Stories of Hope

Thriving on the Other Side of Illness

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Mark Hattas This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked entrepreneur Mark Hattas about his history of mental health challenges and about the recent launch of his new mental health organization. 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? MH: In 2011, I was …

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Find Value in All Parts of Your Precious Self

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Tina Busby This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked peer support specialist and advocate Tina Busby about her history of mental health challenges 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? TB: When I was 31, postpartum depression …

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I Won’t Be Limited By My Mental Illness

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Anja Burcak  This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate and student Anja Burcak about her history of mental health challenges 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? AB: In June, 2014, following my sophomore year …

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No Longer ‘Running In Silence’

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Rachael Steil This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate and author Rachael Steil about her history of mental health challenges and her self-help memoir. 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? RS: I first started to sense something was …

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I’ve Lost My Mind: How I Found It Again

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Tillie Bright This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate and author Tillie Bright about her history of mental health challenges and her recent book. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health and when did you first get help? TB: I knew something was truly wrong long before I actually got …

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Bipolar Disorder Is My Biggest Competitor

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Amy Gamble This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate and author Amy Gamble about her history of mental health challenges, her advocacy activities and her recent memoir. 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? AG: Well…this is …

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Giving Mental Illness A Voice

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Sam Edwards This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate and psychotherapist Samantha Edwards about her history of mental health challenges and about some of her current advocacy efforts. Trigger warning: thoughts and behaviors related to suicide are discussed. 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 …

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“I Want to Share Your Stories of Hope”

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Have you been personally affected by mental illness or a mental health concern? Would you like to share your story of your experiences, challenges, treatments and successes? If so, I would love to help you share your unique and personal story. I’ve been sharing such first-person accounts for some time now in my “Stories of Hope” series here on this blog. You will find dozens of true and inspiring stories of men and women from all over the world who …

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