Ep. 203 - Johnzelle Anderson: Rewriting Your Life’s Mixtape

Release Date: May 19, 2026

Episode: Number 203

Guest: Johnzelle Anderson, LPC, Author of Mixtape: A Memoir

## Episode Summary

What if your memories weren’t just chapters in a book, but tracks on a mixtape? In this episode of Stories from Real Life, we sit down with Licensed Professional Counselor and author Johnzelle Anderson to discuss his powerful new memoir, Mixtape.

Johnzelle opens up about the “soundtrack of survival”—from navigating the complex “in-between” of identity and race to the profound clinical work of helping others retrieve lost pieces of their own stories. Whether you’re interested in the mechanics of narrative therapy or the deeply personal journey of a man reclaiming his voice, this conversation offers a rhythmic look at what it means to heal.

## Key Discussion Points

* The Mixtape Metaphor: Why music and “tracks” provide a better framework for trauma and memory than traditional chronological storytelling.

* Sankofa & Retrieval: The West African concept of “reaching back to fetch what was lost” and how it applies to modern mental health.

* Identity in the “In-Between”: Johnzelle’s experience being raised in whiteness while living in a Black body, and the realization of racism within “safe” spaces.

* Clinical Insight: A look at EMDR and narrative therapy—how we can “re-record” the negative loops playing in our minds.

* Lawful Atrocities: How systemic injustices manifest as personal psychological wounds.

## Resources Mentioned

* Read: Mixtape: A Memoir by Johnzelle Anderson (Released March 2026)

* Connect: Panoramic Counseling – Johnzelle’s clinical practice.

## About the Guest

Johnzelle Anderson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), therapist, and author dedicated to helping individuals navigate trauma through narrative and EMDR therapy. His work bridges the gap between clinical expertise and authentic storytelling, focusing on resilience, identity, and the power of reclaiming one’s narrative.

## Connect with Stories from Real Life

* Website: Media Well Done

* Subscribe: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your stories.

Listener Challenge: What is one “track” from your past that you’re ready to re-record? Share your thoughts with us on social media using the hashtag #RealLifeMixtape.

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