DBSAlliance

I met Kevin Cleare when we both won awards from the National Council of Community Behavioral Healtchare. Kevin won 1st Prize in Individual Achievement. Kevin has been a tireless advocate for people with serious mental illness in the criminal justice system. Hear him discuss how he turned his life around after serving five years in prison. Kevin will also share two tools in his "mental health survival kit."

Your Thoughts?

Do you know someone who could derive hope from Kevin's story?

Have you ever had to turn your life around?

Hear from Carol as she reads her poem, In Less Than a Day, which inspired a play by the same name from Erasing the Distance, a Chicago theater company. In this interview, Carol talks about the excruciating pain she endured from a surgery prompted her to remember her father's death from a brain tumor. In facing stressful circumstances--multitasking lupus and bipolar disorder--Carol has used tools from DBT, or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She will discuss "opposite reaction" and "living in the moment," and how we can use these tools in our own lives. Interested in seeing In Less Than a Day on Monday, June 25, 2012? Go to erasingthedistance.org for more information!

Your Turn?:

Were you inspired by Carol's courage?

Can you use these DBT tools: opposite reaction and living in the moment?

I asked Flipswitch fans on Twitter to finish this sentence, "My least favorite myth about people with bipolar is..." Hear people's answers here!

Finish the Top 10 Bipolar Myths here in Part 2!

https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/flipswitch-10-bipolar-myths-pt-2

Your Thoughts?:

What's your least favorite myth about people with bipolar disorder?

Last week, I started to reveal people's answers in Part 1 (link). Now here is the second half of people's answers to "My least favorite myth about people with bipolar is ____________." Hear these 5 myths. Break stigma! Share truth.

Listen to part 1 here: https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/flipswitch-top-10-bipolar-myths-pt-1

Your Thoughts?:

What is your least favorite myth about bipolar disorder?

This is the second half of my interview with popular rape advocate and blogger, 19-year old Sara. In Part One, she talked about her life--her rape, how treatment changed her life, and how she helps so many others also find hope and healing.

In this installment, Sara define's society's "rape culture" and where it is on TV, the media, and pop culture. She talks about how you and I can end it. She also shares her thoughts on Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky Trial. I also share multiple resources for survivors and their loved ones. Read Sara's blog here at http://sarapenrod.tumblr.com/

(If you need immediate help, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.)

For part one go here: https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/ending-rape-culture-pt-1

Your Thoughts?

Does Sara's story give you hope?

Do you know someone that could benefit from hearing this podcast?

19-year old Sara will talk about how she survived the trauma of her rape and how you can help yourself if you've been raped or sexually assaulted. Sara also gives advice for people who know someone who has been raped. At the end of this podcast, I share multiple resources for survivors and their loved ones. Read Sara's blog here at http://sarapenrod.tumblr.com/ (If you need immediate help, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.)

Finish Sarah's story with Ending Rape Culture Part 2: Survivor Discusses What WE Can Do & Her Thoughts on Penn State

https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/ending-rape-culture-pt-2

Your Thoughts?

Were you inspired by Sara's story?

Could you use some of these resources?

People with bipolar disorder know that staying up late can lead to mania or hypomania, which is often followed by depression. But sometimes it's hard for friends and family to understand. In the summertime, people with bipolar are torn between attending late-night events with friends and sleeping on time to prevent mania. This podcast discusses the relationship between sleep, mania, and depression. It outlines 5 steps for explaining the "Bipolar Bedtime" to friends and family.

Your Thoughts?:

Do you have friends and family who don't understand why you have to sleep earlier than they do?

Can you use these strategies to help people understand?

One word associated with all Olympians is success. Sadly this word is not associated with mental illness. But Jerry, a Special Olympics athlete who has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Apserger's Syndrome (a form of Autism), is the epitome of success. He is a college graduate, Coordinator for Project UNIFY the Special Olympics, and a Special O athlete who competes in 6 different sports. You'll hear him talk about the stigma associated with mental illness and autism and how he uses it to fuel his success.

Your Thoughts?:

Were you encouraged by Jerry's story?

Can you use stigma as motivation?

In this podcast, we learn how ADHD affects school by hearing Erin, a successful 29-yo with ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She'll identify 3 common problems for students with ADHD and tell us how she went from academic probation to the Dean's List when she was in college! This is Part 1 of 2 Parts in the "Back to School with ADHD" Series.

To check out the resources that helped Erin, visit the Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada at www.caddac.ca!

Finish Back to School with ADHD here in Part 2!

https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/back-to-school-with-adhd-pt-2-of-2-3-strategies-you-need-to-survive

Your Thoughts/Suggestions for Comments?

Could you relate to the 3 problems Erin talked about?

Did you learn something new from this podcast?

Erin continues the story she began in Pt 1 (of 2) in the "Back to School with ADHD" series. She tells us about a problem students with ADHD face called Working Memory Disability or Executive Functioning. Erin also explains 3 strategies students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can use to finish high school or college using her own experience as someone who went from academic probation to the Dean's List! She also shares some ADHD books that guided her. For more info, just visit the Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada at www.caddac.ca!

Did you miss the first half of this interview? Hear Pt 1 of Back to School with ADHD here:

https://soundcloud.com/dbsalliance/back-to-school-with-adhd-pt-1-of-2-3-problems-adhd-students-face

Your Thoughts:

Do you have a problem with Executive Functioning?

Can you use any of these strategies (using a recorder, switching classes, put a list of items on door for backpack, etc)?