Giving Voice to Depression

Mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder make our every "failing" or "weakness" seem huge, pervasive and permanent. Negative self-talk is so familiar, that sometimes it's just easier to believe than the reality that we are making progress, accomplishing things and moving closer to the goal of being mentally stable or healthy. This 23-minute episode features Rebecca Lombardo who lives with Bipolar Disorder Two. She recently turned 50 and was surprised to realize that in the past decade, she has made tremendous strides-- wins she had not taken pride in before that realization. Link to the free Kindle version of Rebecca's book: https://bit.ly/47A7FvORebecca's website: www.rebeccaalombardo.comhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Rebecca Lombardo fights a battle inside her mind every single day. But she doesn't fight it alone. In this 19-minute episode you'll hear from both Becca and her husband Joe, as they share some of the lessons they've learned in their marriage; lessons about communication, boundaries, love, and Bipolar 2 Disorder.www.rebeccaalombardo.comhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

There is magic in the words "I've been there. I understand."Especially when speaking to someone who is in a bad place mentally, whether that's high anxiety, a depression, or a mental health crisis. To be the living example of an "other side" to a seemingly hopeless situation is both a privilege and a responsibility.This 19-minute episode is Jordan's story. But it's also a version of lots of people's stories, which is where the hope comes in. People who have been "right where you are" are in different, better, healthier places now, and you can be too.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

"Who You Callin' Crazy" is a 25-minute podcast episode that features practical therapy tips for the "little ways" we can make big differences in changing the perceptions, misconceptions and stigma around mental illnesses. Our guest, National Board Certified Counselor and therapist Juliet Kuehnle believes that as the needle shifts on stigma (which Covid helped with,) "we need to learn to embrace the fact that mental health is an integral part of what makes us who we are."Juliet's website: https://suncounselingandwellness.com/juliet-kuehnle/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Fighting "the stigma of mental illness" is not an academic pursuit. It's both a social justice and public health issue.Welcome to the 3rd of our 4-part look at the stigma of mental illness. In this episode, we'll hear from several past guests about the actual real-world, real-life benefits of reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. Those benefits include promoting mental wellness and reducing the risk of harm to individuals with diagnoses. We will discuss the positive impacts of creating an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with mental illness and the broader benefits of destigmatizing mental health.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

The phrase "stigma of mental illness" is at once overused and misunderstood.What does it really mean? Why does it matter? Why should I care?In the second of four episodes in our monthlong look at how negative associations with mood disorder diagnoses negatively impact those of us who live with them, we ask a number of past guests if stigma is evident to them, and if so, in what ways.www.mhanational.org/b4stage4-philosophyhttps://www.findthemind.org/articles/why-is-there-so-much-stigma-surrounding-mental-illnesshttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

Mental illness is a subject that is often stigmatized and misunderstood. The silence around it can make us feel like we're the only one experiencing it- that we are uniquely flawed. By sharing our stories, we can empower each other and break the stigma. In this podcast episode, we explore the power of personal stories in combating mental illness stigma. We will hear from Dr. Patrick Corrigan, one of the leading stigma researchers, about what does and doesn't work in the fight against stigma, and that stigma needs to be fought as a social justice vs. public health issue. Corrigan also stresses the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment to share stories. By understanding the power of our own stories, and those of others, we can create real and lasting change in our society's understanding of mental illness.https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

We buy all kinds of insurance to protect ourselves.A Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is "emotional insurance." It can help us recognize when/why we are in a Good Place, andwarn us if/when we (or our minds) start to wander into Less-Good Places. A WRAP can also protect us and give us some control in a mental-health crisis.In this episode our cohosts, a licensed psychologist and certified peer specialist continue a step-by-step guide for making a personalized WRAP plan-- something we create when we're well, to speak to and for us when we are not.links: copelandcenter.com/mentalhealthrecovery.com/info-center/www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/WRAP.pdfhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

We plan for all sorts of events and emergencies. We buy insurance. If we know we live in an area prone to tornadoes or hurricanes or floods, we have a plan for how to handle those potential crises.We can (and it's a very good idea) plan for potential mental health challenges and even crises too. Who do you want to help and support you?Who do you not want involved?What are your early warning signs that things are getting worse or nearing a crisis?What triggers or stressors negatively impact your mental health? How can you limit or avoid them? How do you best manage those you can't avoid?How will you (and others) know when you're in crisis? And how will you/they know when you no longer are?These are all great questions. And knowing our own personal answers and writing them down in an organized Wellness Recovery Action Plan (or WRAP) can help us maintain some control even in times that feel out of our control.A licensed psychologist will walk us through the steps of making a plan and give examples and advice to make it easier for you. Here's a link to the plan outline we're following: https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/WRAP.pdfhttps://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/

We are encouraged to "do the work" to manage our mental health.We're told to #beheretomorrow.And those are powerful messages!But how often do they include the reminder that we deserve to recover, heal and live for ourselves and not just for others?That distinction is discussed in this 24-minute episode with our guest, Ari Cohen.Families for Depression Awareness site: https://www.familyaware.org/https://recovery.com/https://givingvoicetodepression.com/Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/GivingVoiceToDepression/X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/VoiceDepressionTerry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/givingvoicetodepression/