The Th3rd Bridge
At The Th3rd Bridge, our mission is to provide a platform for open, honest dialogue and expert-led conversation to deconstruct the stigma behind therapy, while at the same time, aiming to reveal the genius that often goes unrecognized in system-impacted communities, especially for adult men and women who have endured long-term incarceration. The Th3rd Bridge creates a brave, trauma-informed space where people of all identities practice emotional humility, deconstruct beliefs like “boys don’t cry,” and help restructure an emotional range. Through candid conversations with advocates, clinicians, and people with lived experience, we name and challenge patterns of emotional dysregulation rooted in trauma, internalized misogyny, domestic violence, and other learned beliefs that shut down connection and reward control over feeling. The Th3rd Bridge will introduce the means for all to engage in conversations about trauma and access practical tools for healing and growth. Our aim is not to “fix” anyone, but to create a safe space for dialogue that supports people in moving toward mental wellness. We believe in the power of conversation and shared humanity to build bridges where walls once stood.
The Th3rd Bridge Podcast is an innovative media project, co-created by Brian Shepperd, a man formerly incarcerated as a juvenile for nearly 30 years in California’s prison system; Dwight Jones, also a formerly incarcerated man, who spent 21 years inside, until he was exonerated for being wrongly convicted; and features, as co-host, Dr. Lisa De La Rue, a licensed clinical psychologist whose research focuses on increasing access to trauma-responsive and culturally-responsive services. We host open conversations about therapy and the stigma surrounding it, normalize help-seeking as courageous leadership, and promote accountability, compassion, and community care. By amplifying historically marginalized voices and equipping listeners with actionable strategies, we aim to reduce isolation, strengthen families and neighborhoods, and catalyze cultural change that makes sustained mental and emotional well-being possible for everyone impacted by the carceral system. By putting lived experience and professional expertise in conversation, the podcast serves as a trauma-informed space where stories and science meet— showing people returning home, their families, and the professionals who support them, that healing is possible.
This project was born from a simple truth: justice-impacted people rarely have safe spaces to process trauma or share what survival and reintegration really require. Despite decades of reform discourse, the psychological toll of incarceration—on individuals, families, and communities—remains underrepresented in mainstream media. Stigma around trauma and therapy, particularly within incarcerated and justice-impacted communities, has prevented countless individuals from accessing the support they deserve. The Th3rd Bridge was created to illuminate pathways to healing, building a bridge between psychology and prison culture, academia and lived experience, trauma and transformation.
This project began as an honest, organic conversation between Brian and Dwight about how crucial therapy has been for them, both mentally and emotionally, and how much it has helped them to remain consistent and successful since being released after long-term incarceration. Although there are podcasts that offer a clinician’s advice or a therapist’s perspective on a variety of topics, there is nothing that offers the point of view from someone with lived-expertise and peer support that is paired with a real clinical psychologist for open, transparent collaborative dialogue. As the discussion continued to unfurl, the unanswered question that the co-creators contemplated remained: “Where are we gonna find a Licensed Clinical Psychologist?” Coming highly recommended by some of their dearest and highly esteemed friends, Dr. Lisa was given an overview of the podcast, accepted the invitation to co-host, and The Th3rd Bridge took its first breath.
Our purpose is to dismantle stigma and normalize mental health conversations in justice-impacted communities, while engaging a broader audience in the importance of trauma-informed conversations. Each episode centers both dignified storytelling and clinically grounded opinion. Through dialogue with a clinician, system-impacted people, and allies, The Th3rd Bridge promotes accessible, culturally responsive dialogue that serves to model individual and collective healing. By fostering this healing, we transform pain and anger into powerful instruments for positive change to bridge the gap between trauma and transformation.
