Let’s Sit Crooked & Talk Straight

** Alert for the listener, this episode contains sensitive materials regarding suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt that may be emotionally triggering **

My moment of breakdown, and pivotal incident of shame that transformed into rebirth in spring of 2023 is now shared with my dearest audience. It is no mistake that I woke up to rain outside my window today because this episode details when the rain just might have saved my life when my despair brought me to a secluded area for 36 hours.

Support, Safety & Resources to assist you or a loved one out of dark mental space are available through NAMI.org , local mental health practices such as Great Plain Mental Health in Omaha or anyone with a listening ear that you find in the midst of despair. Please never forget to reach out. You are worthy and Your life and story Matters!

Thank you to Luli Creative House for offering the platform to share my story during their String Light Stories Event on July 17th of this year. The opportunity to transform this scary, shameful experience into a message of power and resiliency was an honor as I worked with Beaufield Berry and the wonderful storytelling organization Agribella Orbis

After listening to this episode, head over to Luli Creative's You Tube Channel for the video presentation on that special night where I stand among other story tellers to exemplify how diamonds are created out of pressure.

Thank you to Meghan, Kendra, Skye and Ope for supporting me in person that night at String Light Stories. Lastly, creative genius accolades go to Ariel Panowicz, founder of Luli Creative House for developing a fun space to tell tough stories.

* Unedited and Straight to the listener, I sat Crooked in my Subaru to Talk Straight about the common stressors healthcare providers face*

Sometimes you need to process in your head what you just witnessed during a shift. Well in this very short 8 minute episode I share my thoughts on navigating the challenges of being a nurse. This episode details panic attacks and gives encouragement for not only healthcare providers but anyone in the human service field.

Isn't this episode so cute, it's short and concise. How do you feel about more episodes like this. More little sound nuggets from Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight might be in your future.

Special Thanks to all the wonderful human beings I get to work alongside with, most days it doesn't even feel like work.. it's a passionate effort we get to do together to make the world a little smoother for our patients.

**In the comments, share someone in the Human Service Field that is doing a Kick Ass job !

**First, a disclaimer to the listener as this episode contains sensitive content**

An entirely new developing profession, a CEO’s steps out of darkness, the architectural impacts of a PES (psychiatric emergency services) unit. These are just some of the take aways from the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) conference held this May in Atlanta. 

Not only was this conference a learning experience but it was a means to process hidden personal emotions that were brought to light from other mental health advocates sharing their experience. NAMI is a movement that started helping individuals and families in 1979. Today their resources online, group sessions and organizational marketing tools raising awareness is changing the way the public understands mental health. 

Visit nami.org to learn more and finally feel supported. NAMI chapters are in every state and waiting to be of help in an otherwise messy world of navigating mental health.

*Special thanks to Maggie (from episode 18) for allowing me to crash her weekend and giving up her bed as she slept on the couch!

* A shout out to Carly Aplin that spoke so bravely at the NAMI conference and truly a story I connected with.

*As always, my gratitude to my editor, Tim!

Join Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight as we travel back to Cherokee, Iowa for a special event held right before Mother's Day. We know women are the caregivers, role- models, and nurturers at home and even in the workplace. But how do we maintain the momentum to keep going when the pace of the world is fast and the norm is just to pour into others and not ourselves?

Listen to Kay, Megan, Jan, Collette, Lily and Jodi as they describe through various age spans what helps keep their mental health in prime shape.

Special thanks to Shayna Ege and the Cherokee Women in Business for hosting this evening & highlighting the importance of social events specific for women's overall health.

* To the listener: Although this audio was captured at the Cherokee Golf course, the quality is below par. Please enjoy in a quiet area so best catch all the worthy dialogue *

check out @lmd.sitcrookedtalkstraight for news on upcoming episodes & mental health resources!

When we adjust the words we use, we change the narrative and therefore alter the stigma in the favor of acceptance instead of shame. Our words and our creative outlet especially after grief matter! Learn more about the power of words in this episode of Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight. As an encourager for self care, Maggie opens up about how starting a personal google document opened up a sense of freedom from isolation and the pain from grief. After the blog was published and developed, she became a write for creative change. Maggie introduces us to the importance of learning to move the energy during immense hurt.

Maggie's writings can be found on her blog or on her Facebook group Smoothies & Chats

** May 6th : Cherokee Women in Business Spring Event **

Another research article with meta-analysis supporting the benefits of journaling on mental health and positive physical outcomes.

Some Sundays we drag ourselves to church, other Sundays we don't want to leave the service because it is just so powerful. Episode 17 invites you into a typical Sunday debrief, one not unlike the "after church moments" I had around the kitchen table at my Great Grandma Marie's with family, sugar cookies and coffee for the grown ups. Now I'm the grown up and I find so much strength in not only Sunday Sermons but in a nourished faith practice. Listen as I expand upon by thoughts of this transformative sermon by Brett Hicks and explain how spiritually aids in mental wellbeing.

One Hope Family, February 22nd can be found here on You Tube in the sermon series "The church Jesus built"

Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight welcomes you to watch the sermon in its entirety before listening to Episode 17.

Thank you One Hope Church for facilitating memorable sermons, prayer and worship music all in a safe place.

Please email me with any questions or comments regarding this episode at [email protected] or contact me via socials on instagram @lmd.sitcrookedtalkstraight

Vitamin D that is! 

It’s well known to combat seasonal affective disorder with Vitamin D supplementation, but in this episode we talk further about what else can be done for the winter blues. As the temperatures decrease, it is necessary to increase the awareness of our mental health. Affecting millions every year, seasonal depression has become a fact of winter, but it doesn’t have to be so debilitating. Episode 16 is meant to provide education on reasons for this drop in mood & provide simple interventions to not only get you through the darker days but leave you inspired to get out of the covers and embrace community!

Thanks to listeners Lora, Jena, Liz, Brittani, Lisa and Luci for sharing your experiences and suggestions. 

Much of the resources for this episode is from the website Psychology Today.

This content is not meant to replace personalized professional help. 

A discussion revolving around abusive marriages is certainly going to be uncomfortable. But although uncomfortable it needs to be uncovered so that true feelings are revealed and the sanctity of marriage is upheld. This confining dynamic of a marriage centered on covert abuse is what I hope to think uncommon. However, in this episode learn how Molly and I connected over similar backgrounds and after years of rebuilding were able to speak in regard to the painful obstacles we experienced.

Molly Glavnik is a nurse, mother of two and certainly a force when it comes to speaking up about complex relationships. Her redemption story is just starting as she begins to speak out about covert narcissism and untangle spiritual abuse.

Molly's ebook "10 Lies The Church Told Me About Marriage" along with a free quiz to uncover if marriage conflict is a rough patch or a red flag can be found on her Instagram profile @MollyGlavnik

Hope you enjoy Episode 15! This episode is not a substitute for relationship or mental health advice.

Listen to a truly unique episode as Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight is in Cherokee, Iowa with a chair and a microphone to capture the stories of loved ones lost. The grief fuels us to not only remember but to be an advocate for change in this confusing world.

A very special thanks to all the human beings that were vulnerable enough to share ( in order of audio ).

- Samantha

- Kyle

- Alissa

- Cody

- Neal

- Brittani

- Ashley

- Mike

- Marilyn

- Shayna

- Liz

- Steph

- Cory

An astounding $23,500 was raised this year at the Suicide Awareness Golf Tournament to continue to spread the awareness and education surrounding mental health. This year's funds will go directly to the Cherokee County community in the form of school speakers.

"I think if they knew how much everybody cared about them, that they would be here also" - Shayna Ege

Find the book referenced in this episode at the link here: Amazon.com: Understanding Your Suicide Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart (Understanding Your Grief): 9781879651586: Wolfelt, Alan: Books*This podcast is not a replacement for seeking medical advice or treatment*

In this episode we discuss the big, beautiful beast of Anxiety that can cause a wide range of physical symptoms and if left unmanaged can derail our goals. This episode is filled with testimonials from women that reflect on how anxiety looks in their life and what coping skills they have learned to be effective. Details on PTSD, OCD and panic disorder along with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation are also mentioned. Episode 13 is here to make you feel less alone and empower you to help those around you that are struggling with anxious emotions.

Thank you to Rachel, Sarah, Kelli, Skye and Shayna for being the voices that compile this episode. The ability to share your vulnerability is wonderful and helping many listeners.

The 4th Annual Suicide Awareness Golf Tournament is happening on Saturday, August 23rd in Cherokee, Iowa. Shayna has a personal connection to suicide grief and has turned her pain into passion by creating a space for participants to be together in remembrance of their loved ones and raise money for a mental health speakers in area school systems.

Let's Sit Crooked & Talk Straight will be one location at the tournament with space dedicated to share your story and remember a loved one. Please visit the tournament site on Facebook. for more details on that special day.

*New Merch* available through Happy Day Collective and all "Be Kind To Your Mind" shirts will have matching donations through Union Pacific.

Information from this episode has been gathered from Mayo Clinic and Psychology Today.

Major shout out to my editor Tim for piecing all these clips together.

*This podcast is not a replacement for seeking medical advice or treatment*