Solace and the City

This week I am so excited to share my conversation with Madison Eshelman, an amazing friend and founder of Grief and Groundwork!  Grief and Groundwork is a grief, depression, and anxiety coaching and support program. Madison supports individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and grief to achieve self-understanding, empowerment, and healing using what she calls Intuitive Feeling Practice.  Madison coaches from the belief that under depression and anxiety is our unprocessed grief.  Her coaching programs offer guidance on how we can properly grieve and find some sense of relief. With the right tools, Madison believes that we can make our anxiety, depression and grief more manageable.  In this episode, Madison and I discuss the story behind Grief and Groundwork and the tools that Madison uses to help others process trauma that they have experiences in their lives.  To learn more about Madison and her work, visit madisonshea.com or follow @griefandgroundwork on Instagram!

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!  Today I am so excited to be sharing my conversation with Schuyler DeBree, professional soccer player and co-host of The Mental Matchup podcast!  Schuyler is from the town right next to mine, Fair Haven, NJ, and was a star athlete from the earliest age.  She played on the Women's Soccer Team at Duke University and graduated as ACC Defensive Player of the Year, an All-American and an Academic All-American.  She was drafted 11th overall to the Washington Spirit, and spent a month there before deciding to take an opportunity to play in the Czech Republic with AC Sparta. After returning to the United States, Schuyler's mental health took a turn for the worst.  In this episode, Schuyler talks about her battle with severe depression and suicide ideation and how she ultimately turned her life around and became involved in mental health advocacy.  Now she takes care of her mental health by surfing, skateboarding, playing pick-up soccer, meditating, doing yoga, and creating art. In Schuyler's words, "To anyone who is struggling to stay – my heart hurts for you, but I love you, and I promise it will get better. Hold tight and please let me know if I can help. I hope that my story is evidence that the darkest nights do eventually lead to a glorious sunrise."  You can follow Schuyler's journey on Instagram @schuylerdebree and check out her website https://www.schuylerdebree.com/ 

This week I have the pleasure or sharing my conversation with Kat Zempolich, co-founder of Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization striving to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics.  Much like Solace and the City, Morgan's Message aims to expand the dialogue on mental health by normalizing conversations, empowering those who suffer in silence, and supporting those who feel alone.  In this episode, Kat talks about her personal journey battling depression as well as the incredibly moving story behind Morgan's Message. You can learn more about Kat and Morgan's Message by tuning into a podcast she hosts with Schuyler Debree, The Matchup.  These two incredible women created the platform to share stories illustrating that no one is truly ever alone in their struggles is empowering. Kat hopes that The Mental Matchup will serve as a safe space for any human to share their stories, so we can continue to de-stigmatize, normalize and illuminate the truths surrounding mental health and wellness.