Mental Health Download: Exploring Mental Illness, Suicide, Homelessness and Incarceration

Today, we're talking with Jon Haverfield, friend and client of Mental Health Association Oklahoma.

Jon is a native Tulsan who attended Bishop Kelley High School and the University of Oklahoma. After college Jon worked as a TV Meteorologist for 6 years including work at KJRH-TV in Tulsa as the Weekend Morning Meteorologist. During his time at Channel 2, tragedy struck, leading him to his work with MHAOK, including volunteer services and contributions to the 2018 Mental Health Awareness Campaign.

In 2019, Jon was awarded the Award For Excellence from the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Jon has since stepped away from TV and now works as a Financial Advisor with an office in Midtown Tulsa.

We are grateful to have Jon on, today, as he shares his story with us. It’s important to note that this conversation speaks predominantly to suicide. While it’s important dialogue to have, we understand that it could be difficult for some listeners.

Today, we're talking with Cian Brown and Evan Smarinsky, co-presenters at one of next month’s Zarrow Symposium Breakout Sessions.

Cian is an assistant professor in the University of Oklahoma’s clinical professional counseling program. He’s a licensed professional counselor and supervisor, depending on the state. He’s also nationally certified as a counselor and board certified in neurofeedback, and has done extensive work in the adventure therapy realm.

Evan is an assistant professor at Johnson and Wales University, as well as a licensed professional counselor in Oklahoma and a licensed mental health counselor in Rhode Island. Evan also has notable experience in the adventure therapy and play therapy realms.

We are excited both for Cian and Evan’s Zarrow Symposium workshop, which will blend lecture and experience to highlight key components and outcomes of Adventure Therapy, as well as their conversation with us here.

Today, we're talking with Collin Walke, Oklahoma House Representative of District 87 and local attorney.

Collin is a native Oklahoman, and attended Oklahoma State University before graduating magna cum laude at Oklahoma City University School of Law. A true public servant, he was a long-time volunteer with City Rescue Mission before both serving and chairing their board of directors. Additionally, Collin serves on the Oklahoma Autisim Center Foundation, as well as the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Associate Board.

Collin is a 20+ year meditation practitioner who was inspired by his own experience to study further and begin teaching. In 2019, he and recent Mental Health Download guest, Shannon Stephens, co-founded Awake OKC - a nonprofit centered on bringing mindfulness and meditation to the community.

We are excited to have Collin on, today, and have him lead us through a meditation centered on compassion and forgiveness.

Shannon Stephens is an Oklahoma City based yoga and meditation teacher. Shannon is a 500 hour registered yoga teacher, therapeutic specialist, and assistant teacher with the globally-recognized Yoga Medicine School. She is the owner of This Land Yoga, a yoga studio located in the heart of the Paseo Arts District in northwest Oklahoma City and co-founder of Awake OKC, a nonprofit whose mission was to bring mindfulness and meditation into the community. 

Shannon's twenty-plus years of practicing, studying, and teaching helps her cultivate compassionate awareness, both for herself and her students, and today, she will be sharing that same awareness with us. We have a short, but valuable conversation followed by a guided meditation intended to help us find focus.

Claudia Black is the clinical architect and actively involved in the Claudia Black Young Adult Center at The Meadows. She serves as a Senior Fellow and has been a clinical consultant at The Meadows Treatment Center in Arizona since 1998.

Claudia’s seminal work with children impacted by substance abuse in the late 1970s created the foundation for the adult child movement. Today she is a renowned author and trainer internationally recognized for her pioneering and contemporary work with family systems and addictive disorders.

Elena Joy Thurston is an inspirational LGBTQ+ speaker, trainer, author and founder of the nonprofit Pride and Joy Foundation, which is dedicated to reducing the rate of suicide and homelessness in the LGBTQ+ community. A Mormon mom of four who lost her marriage, her church and her community when she came out as lesbian, her viral TEDx Talk on surviving conversion therapy has been viewed more than 45,000 times. 

Elena will be a keynote speaker at this year's Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, sharing about her experiences coming out as an adult and how to support families in supporting their children and other family members that come out as queer.

Karen LaPlante is the director of education at Mental Health Association Oklahoma. She has overseen our Zarrow Mental Health Symposium for 20 years. On today's episode, learn about the event and what you can do to get involved. Learn more at https://www.zarrowsymposium.org

*WARNING* This episode contains a reference to suicide some may find triggering. If you or someone you know is struggling, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Sgt. Aaron Quinonez (Sgt. Q) is a veteran, author and speaker. After serving in the military, he struggled with mental health and nearly ended his own life. Now, he's helping others struggling with mental health and teaching others to heal through philanthropy, giving and serving others. You can learn more about him on his website at https://sgtq.net/.

In this episode, Pat Nichols, with the organization Parents Helping Parents, gives advice on how to navigate the difficult arena of helping a loved one struggling with addiction. Speaking from his own experience, he shares what he's learned and how he's now using what he went through to help others.

For more information on Parents Helping Parents, click here > https://www.parentshelpingparents.info/.

Psychiatric expert Dr. Murali Krishna talks to MHAOK about mindfulness and the mind-body-spirit connection. 

He also takes us through a mindfulness exercise you can do anywhere with just the tools you have within yourself.