Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Dyanne Brown
How to Move on Without Closure
When you watch television shows and movies, you have anywhere from a half-hour to an hour where people in relationships experience a problem and by the end of the episode or movie, they have identified the problem or resolved it. One person is stubborn for fifteen minutes and then within another thirty minutes, they come to the conclusion that they were wrong, and they apologize. Everyone hugs and all is forgiven.
The Johnny Depp Defamation Trial Invokes a Conversation About Men as Domestic Abuse Victims
It’s rare for me to spend a lot of time watching a televised trial. However, I find myself tuning into the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Defamation trial because it’s a bizarre insight into celebrity life. We tend to think that money solves all types of problems. Yet, Johnny Depp is richer than most and he finds himself in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship with someone who has been tentatively diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.
The Danger of Ending a Relationship With a Narcissist
Home / Featured Content / The Danger of Ending a Relationship With a Narcissist Narcissist has become a buzzword that is all over Tik Tok to the point that people are calling everyone a Narcissist for the smallest disagreement. In many ways the information that is being shared about Narcissism is great because some people are learning what they have been dealing with for years but didn’t understand.
The Difference Between Private and Secret
Home / Featured Content / The Difference Between Private and Secret It seems like once a month, I encounter an argument about whether couples should show their partners on social media or if they shouldn’t. There are those people who share a picture of their partner but put a sticker over their face.
Christmas Mourning
Home / Featured Content / Christmas Mourning Holidays are a time that we expect to have good feelings. Every Christmas song talks about comfort, joyful and merry experiences. The lights are bright, people are a bit kinder and we all try to foster the spirit of the Holidays. However, we have been experiencing an ongoing trauma that seem to be going back into full swing just in time for Christmas and New Year. For many of us, we are feeling the fatigue of the Pandemic.
The Tragedy of Astro World and Why We Need to Take Care of One Another
Home / Featured Content / The Tragedy of Astro World and Why We Need to Take Care of One Another I was shocked on Friday to hear that 8 people lost their lives while attending a Travis Scott concert in Houston, Texas called, Astro World. I was also shocked to hear there was a concert with 50,000 people held during a Pandemic. While many more people are vaccinated, I thought we were still social distancing and wearing masks.
Art Creates Empathy
Home / Featured Content / Art Creates Empathy As a writer, I consider myself an artist. It’s an outlet for my voice, it’s cathartic and it allows me to share with the world a little bit of who I am and how I think. As a child, I was mostly quiet. At times, I felt invisible. I identified very heavily with Casper the friendly Ghost in that I would haunt the hallways and skulk through the house trying not to be seen or heard. I didn’t have the ability to speak up or show my emotions.
Are You Responsible for Their Happiness?
Home / Featured Content / Are You Responsible for Their Happiness? There’s a meme going around with a snippet of a video and interview that Will Smith did where he discussed happiness within relationships. In the meme, it says: “Will Smith said, her happiness is not my responsibility. She should be happy and I should be happy individually. Then, we come together and share our happiness.
Has Social Media Made Life Easier or Harder?
Home / Featured Content / Has Social Media Made Life Easier or Harder? Let me begin by saying I am a bonafide addict of social media. I use Facebook and Instagram on a daily basis. I recently discovered Tik Tok and after initially thinking it was just for dances, I found that it’s YouTube mixed with Vines. YouTube often replaces my television. I have a voracious appetite for information and for me, social media, has made it easier than ever to find information on virtually anything (pun intended).
The Unspoken Cost of Trust
In the movie, “The Art of the Steal”, Kurt Russell played the head of a group of thieves planning a heist. During a scene, he says to another character, “It takes a betrayal before you realize the real currency in the world ain’t money – it’s trust. Because if you got no trust, then what do you got.” In fact, the word trust is on our currency because trust is what drives the value of the dollar.
The Connection Between Simone Biles, Mental Health and the Great Resignation
Home / Featured Content / The Connection Between Simone Biles, Mental Health and the Great Resignation Simone Biles is a top athlete. She is a gymnast who perfects some of the toughest moves in gymnastic and even has some named at her because they are so complex that no one else has accomplished them. It was no surprise when she made it to the Tokyo Olympics this year along with the rest of the gymnastics team.
Men, Women and the Suppression of Emotions
Growing up, I was always with my older brother. There are times that I joke that I was his little brother because he didn’t care that I was a girl as he dragged me through “adventures”. In many ways, I am probably lucky to be alive, but I also still have an adventurous, somewhat fearless spirit thanks to him. But, being so close to my brother, I witnessed when he was hurt how he was quickly quieted or hushed. He would be picked up, brushed off and told he was okay when he clearly wasn’t.
Letting Go of the Image
In my early working years, I worked in sales, mostly retail. When I worked in shoes, I approached it from an earnest position with a focus on helping a customer find comfort. If they asked for a size, I was equipped to measure their foot and find the right size then I was knowledgeable enough about the shoe inventory to recommend the best shoe to fit. After a year or two, I could eyeball someone’s foot and tell what size they wore.
What Is Juneteenth?
Home / Featured Content / What Is Juneteenth? Our history books omit many aspects of history especially when it is related to Black Americans. You probably heard or read about the Emancipation Proclamation and were told it freed the slaves, but that is an overly simplistic description of what happened. The South was attempting to secede the Union. In the romantic version of history, the North wanted to end slavery because they grew a conscience. But, the decision was much more political than moral.
Equity in Relationships: Not One Size Fits All
Home / Featured Content / Equity in Relationships: Not One Size Fits All I spend more time than I should reading comments on relationship and dating questions online. While I have learned not to respond to every single one, I do pay attention to patterns. One I have noticed is a continued fight over chivalry vs female equality.
The Bittersweet of the Chauvin Verdict
On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, I sat in front of my television feeling nervous as it flashed on the screen that the jury had reached a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. They met for 10 hours and now we were all waiting for them to return to the courtroom to deliver the verdict. After weeks of testimony and revealing video, it seemed like it was clear what the verdict should be. But, being from the black community, what seemed clear to me didn’t always translate to the verdict that was delivered.
Why You Have to Be Your Own Advocate
Home / Featured Content / Why You Have to Be Your Own Advocate There was a time in my life where I assumed that people were aware of what I was doing and they would know when it was time for me to be promoted, applauded or committed to. My wake-up call was when I was in a job and after several years of working really hard, I was still in the same position. A higher position opened up and I expected them to give it to me.
The Loss of DMX and How He Broke the Mold
On April 9th, after a week of being in a coma, the world was stunned by the loss of Earl Simmons known as DMX in the rap community. He was 50 years old. It is alleged an overdose (though not proven) led to two heart attacks and hospitalization. It was reported there was low brain activity, but his family, friends and fans remained hopeful. Many taking to the streets to play his music. Some even stood outside the hospital where he lay blasting his songs and sending prayers for his recovery.
The Wolf of Instagram and the Damage of Deception
Over the course of last week, a story exploded of an influencer on Instagram and YouTube named Derrick Jaxn. Derrick has written several books and had over a million followers. He created daily videos of him critiquing relationship videos. He became a relationship guru to black women while condemning the relationship behavior of black men despite being a black man himself. A vlogger named Tasha K exposed that Derrick Jaxn wasn’t the man he pretended to be on Instagram.
The Thing I Did for Love That Taught Me How Deep My Love Is
Home / Featured Content / The Thing I Did for Love That Taught Me How Deep My Love Is Before I got into a serious relationship, I didn’t think I was capable of being in a serious relationship. I would meet people who were interested in me, but I would find something that just didn’t feel right and I would end it. My first relationship unfolded because the man I fell in love with was determined to have me. He didn’t pursue me. He just showed up for me. He called and listened to me.
What 'Married at First Sight' Taught Me About Relationships
Home / Featured Content / What ‘Married at First Sight’ Taught Me About Relationships When I first heard about a show called, “Married at First Sight,” I wasn’t interested at all. It’s a reality show on Lifetime. I thought the premise was problematic. People meet for the first time on their wedding day and then over the course of several weeks decide if they want to stay married. They are essentially marrying a stranger despite being matched up by experts.
What Does it Mean to Be a Serial Monogamist?
Home / Featured Content / What Does it Mean to Be a Serial Monogamist? It might be thrown out as a joke, but being a serial monogamist is a real psychological term. You may know someone who is always in a relationship. As soon as they break up with someone, it seems like they are either lamenting about their newest love or introducing you to “the one” a month later.
Birthday in Isolation
Home / Featured Content / Birthday in Isolation This time last year, I celebrated my birthday with friends. We went out to dinner, had wine and conversation. We went to a nightclub and danced to music until we felt our age. In the morning, we went for breakfast in a crowded café. No masks, no worries. I had no idea that would be the last outing I would have. Less than a month later, I left work to never return as we went from lockdown to unending quarantine.
First Person Account: What It Feels Like To Be Stripped of Your History
Home / Featured Content / First Person Account: What It Feels Like To Be Stripped of Your History I would consider myself a good student. Most days, I just listened and took notes in class. I had good grades. I wasn’t known to cause a problem. I was in High school, in American History class, and we were reading through pages of the text. To be honest, I was barely paying attention because I had studied American History every single year from first grade until that day.
Removing Toxic People From Your Life
Home / Featured Content / Removing Toxic People From Your Life Social media has made it more likely that people will keep others in their lives much longer than they naturally would. In the past, you would lose touch with people as you graduated, moved away or changed jobs. Now, we are encouraged to stay connected. In many ways it is good, but it can also be bad if you are maintaining relationships with people who negatively impact your life and mental health.
How to Know When You Are Avoiding Communication
They say that every couple has a topic that will always be a source of contention between them. It’s the nature of being raised in different environments, being different genders or simply approaching situations from different perspectives. We have different beliefs, coping mechanisms or triggers that we bring into our relationships. Resolution and compromise can be found through communication. Disagreements require understanding and negotiation. The problem is these are not skills everyone learns.
What the New Year Brings Is Up to You
We are still enduring a collective trauma and there is no confirmed end in sight. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown There is no way to pretend 2020 wasn’t a hard year. We have been hit from so many different angles with challenges. Many of us left a job in March thinking that we were going to return to end up working from home for over 9 months. Some people were laid off or furloughed from a job that they weren’t expecting to have to leave.
What the New Year Brings Is Up to You
Home / Featured Content / What the New Year Brings Is Up to You There is no way to pretend 2020 hasn’t been a hard year. We have been hit from so many different angles with challenges. Many of us left a job in March thinking that we were going to return to end up working from home for over 9 months. Some people were laid off or furloughed from a job that they weren’t expecting to have to leave. Our normal lives basically imploded and now we have a new way to live.
Finding the Words to Describe My Emotions
People who are emotionally shut down find it difficult to meet your emotions because they refuse to meet their own. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown One of the hallmarks of emotional intimacy is communication. Oddly enough, even though I am a writer and can express thoughts and emotions very well in a professional setting, in a personal scenario I find it challenging. I was also smug that being a girl meant that I understood emotions.
Finding the Words to Describe My Emotions
One of the hallmarks of emotional intimacy is communication. Oddly enough, even though I am a writer and can express thoughts and emotions very well in a professional setting, in a personal scenario I find it challenging. I was also smug that being a girl meant that I understood emotions. I knew how to display a whirlwind of emotions when I felt challenged, disrespected or triggered.
Will Smith, Apology and the Power of Being Forgiven
I think we were all healed by seeing that having a deeper conversation can lead to reconciliation when both are ready and accepting. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore By Dyanne Brown A few weeks ago, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air aired a Reunion Special on HBOMax. During the show, the cast revisited what it was like to be a part of the show as well as behind-the-scenes stories of working together.
What Are ‘Daddy Issues’?
And, why they aren’t exclusive to one gender. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown The term, “Daddy issues” is generally thrown at women as a way to dehumanize their attachment needs within an intimate relationship. Sometimes, it’s used to slut-shame a woman whose sexual appetite is viewed as promiscuous. But rarely is it used correctly. The psychological term is having a Father Complex.
Will Smith, Apology and the Power of Being Forgiven
This past weekend, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air aired a Reunion Special on HBOMax. During the show, the cast revisited what it was like to be apart of the show as well as behind-the-scenes stories of working together. There was a touching tribute to actor James Avery, who played Uncle Phil, and who passed away years after the end of the show.
What Are 'Daddy Issues'?
Home / Featured Content / What Are ‘Daddy Issues’? The term, “Daddy issues” is generally thrown at women as a way to dehumanize their attachment needs within an intimate relationship. Sometimes, it’s used to slut-shame a woman whose sexual appetite is viewed as promiscuous. But rarely is it used correctly. The psychological term is having a Father Complex.
The Toll of Emotional Neglect on Adults
Perhaps we are a nation of children who weren’t allowed to cry. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown When I was growing up, the saying was, “kids should be seen and not heard.” One day, I was on social media, someone posted a meme that talked about how in the ’80s kids weren’t watched by their parents. They either roamed the streets or stayed home by themselves being babysat by television and movies. So many people chimed in and talked about how they were always alone.
The Toll of Emotional Neglect on Adults
When I was growing up, the saying was, “kids should be seen and not heard.” One day, I was on social media, someone posted a meme that talked about how in the 80’s kids weren’t watched by their parents. They either roamed the streets or stayed home by themselves being baby-sat by television and movies. So many people chimed in and talked about how they were always alone. Emotional Neglect isn’t just about being left alone. It’s about your emotions not being recognized, nurtured or ignored.
Chaos and Uncertainty: The Recipe for Leaders
Home / Featured Content / Chaos and Uncertainty: The Recipe for Leaders A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves. – Anon This year has required a great deal of everyone, but even more of leaders. Some have stepped up and shown how strong they are in leadership during a chaotic, uncertain time. Some have moved slowly in redirecting efforts which have led to some loss.
How Vulnerable Are We to Being Made to Think a Certain Way?
Home / Featured Content / How Vulnerable Are We to Being Made to Think a Certain Way? I have been watching documentaries and docu-series lately. Recently, I watched, “The Social Dilemma”, a documentary on Netflix and “The Vow”, a docu-series on HBOMax. Both forced me to consider how vulnerable we all are and how damaging it can be when left unchecked.
How Relationship Memes Can Derail a Relationship
If they are shared passive-aggressively to condemn the actions of your partner, there can be a price to pay. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown I love Memes. I search for all kinds of memes and share them all day long. Some are funny. Some are wise and some impart therapeutic messages. Not all memes are created equal. Some can be harmful because the messages are designed to elicit a negative response or to paint a situation in a negative light.
Could You Be Addicted to Self-Improvement?
At some point, you have to decide to be okay with who you are. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown This past weekend, I was watching a video and the woman said, “there is no amount of personal development that will change you from being you.” As she explained it deeper, I found myself lost in thought. I am always on a self-help journey. On a daily basis, I indulge in videos on YouTube designed to condition my thinking. I read self-help and non-fiction books.
How Relationship Memes Can Derail a Relationship
Home / Featured Content / How Relationship Memes Can Derail a Relationship I love Memes. I search for all kinds of memes and share them all day long. Some are funny. Some are wise and some impart therapeutic messages. Not all memes are created equal. Some can be harmful because the messages are designed to elicit a negative response or to paint a situation in a negative light.
Could You Be Addicted to Self-Improvement?
Home / Featured Content / Could You Be Addicted to Self-Improvement? This past weekend, I was watching a video and the woman said, “there is no amount of personal development that will change you from being you.” As she explained it deeper, I found myself lost in thought. I am always on a self-help journey. On a daily basis, I indulge in videos on YouTube designed to condition my thinking. I read self-help and non-fiction books.
Chadwick Boseman: A Real Life Superhero
And, why everyone should get checked for colon cancer. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore on Flickr By Dyanne Brown I went to sleep early on Friday as I was feeling run down from the work week and, maybe, it was the rain that created my fatigue. But, something woke me up around 11 p.m. and I couldn’t go back to sleep. Wiping my eyes, I turned on my cellphone and in my notifications was the report that said, “Chadwick Boseman, Dead at 43”.
Why Self-Care Is Necessary in 2020: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Either the world as we know it is falling apart or we are dealing with every ill of society at once. Whatever the case, it’s a lot for a mind to process. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown We have a little over three months remaining in 2020, but this year has been overwhelming. It’s hard to know what or where to focus your attention. Of the many things happening at once, they all seem to be on the same level of urgency.
Chadwick Boseman: A Real Life Superhero
Home / Featured Content / Chadwick Boseman: A Real Life Superhero I went to sleep early on Friday as I was feeling run down from the work week and, maybe, it was the rain that created my fatigue. But, something woke me up around 11 p.m. and I couldn’t go back to sleep. Wiping my eyes, I turned on my cellphone and in my notifications was the report that said, “Chadwick Boseman, Dead at 43”. I hovered somewhere between shocked awake and confused, fuzzy dream state. I assumed it was a hoax.
Salute to Those on the Front Lines
The medical staff that saves our lives every day. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown When you walk into a hospital, there are so many people who have to encounter and deal with you before you ever see a doctor. Earlier this year, I was in the Emergency Room. First, I spoke with a person at check-in who took the information regarding my symptoms, asked questions about my medical history and verified my insurance. Then, after a short time, someone came to get my vitals.
Why Self-Care Is Necessary in 2020: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Home / Featured Content / Why Self-Care Is Necessary in 2020: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay We have a little over four months remaining in 2020, but this year has been overwhelming. It’s hard to know what or where to focus your attention. Of the many things happening at once, they all seem to be on the same level of urgency. We have been in a Pandemic for over six months which brings its anxiety and a call to change how we do everything from going to work, shopping and live in our homes.
Could You Be Missing Your Partner’s Requests for Attention?
Rejection is hard coming from strangers, but even harder coming from someone you love. Photo by Dollar Gill on Unsplash By Dyanne Brown Spending almost six months together in the home with your significant other can be a dream for some, but for others, it can bring up all types of emotional stress that you might not expect. Where you had time apart either because of competing schedules or the ability to leave the home to participate in hobbies, now there may not as much to do outside of the home.
How I Overcame Being Touch Deprived to Become an Affectionate Person
I didn’t know I wasn’t affectionate. Photo credit: iStock By Dyanne Brown I didn’t know I wasn’t affectionate. According to Vice, psychologists are now referring to it as Skin Hunger and technology is making it increasingly more common. We were a few months into our relationship when he brought it to my attention. I think I was doing dishes or something where I wasn’t really focused on him.
When We Discuss Equality, Let’s Not Forget Men and Emotions
Anger is sad’s bodyguard. By society’s standards, anger is a much more acceptable emotion from a man and may be the only one he has in his arsenal to let out his feelings. Photo credit: Shutterstock By Dyanne Brown I have had two significant male figures in my life, in the form of a birth father and stepfather, and I can count on one hand the number of times I saw them cry. I remember my Mom and Birth Father were separated at the time.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Dyanne
Contact Dyanne, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack