In Respect for the Law – Part 3, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper wrap up their powerful and deeply personal three-part conversation with civil rights attorney, restorative justice advocate, and mental health champion Jade Mathis. This final installment goes even deeper into the unseen realities of living with depression, navigating relationships, setting boundaries, and advocating for yourself in a world that often expects you to be “fine” even when you’re not.
Picking up where Part 2 left off, Jade shares what it’s like to manage an invisible disability while balancing family expectations, demanding careers, and the emotional weight of her work. She talks candidly about why she chooses to be transparent, how she learned to speak up for herself, and why seeking mental health support is a sign of strength—not weakness. The trio dives into the realities of disappearing during depressive lows, the importance of having people who check in without judgment, and what it means to rebuild capacity one day at a time.
From there, the conversation moves to faith, therapy, and how she reconciles being a lifelong churchgirl who also fully embraces treatment, medication, and talking to trained professionals. Jade opens up about finding a Black woman therapist she could trust, why it took multiple tries, and why therapy only works when you reveal what actually needs healing.
Greg and Elliott also explore Jade’s transformational journey through law school and the bar exam—failing five times, persevering through a cancer scare, taking the test a sixth time, and finally passing. Jade explains how examples like Judge Mathis and fellow attorneys kept her going, and how her testimony is now part of the message she shares with the world.
The episode ends on a lighter note—with dating talk, sibling stories, Elliot being “quietly shady,” Jade confirming she is happily single, and the group reminiscing about their Woodland Hills wine nights during filming of Mathis Family Matters. They close, as always, with Chef’s Kiss or Miss, giving final ratings to Motor City Grill (Detroit) and Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), before shouting out Detroit’s own Mary Sheffield and reminding everyone to vote.
Featuring:
Jade Mathis, Greg Mathis Jr., Elliott Cooper, Judge Greg Mathis, Motor City Grill (Detroit), Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), Mathis Family Matters, Project Clean Slate, restorative justice, bar exam perseverance, mental health advocacy, invisible disabilities, therapy and faith, Mary Sheffield (Detroit City Council President).
