Today we’re beyond honored to be joined by the brilliant Dr. Akeem Nassor Marsh — a highly respected, board-certified Black psychiatrist, professor, author, and true inspiration.

Together we dive into Marvel’s Ironheart on Disney+ and use it as a lens to explore:

💔 The complexity of grief, from childhood losses to family, dreams, and community

🧠 How trauma can make us compartmentalize — hiding good memories to avoid painful ones

🪞 Representation & mentorship — why it matters for Black and Brown youth to see themselves in positions of power

🎭 The balance between nerd culture, mental health, and hope for the future

Dr. Marsh shares powerful wisdom on healing, community, and why we must sit with both the joy and the sorrow to truly grow. He also breaks down scenes from Ironheart — from laughter with family to grief, loss, and the moment “Ironheart” was born.

📚 Be sure to support Dr. Marsh and check out his book Not Just Bad Kids!

💭 Question for you:

How do you personally process grief — do you lean in or pull away?

Which Marvel character has taught you the most about resilience and representation?

Thanks for checking out Different Spectrums! 🎙️ We're a podcast led by licensed therapists and neurodivergent individuals who explore emotions in movies and shows. Our mission is to normalize mental health challenges and promote understanding.

Join your founders and hosts, Dr. Nazeer Zerka and Spencer Srnec, as we process some key scenes to help you better understand your emotions and maybe even find some validation in them.

To find our new guest: Dr. Akeem Nassor Marsh

https://www.instagram.com/_doc_ak/

https://linktr.ee/AMarshMD

Episode Breakdown:

0:00 Attention

0:59 Intro

6:08 Scenes

17:15 Discussion

We’d love to hear your ideas for future episodes and connect with you on social media. You can find all our links here: https://linktr.ee/different_spectrums

⚠️ Reminder: Our podcast isn’t a substitute for therapy. If you need help, please seek professional assistance or call 988 for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or 911 in case of an emergency.

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