooks is a is a wonderful advocate and and I wanna put her on a pedestal because not many women can do that. So these things, all these hodgepods of things, ⁓ have made me into the person I am today. ⁓ I just wanna do what I can to try to help as many people as possible. Keenan: for for sure. For sure. Yeah, absolutely. So I'm curious to know like when you're a kid and this is going on, like how did your parents to hearing this news and how do you think, how do you wish they would have or how should a parent like nowadays hearing this, how should they, what's a healthy way for them to respond? George P Brooks: Well, my mother and father did what I what I really do wish every parent did. ⁓ when I was diagnosed, ⁓ they were pretty much like, Hey, let's just get your help for it. ⁓ they recognized what was going on. They got me to the doctor. They also got me to my ⁓ pediatrician to get everything physically checked out and we addressed the issue head on. And my my parents were very, very I mean, they were awesome as far as being supportive, was as were my sisters at the time. So ⁓ I I think if more parents kinda did things the way my parents did ⁓ and not Keenan: Okay. for sure. George P Brooks: and and not ostracize and and not be afraid of actually dealing with the diagnosis and learning about it. I think a lot of kids dealing with mental illness will be much better off. So I encourage parents to educate themselves about their child's condition, the medication, collaborate with clinicians to come up with a good treatment plan. And look at it as it's not your fault, but try to make it where you can help your child manage their condition throughout their life. Keenan: for sure. Right. Yeah, for sure. It's like kind of like it is their condition, but your job is to come alongside them and let them know that they're still a kid. You're still there support them. George P Brooks: Right. And let yeah. And and and let ⁓ be a kid because when you have a child with mental illness, what a lot of people don't understand, as a parent, your role changes. You're very much even more so a protector because the world is not going to be kind to them. They're going to be judged. They're going to have to learn how to navigate things through all stages of life. So, you know, when you have a child with a mental illness, you have to take extra care. And one thing I always advocate for is therapy. If you're a parent with a child dealing with a mental illness, find support groups, network. Keenan: Yeah. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: Get in therapy because that is extremely hard on yourself. Keenan: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely hard, like on everybody. But it's not it's not impossible. It is not a life sentence. It's not your life. Your life's not over. So I mean, what was I mean, what was that process like for you as a kid, like going to therapy? I mean, part of this part of my mission is like kind of removing that mental health stigma. And I'm sure like, ⁓ when and I were kids, ⁓ it a much different time. George P Brooks: It's not, it's not. No, no. Keenan: to go see a therapist at that time. So what was that whole process like for you? Like, especially going from kid to teenager, what was that like? George P Brooks: What? think that because of my parents and the environment that they that they kind of ⁓ fostered for me it was not a big deal I'm also I've also had some physical disabilities over my life ⁓ type one diabetic since I was age nine and the way that my parents taught me to approach my mental health they told me don't forget the health aspect so they got me to treat it just like I did anything else health wise. So when I took my insulin Keenan: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: So my psych meds. When when when I went to the doctor for for ⁓ A1C or endocrinologist, that's the same way they approached me going to a psychiatrist or a therapist. So there was really no difference. And one thing that I'm blessed about, it really helped foster the point where I truly view mental health as a health issue, whereas some people view it as a character flaw. So if you look at it as a as a health issue, it's really gonna help a lot. Keenan: Right. Right. Mm Right. I mean, you go to the doctor when you're sick. You go to the chiropractor when your back hurts. You know, when your brain's hurting, when your mind is is all over the place, you go to the therapist. love that. Yeah. So you know, moving through, you know, teenager years ⁓ going to, you to college, did you go to college? What was that experience like? Okay. George P Brooks: Exactly. Yes it is. Yes it is. Yeah. That that was fun. ⁓ high school wasn't very much fun just because ⁓ it was a it was a ⁓ it it was not the best school system. so I was sort of disinf you know, ⁓ by it. But when I when I went to college everything opened up, ⁓ especially with bipolar disorder and the race and thoughts, being able to be in the environment where I could be erudite and learn about different things was really beneficial to me. ⁓ it actually now has become a coping. ⁓ mechanism but college was great. I got married at age twenty-three, bought my first home at twenty-three. I was married 16 years, have two sons. so teenage years, ⁓ I don't know, it it sort of went by in the blink of an eye. and it is like I I I almost slipped through it, but my young adult life was was it was good. was good. And about the time first son was born, ⁓ around that time, I was fully diagnosed with bipolar disorder. And Keenan: Okay? Wow. Wow. George P Brooks: It began a 10-year odyssey of finding the right cocktail of medications. It's almost common knowledge that with bipolar disorder, it usually takes about 10 years to find a cocktail that works. so I I went through that journey, raising two losing parents, ⁓ paying a mortgage, ⁓ minivan, all that ⁓ while trying navigate bipolar disorder. And it was not easy. And in around about ⁓ what year was that? I want to say 2010, my health declined to the point where I could no longer work. Keenan: Hmm. George P Brooks: And that was a major impact to me mentally, physically, spiritually, to the point where I succumbed to addiction for eight years. and went through that process and I languished and I almost died several times. ⁓ But as stated around 2018, that's when I decided that's when God told me, I'm not done with you yet. You got too much to do. And I really began on recovery. My marriage did split up at that time. Keenan: ⁓ my goodness. Yeah, right. George P Brooks: So it was a lot to deal with. And that's when I began to go out into the world and really see what was out there for men and and black men, but men in general dealing with mental health and and emotional issues. And there was not a lot out there. So I tried to build myself up and start my non profit and go from there. Keenan: Yeah, for sure. So I mean, there's, you're right, there's not a lot of resources out there for men for mental health. ⁓ I mean, where would you say, like, I guess, what was the flag for you to just kind of be like, ⁓ something is wrong, ⁓ need to dig into this, and out what it is and figure out like, what the Lord has for me, like, what was your like, red flag moment? George P Brooks: Right. I I can't say it was a red flag moment. I think with any addict or anyone in recovery of any regard, you have to get sick of yourself. People, you know, I I I think one of the one of the ⁓ foibles of recovery is that people think, ⁓ I can do it for my kids. I can do it. No, you can't do it for your kids. If you're not doing it for yourself, you will fail. You have to it's a selfish endeavor, people. ⁓ sometimes you have to send the kids to relatives or do what you have to do to recover. Keenan: Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: But you have to get sicker yourself. You have to get sick of being in that condition, being in that state, living that lifestyle. And sometimes it takes it it sometimes it takes ten, twenty years, sometimes it may take a year. But you know, the thing is, recovery for for each individual looks different. But I I I truly and that's why oftentimes we see people go to rehab over and over again. It's not as a rehab is not effective, it's just they're not at that point yet. And we all have, you know, our own predestined points of of recovery. Keenan: Mm, yeah. George P Brooks: of of impact. So you have to be cognizant of that, you have to be patient with that, and you have to understand you have to recover for you. Keenan: For sure. Yeah. So I mean, what was that recovery process like for you? Like how did it? mean, did you go to like support groups? ⁓ you, ⁓ know, seeing the right person? Like what was someone's listening today and they're like, I need to get on this track to where should they start and how did you start? George P Brooks: Well, as an advocate, I will always advocate for ⁓ clinical intervention, whether it be a therapist or or a PCP. when I originally started I locked myself in my house by myself for three weeks and just laid there. I let myself fully detox mentally. I let myself be in that very, very dark place. recovery is not easy. And I got up and started doing things. I got up, started living a monastic life, just just having a routine and I built up from there. ⁓ it was a brick by brick process. but You know, the the thing about recovery and I think this is why recovery, not only from substances but from mental illness is so difficult, is because to truly recover, you have to be comfortable sitting in that dark place. You have to be comfortable sitting pr being present and being in that hurt for a while so you can get past it. And we are so afraid of pain that if it hurts, ⁓ we just go revert back to what we were doing. Until you can get strong enough to where you can sit through that pain and endure it, you're not gonna recover. Keenan: Right. Yeah. I mean, that's that is a long time for you to sit in the darkness like that. I mean, what the heck was that like? I mean, how? Okay. Yeah, for sure. George P Brooks: It was sobering. Yeah. you know, it's just it's just what it took, you know, to to recover. And you know, I I have two sons. my sons, even today they'll tell you, even though I was messed up, they said you were always a great father, you were present. And that helps a lot. ⁓ And did that I it made it thinking about my sons made it easier for me to think or be in that dark place because not because I was doing it for them, but in my mind Keenan: Yeah. George P Brooks: I had them at the end of the tunnel. They were the light at the end of that mental tunnel that I had. And that helps out a lot. Keenan: Yeah. For sure. Yeah. So you know, you come out of this three weeks, you start doing stuff. I guess what happens next? We Why did you decide how to move from there? George P Brooks: Right. Why. Well, at that time I started going to the doctor, getting all my care set up. I I I I garnered a strong sense of accountability. I was responsible for my addiction and my mental health. It didn't matter what anybody else did to me. It didn't matter what anybody else did around me. It wasn't about the white man or the system. It was on me. so I started getting my health ⁓ right. I I, you know, concluded my divorce and I left Memphis. Keenan: Mmm. Okay. George P Brooks: Memphis was where I was living. I relocated to Dallas, ⁓ really got ensconced in the community. ⁓ I needed that change of pace. If you if you're in recovery, I'm not saying this is this is ⁓ you know absolute, but it's gonna be very difficult to recover in the same spaces that you were in. And people have to understand. I if you're if you're really serious about cup recovery, you may need to leave. You may need to and I don't mean move to another side of town, I mean totally. Just flip your life over and go to something new. I I found I don't think if had I not done that, I would have been as successful ⁓ in my recovery. I think it would have taken longer. I think there would have been more obstacles. So when you recover, what we when you embark upon recovery, you want to remove any barrier out of your way. And a lot of times that's location and proximity. So I moved, ⁓ lived in Dallas for seven years, ⁓ ran my nonprofit. you know, I was engaged for a while and it i it it was good. Keenan: Yeah. George P Brooks: I I learned a lot. I worked on several ⁓ several ⁓ committees. I taught a recidivism course. I did a lot of stuff with my nonprofits there. But like I said, in recovery, honestly, and people hate to hear this, you may need to back up and move. Okay. You may need to leave you will have to leave people behind. The relationships that you had during your during your your illness, whether it be mental illness or or addiction, are are at the very least gonna manifest themselves radically differently. And most people will not stick by it. Keenan: Mm. George P Brooks: It's a lonely, solitary experience. And that that's akin to what I was saying earlier in regards to being present in the pain. It's lonely. But, you know, upon your recovery, you have to be open to forming new relationships, healthier relationships. Oftentimes in in in our illness, we form parasitic relationships. You know, we we we we get unhealthy relationships with people that enable, people that ostracize. And that's not just on us, but you have to be comfortable with saying goodbye to people. Keenan: Yeah. George P Brooks: Whether it's your mother and sometimes it's even your kids, but you have to survive for yourself. Keenan: Yeah. So I mean, know, ⁓ ⁓ going if someone listening going through that, you know, is is I mean, I guess is the hope ⁓ for what rest on the other side of recovery. Okay. George P Brooks: Right. That right. You have to look at it, ⁓ you know, I I speak a lot in allegory, but you have to look at it as as getting to the other side of a mountain. When you're sick, that's you at the base of the mountain. But you have to climb and and reach that summit and that's the point where you decide to recover. That's the point where you start to heal. That's the cause addiction is nothing but the response to unresolved trauma. If if you think you're just gonna stop taking a drug or just start taking your mental health meds and it's gonna be all right. Keenan: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. George P Brooks: It's not gonna work. You have to do the deeper work. It's a process. You have to go to therapy and engage. You have to keep up with your physical health. You're you know, in my in my instance, you're gonna have to pray. You're gonna have to take care of your diet. It's a long process. But once you get to that point where you really start feeling things gelling, you can look at that as you coming down the other side of the mountain. It's easier, it's more pleasant, and then you get to the valley of peace below. Keenan: Yeah, for sure. For sure. So you mentioned God a couple of times. know, we talk about faith a lot. What role does the Lord play, both in like what motivates you your recovery, being entrepreneurial entrepreneur? Like, how does he ⁓ play all this? George P Brooks: God is at the at the root of everything I do. now. ⁓ in my youth I I ran from God a lot. I I I studied different religions, but it it built my faith. ⁓ there was a point in February of twenty twenty three I had two heart attacks in one week and I was homeless on the street. ⁓ I looked up at the sky at three in the morning and I my faith was secured because when I looked up at the sky, and it was about five degrees outside, I was like, Well, you know, it's like God told me, I got you, son. Just believe in me, follow me, pray, and you'll be all right. Keenan: for sure. ⁓ my gosh. Hmm. George P Brooks: And at that moment, it was like a switch went went off to where everything I do, I think of God and what he wants me to do. If I step my toe, I'm thinking, hmm, what does God want me to learn from that? I don't make a move without prayer and consultation with the Lord. So that's me. I understand perfectly. Not everybody's with that. Great. If that's the case, find something that works for you. As long as it's not self-destructive, find something that works for you. But it just happens to be, you know, my relationship with God is what works for me. Keenan: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I mean, so, you know, you're, you're going through this looking to God, you know, as your support for guidance, how would you say ⁓ has been since finding God through all this? Has it been like, ups and downs, left and like pretty clear? Or has it been pretty rocky, like you know, someone's contemplating a relationship with God, listening to this or listening to Jesus, and they just are like, I don't know what I'm getting into. If I do that. George P Brooks: Yeah. Well the thing is a lot of people think when you when you find your faith that you pray and everything's hunky dory and you know candy and roses is not that. ⁓ it's still very hard, even to this day. I I have to get some, you know, physical things done. I'm trying to raise money to do that. It's never going to be easy. but with with your faith that anchors you, that gives you a home to come to spiritually to when those times are rough, that let that be your sanctuary so you can rest in the Lord and then come out stronger and keep fighting. Keenan: Right, right. Hmm. Yeah. Yes. George P Brooks: Because it's never gonna be easy. It's never there's all in life, it doesn't matter what who you are, you're always gonna have challenges, you're always gonna have peaks and valleys. But if you have that and that anchor in Christ, then it can help you get through it and help you navigate it and use it for guidance and use it for peace. People have to understand your relationship with God is your relationship with God. Don't don't worry about a church. Don't worry about what what Big Mama tells you you ought to do. That's an intrinsic internal thing. I get up at it's three o'clock every morning to pray. I pray all the time. But I had to I had to get comfortable with not defining my relationship with God but what other people thought I should do. Keenan: Yes. So I guess how important is that to dictate between what you should do versus what people should do? And how do you navigate that and discern that? George P Brooks: Well, with the stuff I've been through and the way I was raised, I really don't care what people think. I never have. I was I was raised to be to be a syncophant or to be a like my parents didn't believe in peer pressure. You do what you wanted to do. And that gave me the strength to be the way I am now. I can block other people out. I can cut other people off because as long as I'm following my purpose and following God's word, I'm okay. What other people do and think does not matter to me in the least. Keenan: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm For sure. Yeah. Okay. So how important is it then, like, to just like have a community, you know, be plugged in somewhere, to, ⁓ know, get opinions from people, but at least have a community to ⁓ lean on for support. George P Brooks: Right. Right. What what I think in that regard is when you go through recovery and you start to heal, look at the interests that you have, the hobbies, the the things you wanted to do as a kid. Rely back on those. ⁓ I I worked in the wrestling business. I'm an anime fan. I'm a Batman fan. I'm a comic book fan. So those are the communities and people that I was drawn to. And I found some beneficial relationships in that regard in terms of mental health advocacy. If you surround yourself with people that embody your values. Keenan: Mm. Yeah. George P Brooks: That'll help you heal more. So don't always think, you know, everything has to be well. If they're not a former addict, I can't be around them. That's not gonna help. If you like, if you like model trains, go to a model training convention. Meet people there. If if if you like making ham sandwiches, go to a ham sandwich making contest. Just do what you're into. and if you put yourself in those those environments ⁓ and and stay true to your values, you can have develop good support system that way. And it's more organic. You know, anyway, so Keenan: Right. Yeah. Yeah. Finding similar interests and just getting just showing up for sure. Okay. So, ⁓ know, you're going through this process. Where would you say you're at like today with like recovery? Your relationship with the Lord? Like how is that looking for George today presently? George P Brooks: great. Yeah, I'm great now. I mean I'm good. The only the only issue I have is that in all the things I've done, it's been hard monetizing it. So economically it's been a little stressful, but that's starting to come together too. But as far as having my peace, my peace of mind, my focus, I'm good. I've been good about a year. I ⁓ I kind of going what through Carl Young said was individuation. ⁓ And the process of fully becoming who you are. ⁓ Keenan: Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: And I can see kinda the past three years I've been in an embryonic state, but in the past year it's really come full circle and I'm pleased with the person that I've grown into. Keenan: Yeah, for sure. So I mean, would you say? You if if someone's like stuck in a rut, you know, they're they feel like they're in this hopeless place. And like got you've got it out of there. And realizing like, you know, ⁓ not everything perfect. But you're at least in a ⁓ good direction. what would you say to that person? What do think they need to hear? George P Brooks: Right. ⁓ I'll say this and I apologize for how this may come across. Stop bullshitting yourself. Stop thinking, you know, you have to be accountable. And for about a year during during that rough time, I didn't look in myself in the mirror for a year, but until I was able to do that and say, George, what is it that you are responsible for? What is it that you can change? Never mind the economy, never mind the wife leaving. What can you do? And then I started taking action. That's what you're gonna have to do. No one's gonna pull you out of a rut. Keenan: Absolutely. George P Brooks: You have to pull yourself out of that rut and nobody's gonna help you do it. Keenan: Right. Yeah, it's it's the accountability piece. Like no one's gonna come save you. Like you have to decide what you're gonna get out of it. Yeah, for sure. ⁓ Yeah, right. George P Brooks: Right. That's right. That's right. I mean in life, it's God and you. That's it. You know, I don't care if you got, I don't care if you got a mom, kids, all those people can fail you and let you down. But like I haven't talked to my blood relatives in eight years. It's me and God. So if you've developed that relationship with the Lord and you take accountability and you start taking steps, that at least gets you going, that doesn't mean it's gonna be easy. That don't mean it's gonna be fair. That don't mean you won't still lose. And sometimes that'll mean you won't relapse, which I never have. Keenan: That's yeah. Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: But until you take that action mentally and start that engine, you can't go anywhere. Keenan: Right. Yeah, for sure. So I mean, what what role does accountability play as you are, you know, talking about mental health, talking about men's mental health, especially like, you know, a lot of men nowadays, even the accountability piece, just seems like a lot of them, ⁓ myself included, just come up with excuses into, like, things are the way that they are. So ⁓ George P Brooks: Right. Keenan: I mean, what role, how would you, I guess someone's coming to you or talking to you and like they hear what you're saying. They're like, yeah, accountability. Like I got pulled myself up and then, but it's still like a lingering thing for them. I mean, what would you say? How important is accountability in men's mental health? And how does someone hearing what you say, what's a good first step for them? George P Brooks: Sit down with a pen and pad or use your text or you know a dictator thing on your phone and talk honestly about look at the situations. If your marriage is failing, don't worry about what your spouse is doing. What did you do to contribute? What is it about you that's keeping you in that spot? And that is hard to do. But that accountability piece, I I would be dead without it because that was the catalyst for recovery and even everything I do. Keenan: Yes. George P Brooks: You have to be brutally honest with yourself and say, look, my wife I mean, ⁓ my my marriage is messed up. What did I do wrong? You know, I'm I'm I'm using every day, what am I doing? ⁓ my kids don't respect me. I got this going on. What am I doing? Because once you put that on yourself and are fully accountable, then you can look at what you did and then affect change because you can't control anyone else. You know, I also started studying stoicism. what what happens, you know, i externally of us is ⁓ within our control. Keenan: Mm-hmm. Right. George P Brooks: So why worry about it? All we can do is worry about how we respond and not react. So they c accountability is key. And we've seen the the in current society ⁓ what the lack of accountability is doing to the world. So if it's doing this to the world, imagine how it's raking us internally as individuals. Keenan: Right. Right. Yeah, for sure. Like that's the thing is, know, so many people don't see that the part that they play, they just want to blame other people. ⁓ And I just feel like that's gonna that's we're not gonna get anywhere with that. ⁓ George P Brooks: Right, right. Right, because you know, it i I mean, people say, Well, I grew up without a dad, which I grew up with both parents, but people say I grew up without a dad, or this happened to me, or that so what? People talk about racism. So what? You know it exists, you need to get around it. Otherwise, you're a slave to it. Don't become a slave to your trauma. Tra trauma can trauma is like fire. It can keep you warm, cook your food, or it can burn your house down. Your response how you respond to your trauma is gonna affect the rest of your life. You either become a victim Keenan: Mm-hmm. Right. George P Brooks: and and and and be subjugated by it, or either you use it as a step to build yourself up and grow. The choice is up to you. Keenan: Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, you just have to take the steps to get out of that. And it doesn't define your identity either. You know, your identity is in Christ. sure. Yeah, for sure. So I mean, you know, as someone who's been through therapy, like, there of that? Like, okay, I'll jump of order my questions, but but I'm curious. George P Brooks: That's true. That's true. That's true. Keenan: Like people, there's this random stigma about therapists. Like people think about going to therapy, they're on the fence about it, they've had bad experiences with therapists. Like a therapist and I've heard both sides. And so curious to know if someone's listening this, having those experiences, or they're on the fence about going to therapy. Like what do they need to hear to get off the fence or even just speaking to those ⁓ stigmas or bad about therapists? George P Brooks: Right. Right. Right. And and and that's a loaded question because I was in therapy for about eight years. Same therapist, ⁓ wonderful gentleman. You have to take your time and research your therapist. See see see if they're if they align with who you are. ⁓ me, you know, I'm f trying to find a new therapist. He's gonna be a Christian therapist. It'll be a male. Start there, read reviews, you know, open yourself up to trying a session. If if it if you've put in four or five good and I think it takes about four or five good sessions to kind of really assess where you are. Keenan: Mm-hmm. Right. Mm hmm. Yeah. George P Brooks: ⁓ if you taste four or five and you're not feeling it and you don't feel it's progressing, then go ahead, take a time, take your time and find somebody else. You it's not gonna be the first one you pick. It's like when you're dating. The first girl you you get with is not usually the one you're marrying. So know, be patient, but when you embark into therapy, actually put the work in. You know, you just don't go for 45 minutes a week and talk and then you just ignore it the other time. You'll be given homework assignments, you'll need prayer, introspection. ⁓ is a process ⁓ it's not always easy. ⁓ But you have to get over this thing, I'm telling a stranger. Well, you need that objectivity. Because evidently the people in your life that have advised you have gotten you in the mess you're in. And they're a professional. So ⁓ and and there's so many resources in terms of therapy. You can do televisions, you can do therapy where no one knows that that's your thing. So to to not embark on therapy or at least be more I guess open to it, I don't understand. Because the thing about with therapy is that is to help you get better. You know, in my recovery, it's it took the faith, it took the the the the pharmacological aspect and it took the therapy to it was it was a trinity. if you leave any part off, your your healing would be incomplete. But just try it. I I I think people should have, you know, even if you don't have any ⁓ situational or diagnosable conditions, go see a therapist, you know, once every quarter. Just to talk, just to check in. ⁓ treat your mental health like treat it like a checkup. Keenan: Right. Right. Hmm? Yeah, absolutely. George P Brooks: You know, and and take time and f yeah, find your therapist journal. Find those things that are that are gonna be beneficial to you mentally. And I think because, you know, with physical problems you can see that. But with with mental health being so abstract and people not understanding it, there's a still a fear and stigma around it. But you're gonna have to do that on your own. I mean the world is not gonna change. The world is not gonna bend to anyone's will. You have to find your peace and and and man up or woman up and and do things for you because you can sit there and worry on the world to help you. You can sit there and whine about your circumstances, but while you're sitting there, you're still sitting there. Keenan: for sure. And I love that you said like give it like four or five sessions and I agree with that. Like, you know, do your research, make sure the personalities line up, make sure like, you know, you can afford it or as your insurance, it's just doing that research is so to ⁓ digging into therapy. So, okay. So I mean, would you say I mean, was therapy for you mainly for like recovery? Or was it more like, like, like marriage stuff? Or is it just mainly? Okay. George P Brooks: It was for everything. at that point I just moved to a new sound. I got in full cuss I was, you know, in a situation. I was engaged, you know, ⁓ raising four teenagers and an eight year old, ⁓ know, and running a nonprofit and dealing with my health. So that I I had to, you know, I I needed that therapy. and like I said, it was not always easy, but it it helped. It helped give me a counterbalance to my daily life that gave me perspective and clarity so I can make better decisions. Keenan: Wow. Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah, for sure. That's for sure. It's good to have like a third party or just someone like that that can give you that subjective feedback. sure. were some of those like connected in some way in your story or these three separate instances? ⁓ What were those experiences like? George P Brooks: ⁓ i i it's all been a continuous kind of flow of different things for the past eight years. ⁓ it transitions from one thing to the other. I'm grateful for ⁓ today. point. it not been for that, I wouldn't be who I am now. I wouldn't have the great relationship I have with my kids with ex-wife. pain. Keenan: for sure. Yeah. George P Brooks: Right. It's important, but at the same time, I will not be a slave to a relationship with anyone. I've gotten to the point I can walk away from anyone and if I have to for my survival, for my peace of mind. there have been times I even had to pull back from my older son, like, hey, you you you gotta do you how to me in six months. Cause he had his own journey. ⁓ So relationships are important, but I think it to me it makes it more valuable because I'm embarking in these connections because I want to. ⁓ I'm longer dependent on relationships for myself. mandatory. I don't have to have a relationship with you. If you're in my life it's because I ⁓ severely want you there. And that makes a difference. Keenan: Mm Absolutely. For sure. So, you know, kind of the big question I mentioned before recording you have everyone's attention for one minute in the whole world, present of the world. George, the world needs to hear something. And do think they need to hear? George P Brooks: Don't stop. Don't give up. You know, even if you think you are at your lowest, man, rest, find a way to dig yourself out of it. ⁓ because i if you don't, you will sink. Nothing is as bad as you think it is. As long as you got God and breath in your body, the next day can be better. Every day. Try to wake up and know something that you did not day be know the day before. I believe in the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which is constant improvement. So I even tell my sons Keenan: Don't. Absolutely. Hmm. Mm-hmm. George P Brooks: You know, I'll ask them, well, you know, what do you know today, son, you didn't know yesterday? And even just that, that, that minutia of it, you can expound upon it and pr and and and expand it to to go to other areas of your life, to your therapy, to your healing, even to your job, or even if you got a dog raising a dog, always strive to be better. And if you do that every day, when things get bad, you've already got that ingrained into you. Build resilience. Don't give up. Don't be afraid. Keenan: Bye bye. Yes, absolutely. For sure. So, you know, looking ahead, guess what is next for you, George, you say you're working on a nonprofit, you're working on some books, ⁓ what's what's next for you? George P Brooks: Okay. Mm. Continuing to grow as a person. ⁓ continuing to be the be a father. My sons are 16 and 21. ⁓ continue to be a father. Continue to be a friend to those that that that are important to me. Continue with my relationship, with my advocacy work, and just keep going. ⁓ try to make sure I take time every day to rest and pray and think ⁓ just keep living life and enjoy being in the moment. I go outside, I start a bonfire, I sit out there with a cigar. ⁓ And a cup of coffee and I just sit and just be in myself, be in my own head for a while. that's what I wanna do. ⁓ I just wanna live a peaceful life and keep working and that's what's next for me. Just live it. Keenan: Mm hmm. For sure. Absolutely. you know, we've talked about a lot of stuff, cover a lot of ground really quickly. It's great. ⁓ Any good like books, ⁓ resources for people to they want to learn more about kind of what we've been talking about. George P Brooks: Mm. Right. ⁓ one thing that helped is studying stoicism. I love Frederick Nietzsche, Seneca. Diogenes is probably my favorite philosopher. Every time I think about him and his stories, I smile. it really helped me integrate my mental health, ⁓ holistically, naturally, spiritually, ⁓ and terms of medicine. Stoicism has kind of been ⁓ a a linchpin in a lot of my recovery, and I just enjoy loving just reading about it. ⁓ I learning. I'm always looking for new stuff to. To to absorb and take in and apply it to my life and ⁓ make it applicable to helping others. So ⁓ I would say, let's see the the ⁓ the book of five rings by Masashi Miyamoto. ⁓ that's a great one. Thus Spoke Zhura, which is Frederick Nietzsche's book. actually the subtitle for that book was Writings for No One and Everyone, and I actually used that on my book, The Meta Papers. ⁓ Keenan: Okay. George P Brooks: And as a nice segue, you can pick up my book, The Meta Papers, which is more of a philosophical memoir. ⁓ nothing political is about that. ⁓ it's on Bars and Noble. The audiobook is on ⁓ Apple Books, I believe. so check that out. ⁓ I wrote that and that came out a couple months ago. ⁓ I I sort of ⁓ indirectly bleed in my recovery, what I went through as far as mental health. And it's it's more of my philosophical work. So ⁓ read things like that. And read what you enjoy. Keenan: Yes. Mmm. George P Brooks: Do what you enjoy. Don't let people tell you. Don't read that. If it's something you enjoy and it holds your interest, embrace it and make it into something positive. Keenan: Absolutely. Absolutely. How can people find you? How can we find your work? George P Brooks: Right. Well, you can the best place to find me right now is on Facebook under George P. Brooks. ⁓ I'm working on on in expanding my my my ⁓ kind of diaspora of excess access where people can get to me. But that's gonna be the best place. ⁓ you can find my writing on AmericanThinker dot com, put in George P. Brooks. I have sixteen articles on there. I have stuff on Barnes and Nobles. I've got a my book, The Meta Papers, and a few essays. I have a Spotify podcast that I do. ⁓ ⁓ called Musings. I've been doing a lot of podcasts lately on different things, politics and things like that. So if you just Google George P. Brooks or Google George P. Brooks at Meta Association, you'll see a litany of things I've done. ⁓ in that will be ways to contact, reach out, and collaborate. ⁓ if you need advocacy work, if you're going through something, if if if you need resources, man, woman, child, I don't care, if you need it, call me at 214 810 6518. That is my Personal number. If you need help, I will help you. If I don't know what to do directly, I know a wonderful I I've amassed a wonderful network of people over the eight years that I've been running Metal Association. I will do my best to put you in touch with anyone. I don't care if it's two in the morning. I don't care if it's two in the afternoon. If you need help, reach out. If you're not comfortable talking, reach out via text, and I will do my best to help. Keenan: Okay, well, thank you so much for your time. Really good. Yeah, yeah, thank you so much for everything. ⁓ I will ⁓ your stuff in our description when I post the video. So be willing to find it. So thank you. George P Brooks: Thank you for coming. It's been it's been a great pleasure. Yeah. Thank you. Right. All right. Thank you so much, sir. You stay blessed.