Season 2 - Episode 1 - "Ditch the Mask" Campaign in 'The Rose Garden' in Berkeley, CA with Janna

Welcome to our introductory podcast for Season 2 of A New Dawn podcast.

We are here with, "Bipolar Mama of 3," as she ditches her mask, as my first video & podcast guest of season 2.

Please find the video version of this podcast on my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs2-SAKPA_A

The importance of removing the social media mask she’s worn for several years was apparent during our interview. She’s still apprehensive, but yet well aware her bravery will help others. Thank you, Janna, for being the first, meeting you has been a joy. I’m hopeful for our future work together.

Vodcast of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jue8iV4cTwdyEFYESf_OQ

Watch our "Ditch the Mask," Introductory Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNzhkHCw2ZY&t=11s

Season 1 - Episode 40 - Michelle, author . of, “Breaking into My Life,” a story about reclaiming her life and being raised by a mom with Bipolar Disorder

Michelle is from New Jersey and shares her story about being raised by a mother who had Bipolar Disorder. She works for Johnson & Johnson as a Director and is also an advocate for mental health awareness. You can read an excerpt from her book here: http://breakingintomylife.com/excerpt/

Please visit her page for FAQs as well, she shares resources with you.

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She conveys a message about mental health:

• We are not our past. It is possible to triumph over past challenges with perseverance.

• Let’s separate the person from their illness. They are not their illness. They are loving individuals doing the bet they can with what they have been dealt.

• Caregivers must establish some boundaries and make their own wellbeing a priority so that they can provide the best level of support to those they love.

• The brain is just another organ. I look to the day when we talk as openly about brain health as we do heart health. When that happens people won’t be ashamed or suffer in silence.

• If you are suffering and don’t feel comfortable talking to your loved ones or a therapist, find other outlets to keep talking. Find resources like www.18percent.org or https://www.7cups.com/ to express yourself and get connected to others who might have experienced what you are. You are not alone and you don’t have to navigate it alone. You are human and it is ok to not be ok.

• If you care for someone who you think is struggling, don’t look away and don’t “hope” they will get through it on their own. Try to create a safe space for them to share. Just by listening and asking them to tell you more, you will help them by allowing them to feel heard. You don’t have to fix anything. Just be there for them and listen to them.  

Please let us know what you think, comments are welcome on our blog https://www.anewdawnaa.com/podcast

Season 1 - Episode 34 - Amethyst tells her story and how she reclaimed her 'integrity' with #nothingwasted

Amethyst lives with Battered Women’s Syndrome, Borderline Personality Disorder, Complex PTSD and depression. She’s also a mental health advocate and survivor of suicide. Her message is clear in her story, #nothingwasted. She uses all life’s lessons to fight for people living with mental illness and her passion is with the African American community, where she finds stories tend to be hushed and kept secret.

She works with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and will be at the May 5th FREE event at the Chicago Heights Recreation Center, 1400 Chicago Rd, Chicago Heights, IL 60411. (Check it out)

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bea.holder.96

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmethystRocks1

Podcast link

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Alice shares her story about childhood abuse, substance abuse, the foster care system and Borderline Personality Disorder and Advocacy.

Alice Pirola discusses the experience of abuse during her childhood and how her life was thrown for a loop for making what she thought was the right decision. The outcome of all of this would lead to a Borderline Personality Disorder. She suffers anxiety, depression, OCD and PTSD as well and has not only become an advocate for mental illness, she's a speaker for NAMI. She's also publishing a book this year, "Searching For Grey," which can be used by clinician's, family members of sufferers of mental illness.

She is a speaker during her NAMI meetings and also participates on the website "The Mighty," which is a website forum for the advocacy of mental health sufferers.

~A New Dawn

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Season 1 - Episode 13 - Sharman Badgett-Young - MFT, Counselor and author - Anxiety & Depression - 11/26/18

Sharma discusses her role as a family therapist and group home counselor. She shares what she’s been through to help others learn what to do or how to respond.

She is now writing to provide others with self help and now writing fictional stories of characters with mental illnesses. She created a mental illness in “Dream Mire,” in her attempt to humanize mental illness. The character’s struggles and stress are humanizing and symbolic of others facing mental illness in our world.

Amazon: Author link

Facebook: Facebook Page
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