David Susman

The Best Therapy is Outside of Therapy

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Ruth Poniarski This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked author and artist Ruth Poniarski about her journey and her recent activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. What was the turning point that led you to decide to seek help? RP: In the year 1977, at a …

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Determined to Be the Best Person I Can Be

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Michelle Lande Clark This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Michelle Lande Clark about her journey and her recent activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health.  MLC: I started getting severely depressed at the age of 13. I could not function to do things as …

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Choosing to Sit in the Uncomfortable

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Ashley Kesner This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Ashley Kesner about her journey and her recent activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? AK: My story is quite long and involved, …

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Discovering Who I Am

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Sanjana Karthik This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked student Sanjana Karthik about her journey and her recent activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? SK: I used to struggle with anxiety with regards to …

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Clouds Don’t Last Forever

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Alexandra Nicklas This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked advocate Alexandra Nicklas about her journey and her recent activities. Here’s our interview: DS:Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? AN: I was born with a left hemisphere brain infarction or …

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I Finally Feel Like I Belong Somewhere

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Sam Swidzinski “I want this article to be useful to people. I want this article to help at least one person to get one step closer to becoming well.” – Sam Swidzinski This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked author, researcher and advocate Sam Swidzinski about his journey. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware …

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Learn How to Respond to an Opioid Overdose

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I was fortunate to be able to attend a training about how to intervene if someone has had an overdose on opioids. I found the information very useful and wanted to share a few highlights with you, as well as pointing out some resources for further information. First, a few facts. In 2018, over 46,000 drug overdose deaths in the US involved an opioid. Opioids include a variety of natural and synthetic chemicals (some prescribed and some illicit), including opium, …

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Listening to Your Intuition

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Shumaila Hemani, PhD This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked composer and musician Shumaila Hemani about her journey and her current activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? SH: It was in 2015 when I …

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