HOPEfull Conversations with Kari Eckert

Imagine yourself going to work aimlessly every day, talking to others without a reason, working out just because you have to, and not having any aspirations for yourself or those around you.

How would you feel?

Goal-setting in is an essential tool for self-motivation and self-drive – both at personal and professional levels. It gives meaning to our actions and the purpose of achieving something higher.  By setting goals, we get a roadmap of where we are heading to and what is the right way that would lead us there. It is a plan that holds us in perspective – the more effectively we make the plan, the better are our chances of achieving what we aim to.  Setting goals are linked with higher motivation, self-esteem, self-confidence, and autonomy, and research has established a strong connection between goal-setting and success

Joining me today is Thibaut Meurisse, the founder of Whatispersonaldevelopment.org, a website detailing the internal secret to the journey of personal development. This website offers free sources for initiating personal development journeys, along with more in depth programs and resources to facilitate personal growth. Meurisse is also the author of more than 20 different books about mastering emotions and harnessing every necessary trait in order to achieve personal success. Meurisse has been publishing books to facilitate personal growth since receiving his MBA at Japan’s leading university for Economics in Tokyo and becoming trilingual in French, English, and Japanese. Meurisse is well-versed in creating a powerful mindset to lead a more fulfilling life as he continues to help people around the world with personal growth. 

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Trigger Warning:  Sexual Assault

The Association of American Universities' 2019 Campus Climate Survey reported an overall 13% rate of nonconsensual sexual contact at U.S. colleges. More than 1 in 4 undergraduate women reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact since enrolling in school.  Survivors may experience a variety of health conditions after being sexually assaulted. Common aftereffects include loss of appetite, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts.  Signs of these conditions can negatively impact a student's self-esteem, their ability to maintain relationships with friends and family, and many other aspects of their life.  Survivors may be too anxious to attend social events or club activities. Likewise, depression or PTSD side effects may make keeping up with academics impossible or seem pointless.

Joining me today is Sarah Dolan, a Computer Engineering student at the University of Montana. Sarah was recently featured in The Mountain in my Mind, a film discussing mental health experiences to spread awareness about suicide prevention. Sarah shared a personal incident revolving around sexual assault. Today, we will talk about how to respectfully approach sexual assault as a topic of discussion and how to create a comfortable discussion atmosphere.  Listen to a deeply personal conversation between Sarah and Kari as they discuss her struggles with her mental health after her assault and how she hopes to destigmatize conversations around sexual assault.  

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/uKZpTmBjq0g

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When singer-songwriter Jordan Lally lost his father to suicide, he knew he could no longer hide his own struggles with anxiety & depression. It was time for him and his bandmates in Big Infinite to get “real” and share their own mental health struggles with the world. The "Power of Expression" is an "unplugged" style music documentary and a 5-song EP that share Big Infinite's healing journey and uplifting music, while providing inspiration and wellness techniques to help others find hope, purpose and healing.

Joining me today is Jordan Lally.  Jordan is a mental health advocate, meditation teacher, singer-songwriter and speaker. Following the loss of his beloved father to clinical depression and suicide, Jordan established the Ed Lally Foundation to raise awareness for mindful mental health and suicide prevention. Through a mix of personal stories, original songs and guided meditations, Jordan shares his own struggles with mental health and teaches the practices of self-awareness and self-expression that helped him to heal. He tours with this bandmates in the Big Infinite, sharing their music and mental health message through a wide variety of concerts and community events on behalf of the Ed Lally Foundation.

https://edlallyfoundation.org    https://www.thebiginfinite.com

Listen to Big Infinite’s music video Won’t Let Go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8MSHupVFx4

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/NRkWdcbDnI8

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For the athletes whose identity is wrapped up in the sport they play, their self-worth can become linked to their performance. They may feel pressured to keep playing long past the time they stop enjoying their sport because of the sacrifices and investments they and their parents have made. If they do finally quit, they sometimes feel guilt or like a failure for letting others down, which can lead to self-destructive behavior and other student-athlete mental health issues. 

The challenge of balancing it all – teammate relationships, workouts, academics, sleep, daily activities, and other interests – can feel overwhelming for student-athletes. Though parents and coaches are often best positioned to remedy student-athlete mental health issues, they can exacerbate the problem by adding to the pressure these athletes face.

My guest today is Dan Watkins, a highly accomplished high school girls soccer coach. Dan is a technology coordinator, teacher and coach at Wheat Ridge High School in Colorado. He has coached in the girls soccer program at Wheat Ridge for the past 25 years (22 as a head coach). He was President of the Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association from 2014-2016 and president of the Colorado High School Coaches Association from 2019-2021, and currently serves on their Executive Board. He is on the United Soccer Coaches Girls national soccer rankings committee and is a 3 time National Coach of the year finalist. Dan is passionate about coaching, mentoring young coaches and athletes.

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/5npc5Wty_3I

For additional resources visit us at:  https://robbies-hope.com

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Trigger Warning:  Suicide and Suicidal Ideation

Ups + Downs is a film by freeski athlete Drew Petersen which chronicles his battle with his mental health.  Drew has a lifelong struggle with PTSD, bipolar disorder, brain injury, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  During a trip to Mt Hood, Oregon, he heard the crack of rock fall and was subsequently hit with a microwave size boulder.  After his accident the first thought of every day and the last thought of every day was that he should kill himself.  One day he was sitting on a bench watching cars drive by, crying all alone, powerless and consumed by his thoughts.  Sitting along in his room praying that he made it through the day until tomorrow.

Drew reached out for help. 

“When I expressed this to my therapist several years ago, she shared this advice: 

Think about it like the safety talk when you board an airplane. The stewardess says, “If the cabin loses pressure, oxygen masks will fall from the ceiling. Make sure your mask is secure before helping those around you.”

It took multiple years of therapy and hard work for me to get my mask on securely. About a year ago, early in the 2020-2021 ski season, I told my therapist that I was confident that my mask was on. What I had realized and have learned to accept was that my mask was not perfectly sealed nor leak-proof—and it might not be for the rest of my life. But I decided that for me, my mask is secure enough that it’s not going to fall off. The seal still breaks on occasion and it leaks, but I’m confident that I now have the tools, systems, and help to readjust it when necessary, tighten the straps, and keep on breathing.”

Listen to an emotionally charged and deeply personal conversation between Drew and Kari as they discuss his past and current struggles with his mental health and how he is channeling his experience to help middle and highschoolers.  

You can watch his move Ups + Downs at:  https://www.drew-petersen.com

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/Ya5KlWViGXE

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Joining me today is Tim Parent.  Tim lives in upstate New York with his son and his motorcycle. He is the cohost of a weekly podcast, Above Ground Podcast. He relies on music daily and is passionate about being a mental health advocate. Tim is here to talk about it, break down the stigmas that prevent others from talking openly about it, and spread awareness when possible. He shares real ways for real growth through lived experience. His goal is to educate, inspire, and support others that live with mental health challenges.

https://abovegroundpodcast.net

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/qV02QrJ86oI

For additional resources visit us at:  https://robbies-hope.com

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Joining me today is Lila Paton, a senior in high school, Robbie’s Hope Intern, and producer of HOPEfull Conversations.  We have asked our Robbie’s Hope Ambassadors and followers to send in their anonymous confessions ranging from secrets, struggles, fears, loves, mistakes, regrets, and hopes.  Lila and our other Interns have chosen a few of the submissions for discussion on this episode’s podcast.

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/EpkXQsYDYqQ 

For additional resources visit us at:  https://robbies-hope.com

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The holidays can be an especially hard time for people to maintain their mental health. Many people go through short periods of time where they feel sad or not like their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. People may start to feel “down” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter (also called “winter blues”) and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours.  In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression.  In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression.  Symptoms of winter depression may include:

• Oversleeping (hypersomnia)
• Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)
• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Having low energy
• Feeling hopeless or worthless
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide

Joining me today is Heather Aberg, a current therapist, and a clinical social worker for her private practice. Heather has an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a master’s degree in Social Work from Denver University. She is certified in EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—and worked as a bereavement counselor at Mount Evans Home Health Care and Hospice for 20 years. She has had a private practice in clinical social work for the last 7 years. In the past 4 years, Heather has pushed for recognition of the mental health issues in the mountain community and created Resilience1220, free counseling to teach youth the necessary skills to cope with today’s world that will carry throughout their lives.

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/eUB-OPoyOhk

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A certain level of stress is normal. And positive stress responses from events such as changing schools and meeting new friends can actually help students learn and grow. But when exposed to repeated stressful events without the tools to manage feelings, stress can become emotionally and physically toxic.  Unlike adults, who can communicate about how stress impacts their lives, children and teens may not recognize or even have the words to describe how they're feeling.  Some common causes and watch outs for High School and College teens include:

• Romantic relationships - Pressure to be in a romantic relationship picks up in high school and cause stress for students, especially for those questioning their sexuality.
• Social Acceptance - High school teens, especially those who don't have an established peer group, worry about making friends and avoiding bullying. 
• Earning good grades - Keeping grades up to get into college becomes increasingly difficult as classes become more challenging.
• Preparing for college - It takes considerable time and effort to decide which colleges to apply to, complete applications, visit schools, go on interviews, etc. 
• Parental pressure - Parents often put pressure on their high schoolers to excel and get into a good college at the same time teens are trying to establish independence.
• Fear of missing out - Because learning to balance social activities and academic responsibilities takes time, mistakes are often made along the way.
• Lack of sleep - It's easy to skimp on sleep when there is so much competing for your time. 
• Missing family and friends - For college students living on campus, homesickness and loneliness are common.
• Financial worries - Whether working part-time, full-time, or living on financial aid, learning to manage money is an issue in college.

Joining me today is Solidea Ficco, a senior at Golden High School. She is involved in a few clubs at school such as Sources of Strength and Student Council. She enjoys hanging out with friends & family and spends her free time writing and reading.

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/Pxl4-8rAxvQ

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Many mental health conditions, including depression, substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even suicidal ideation, are more common among first responders and veterans. Both undergo intensive training to prepare for their physically demanding and potentially dangerous jobs — but are they prepared mentally and emotionally?  Constant exposure to traumatic events and life-threatening situations — and the stress of working long hours away from family members and under high-stakes conditions — can easily build up and take an enormous toll on mental health.

• Police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty
• 85% of first responders have experienced symptoms related to mental health conditions
• Depression and PTSD are up to 5 times more common in first responders
• More than 30,000 active duty soldiers and veterans of post 9/11 wars have died by suicide over the past 20 years, more than four times the number of service members killed in war operations during the same time.

Joining me today is Mark Donohue, a former military soldier and a current police officer and his wife Libby.  Mark is a Colorado native, born and raised in Lakewood and graduating high school from Green Mountain in 2001.  In 2004, he joined the United States Marine Corps and was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines.  In 2006 he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and in 2007 to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  After finishing his enlistment as a Staff Sergeant (E-6) he attended Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.  Mark was hired in 2012 by the Golden Police Department and has served in multiple leadership positions.  He was a Team Leader and Corporal before being promoted to Sergeant in 2017 and Commander in 2022.  He is a multi-disciplinary instructor and served on the Jefferson County Regional SWAT Team for over 6 years.  He is a national instructor for tactics and leadership for the National Tactical Officers Association. 

Listen on your favorite podcast station or watch on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/9nyA0wSyDKU

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