Awareness is the Key to Change

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Debra Atlas This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked writer and author Debra Atlas 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 and those around you before you sought treatment? DA: No one suspected …

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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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