Stories of Hope

I’m Working on a New Me

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Stories of Hope: Laura Marchildon This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Laura Marchildon to share her story about her history of mental health challenges and some of her current advocacy work. Here’s Laura’s story: My name is Laura Marchildon and I have Bipolar Disorder. My mental health journey began in March 2010, just one month after my 41st birthday. My onset literally happened over night. For 41 years I had the proverbial “normal” …

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Whatever Is Happening Will Pass

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Ben Scanlan This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked Ben Scanlan about his history of mental health challenges and about some of his 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? BS: Mental health difficulties had been around between the ages of 17 and 24, …

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There’s a Rainbow Waiting for You

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Richard Brea This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Richard Brea about his history of mental health challenges and about some of his current advocacy work. 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 and those around you before you sought treatment? RB: I first started to get …

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Recovery is a Journey, not a Destination

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Jim Buchanan This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Jim Buchanan about his history of mental health challenges and about some of his current advocacy work. 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 and those around you before you sought treatment? JB: …

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“Stories of Hope” – Behind the Scenes

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Perhaps you’re already familiar with my “Stories of Hope” series, in which I interview people who have dealt with mental health challenges and who share the lessons they have learned through their journey. I’ve completed and published dozens of Stories of Hope interviews; you can click here to see and read them all. I think you’ll agree that all of these Stories of Hope are candid, inspiring, courageous, and real. I feel privileged to have met all of these wonderful …

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Musings of a Mental Health Hero

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Christina Huff This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked mental health advocate Christina Huff about her history of mental health challenges and about some of her current advocacy work. Here’s our interview: DS: How did your mental health concerns develop? What did you notice and how did these issues affect you? CH: When I was in high school, I was always depressed, had a hard time …

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Finding Meaning in My Life

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Kelly Davis This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, mental health advocate Kelly Davis graciously offered to share about her personal 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? KD: My story is pretty messy, which I think is a lot more …

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Learning a New Way of Living

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Belinda Bennetts This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, author and coach Belinda Bennetts graciously offered to share about her personal mental health challenges and her current activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about your first awareness of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? BB: From the age of about five I became aware that I was ‘different’ to others. I …

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