
The Psychology Podcast From Coping to Capacity w/ RaQuel Hopkins
Oct 23, 2025
RaQuel Hopkins, a certified coach and clinical mental health counselor, shares her journey from coping to growth. They delve into how identity can limit development and the importance of expanding mental and emotional capacity. RaQuel discusses her evolution towards helping others thrive, the dangers of performative vulnerability, and the significance of community in shaping our identities. She emphasizes shifting from short-term coping strategies to long-term growth, urging listeners to embrace their potential and engage fully with life.
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Capacity Is Development, Not Just Survival
- Capacity is who you become by integrating experiences, not just what you carry.
- Capacity enables transformation beyond coping into ongoing personal development.
Why People Shrink Over Time
- Blame, self-protection, and social media are prime drivers that make people shrink instead of grow.
- These forces encourage protective narrowing rather than integration and expansion.
A Staged View Of Adult Development
- Hopkins outlines developmental adult stages: survival, stability, strength, stewardship.
- Stages aren't bad, but they show where people commonly get stuck in adulthood.





