Former family medicine nurse practitioner Bre opens up about losing her career to epilepsy and depression, surviving a suicide attempt, and how becoming a patient changed her view of healthcare forever. This conversation is a must-listen for providers, patients, and anyone seeking hope.

We also discuss how to improve communication with your providers, common misconceptions in the mental healthcare field, small acts of kindness making a big difference, and more.

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In this powerful episode of Show My Scars, I sit down with Tim DeWeese, Director of the Johnson County Mental Health Center in Kansas. Tim shares what sets government-run mental health centers apart from private nonprofits, how his team implemented same-day access to psychiatry, and why mental health care in America is failing so many.

We talk about:

The difference between nonprofit vs. government-run mental health centers

Why access is the #1 issue in mental health today

Open access models and “just-in-time medication” approaches

Co-responder programs with police departments and 911/988 integration

How we can shift from reaction to prevention in mental health care

Tim’s vision for an outcomes-based funding model that values real healing

This is a must-listen for anyone frustrated with the current mental health system and curious about what’s actually working at the local level.

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In this deeply personal episode, Sydney shares her powerful story of navigating postpartum depression, identity loss, and the long road to recovery. Sydney opens up about the emotional toll of becoming a mother, relocating to a rural town, and facing mental health challenges head-on. She discusses postpartum psychosis, the struggle to feel worthy of having her own needs, and the critical role her partner and therapy played in her healing journey. This episode is a raw, honest exploration of rebuilding identity and keeping hope alive.

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Relief from depression and anxiety symptoms doesn’t have to be large, dramatic, or external. It can come in micro-doses of presence anchored in repeatable, simple practices that your nervous system can begin to trust. The goal is not to erase sadness or anxiety in one sweep, but to create tiny, dependable pockets of safety and grounding.

In this episode, I'll give you 3 practices with examples that you can try to add to your coping strategies toolbelt. 

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Stacey Tilley operates her own meditation and sound therapy practice in Arizona called DesertZen. She also volunteers her time at the Sunrise Project, a re-entry program that supports individuals through their transition from incarceration to reintegration, emphasizing hope and possibility.

Stacey discusses her previous struggles with addiction to drugs as an escape from trauma she incurred due to sexual abuse from her father at a young age and other abusive relationships. Now that she's been sober for 24 years and has forged a new path, she's giving others the same opportunity to experience a truly healing practice. 

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Today's a solo pod on how my Meditation Group at NAMI SWMO is going and how I keep hope alive when it feels like nothing is going right in my life. 

During the episode, I give you 6 steps to try when you're feeling hopeless that help me out when I feel like I can't keep going. 

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Today I bring you a conversation I had with award-winning author, Scott Gordon. He has a book out called Head Fake which features a character named Mikey who makes everything a joke including his clinical depression, ADHD, and various valleys in life. After a run of failed jobs, he becomes the basketball coach at a high school for high-risk offenders who also experience mental illness.

I thought this book was an authentic look at someone trying to make their way through life as they struggle with mental illness. 

Scott and I talk about his inspiration for the book, why humor is the ultimate coping skill, what it was like to have his book named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2024, his writing process, and more! 

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In this episode, I talk with Alexa Ochoa, a Licensed Master Social Worker currently specializing in family therapy. We talk about how she found herself in the mental health field, managing burnout, practicing radical acceptance, breaking generational trauma cycles, and the importance of recognizing physical symptoms of mental health issues early. 

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Today I bring you a conversation with John Reed. John is the Director of Tutis Online over in Kidderminster, a town in the UK.

Tutis is a nonprofit that focuses on reducing loneliness and social isolation in both elder care homes and prisons.

He does this through telling stories, music, holding poetry workshops, comedy, or simply chatting.

You might ask, why would he spend his time helping incarcerated people during their time in prison? Well, he believes the point of prison is rehabilitation. Not just punishment. Otherwise, we'll continue to see the astronomical recidivism rates in both of our countries.

During our conversation we'll talk about what inspired him to begin this mission, how it has changed him as a person, how his efforts make a difference for prisoners and the elderly, and he even shares a couple of poems prisoners have written during his visits.

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Today's episode is a solo pod and I talk about how to be OK when you don't feel OK. I describe my recent mood which has been filled with depression and Impostor Syndrome. I give you tips I've received from my therapist which has helped me battle feelings of being an impostor. Finally, I talk about the importance of one small win in these moments. 

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