In this episode, I’m sitting down with Tay Lautner and Shannon McPeek, two incredible women making waves in healthcare mental health advocacy. Tay shares her journey of battling PTSD, triggered by the pandemic, and how she transitioned from nursing into advocacy with The Lemons Foundation and her podcast, The Squeeze. Shannon, founder of Operation Happy Nurse, opens up about her experience working in the NICU, dealing with OCD and depression, and finding healing through community support. Together, they discuss the emotional toll of nursing, burnout, and their decision to leave the profession. They also share the mental health tools they’ve developed and emphasize the importance of community in the healing process. Tune in for their powerful insights and advice for navigating high-pressure careers.

(00:03:49) Confronting Mental Health Challenges in Nursing & Creating Support Systems

(00:14:21) Facing Burnout & Normalizing Career Shifts for Better Mental Health

(00:24:15) Healing through Community & Honest Mental Health Conversations

(00:31:31) Shannon & Tay’s Mental Health Tools

Click here for full show notes

Guest Info:

• Shannon’s Instagram: @smcpeek

• Operation Happy Nurse: operationhappynurse.org

• Tay’s Instagram: @taylautner

• The Lemons Foundation: lemonsbytay.com/the-lemons-foundation

Resources:

• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing

• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn

• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence

• Therapy For All: Resources for those in need

• Thank you to our partners! Go to thebigsilence.com/partners for special offers for our listeners

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!

“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Producer, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.

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