The Identity Project; a My Why Podcast

Today's cast is cool.... its a flashback cast. We originally interviewed Jen Kinal towards the beginning of the pandemic. Today we start with our most recent conversation and then provide you with a look back to our chat months ago. What did we learn from Jen? When you take charge, use your skill sets and follow your passion... nothing can take you down. Jen is glowing after a tough start to COVID and she is sharing her lessons with us and with you.

We going deep with Jen Kinal of Fresh Look Events!

We started My Why and the Identity Project podcast because we love to help share truly amazing stories. Any chance we get to skip the small talk and ask tough questions to tough people- we will take it. We are back for a special Saturday episode as we round out 2020 and we are having a full circle moment today as one of Canada’s Most Powerful women is back to chat. She is a Top 40 under 40 award winner and a total and complete advocate for strengthening community in every sense of the word. Of course we are talking about JESS TETU….

She was just part of an event with THEE Jillian Harris, Sarah Landry who you know as The Birds Papaya, DOCTOR Jody Carrington and Country Music star Aaron Pritchett. COVID is NOT keeping this woman down. If you know nothing about Jess Tetu we encourage you to go back to our first ever cast and listen to her personal story of her family struggles with addiction, poverty, and, at one-point homelessness and then come back and join us here...

Today we talk owning a business during COVID, relationships, the Emmy's, the Juno's, mental health, government restrictions and basically how to take the struggle, gain your strength and how to get that success we long for. THANK YOU JESS for coming back on The Identity Project, a My Why podcast.

Today we introduce you to Mikaela, a former news anchor, goal getter and survivor of sexual abuse. Mikaela is living beyond should... What do we mean by that? The societies in which we all live often make us feel we have to live a certain way. We should get married by a certain age, we should have so much money in the bank... and so on. While there is nothing wrong alongside your communities norms, Mikaela is breaking down some should's and living to really experience new things and make memories! Listen to learn more about how she is learning to manage her struggles with mental illness and how she is a true SURVIVOR of sexual assault.

TRIGGER WARNING.

This story covers topics of sexual assault, suicide, overdose and other mental health relates topics and struggles. Please reach out to someone if you are in need.

Thank you Mikaela for sharing your story to help and encourage others to ASK FOR HELP!

Call HealthLine at 811 if you're unable to find the information you're seeking on HealthLine Online.

Call HealthLine at 811 for professional health or mental health and addictions advice, education and support.

Open 24/7

Confidential

Free

Translation in over 100 languages

What is HealthLine 811?​HealthLine 811 is a confidential, 24-hour health and mental health and addictions advice, education and support telephone line available to the people of Saskatchewan. It is staffed by experienced and specially trained registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and registered social workers.

HealthLine 811 is free. Services are offered in English, with translation available in over 100 languages.

If you are having technical issues with accessing HealthLine 811 by dialing 811, you can call 1-877-800-0002 to be connected.

Deaf and hard of hearing residents can access HealthLine 811 by using the SaskTel Relay Operator service at ​1-800-855-1155.

Mental Health Support in Canada:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html)

MEET ARIELLE! At age 29 Arielle was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, a rare and deadly form of metastatic cancer.

A large cancerous tumour was discovered in Her right eye during an optometry exam in November 2018. Radiation treatment by means of two surgeries and what has transitioned to ongoing treatment since December 2018 has presented her the opportunity to learn about herself, self care, mental health and why giving back to the community that she is now part of is so important. Thank you Arielle for joining us on The Identity Project, a My Why podcast.

We welcome you to listen to our conversation with Michael Arterberry, Master Encourager, and Dynamic Motivational Speaker!

*This was previously recorded via Zoom.

As a teenager, Michael was fortunate to receive guidance from positive adult role models who helped him overcome adversities and set high expectations for his future. Grateful for the role these mentors played in his own development, Michael decided to dedicate his professional life to helping people navigate the difficulties of life and launch their future into motion. For more than 25 years, he has been helping teens and adults to use what they have gone through as a catalyst for success rather than an obstacle for failure.

Michael received the 2010 USA Network’s Characters Unite Award for exceptional commitment to combating prejudice and discrimination while increasing tolerance and acceptance within the community. He is also the recipient of the 2014 100 Men of Color Award for leadership.

In 2008, Michael founded Youth Voices Center, Inc. a non-profit with the mission of helping young people to become active, productive members of society by overcoming their obstacles, their history, stereotypes and even their own self-image and limiting beliefs.

Michael is the author of "Be Encouraged: 250 Days of Motivation and Encouragement", a daily motivational book. Additional information about his struggles as a child and a debilitating spinal cord injury as an adult can be found in his wife's book "God was Holding My Hand".

++++++

Michael has just released "Be Encourage: 250 Days of Motivation and Encouragement" again and this time it is FREE! HIs new course is also available when listeners go to http://www.shakethedirtexperience.com/ (www.shakethedirtexperience.com).

Also, recently uploaded on Youtube "The Change Starts With You" is available in connection to the most recent impact of society's imbalance. You may watch the video through this link https://youtu.be/oJdoyNeRYIg (https://youtu.be/oJdoyNeRYIg)

Kristen and Jessie sit down with Tannis Henderson of 'Elevation' to talk about 'LEAPING' into passion, taking risks, raising kids today and the team covers some tough topics.

Elevation's website can be found HERE: https://elevation-mbs.myshopify.com/ (https://elevation-mbs.myshopify.com/)

Our guest today is hosting Humble in Heels! A women's conference to be hosted in Vermilion in 2021. The conference was originally planned for April but then COVID hit. Ohhhhh COVID. With over 500 hundred women slated to attend, Karissa shares with us how she was forced to rescheduled but capitalized on the opportunity to build the conference into something even better than originally planned, if that is even possible. We also take the opportunity to share more about Karissa and why she decided to take the risk to host something like this! OHHHH she is brace and wonderful. What does will this conference entail?

This event is to celebrate all of us! For our bodies, our minds, our businesses! We are bringing to you three incredible women and their stories to the stage of Vermilion, to share their truths with all of you!

The Birds Papaya aka Sarah Nicole Landry

Carrie Doll of the Inner Circle Podcast

Amanda Rose of HYVE Beauty

Thank you to Kaeli for letting us in for a sneak peek at the progress happening at Juxta Boutique. The doors open back up tomorrow, June 1, and we got a look at some of the changes and did a little too much shopping! Kaeli shares the good and bad about running a new business during COVID precautions.

For more information check out Juxta on all social media or on their website. www.shopjuxta.com

TRIGGER WARNING: Today's cast covers topics such as self harm, suicide, postpartum depression and other serious mental health themes and topics. Please reach out for support if you feel trigger by any of the material discussed.

Meet Katie and today we share with you more about the De Free Yoga Foundation.

The Be Free Yoga Foundation was created in the fall of 2015 by Katie Jolicoeur. Katie had struggled with her mental health throughout her teen years and into early adulthood. Katie moved through a deep depression that lasted most of 2015 and spent a few of those months very suicidal, she leaned heavily on the support of those around her as well as on her yoga practice. After this time Katie realized how inaccessible yoga and meditation really is, and especially difficult to access if you maybe struggling with your mental health, this inspired her to start the Be Free Yoga Foundation (formally known as the Be Free Project).

The Be Free Yoga Foundation breaks down many of the barriers that people may face when looking for support for their mental health. We offer our classes alongside organizations who are already supporting those who maybe dealing with various mental health issues or mental illness. Our classes are free of charge for the participant, and they are offered in spaces they are already familiar with, such as their mental health clinic, hospitals, schools, and shelters. The Be Free Yoga Foundation also supplies yoga mats, and compassionate and qualified yoga teachers to run the classes.

Since starting with one class in Spruce grove, we have grown now to 6 regular weekly classes that run on a full time basis serving Parkland County, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Edmonton and the surrounding area. The Be Free Yoga Foundation also offers, part time programming, providing support for hundreds of people every year.

We are proud of the work we do within our community as we help provide access to quality programming and break down the stigma associated with mental illnesss.

#befreefromstigma.

Be Free Project brings together the power of storytelling, yoga, and meditation to all those affected by mental health.

More information on the Foundation and Katie can be found at: https://befreeyogafoundation.com/ (https://befreeyogafoundation.com/)

UPCOMING EVENT:

Yoga in the Park announcement!!! We are not able to gather in person for our annual Yoga in the Park, but we can’t let our 5 year pass us by.

We have decided to offer Yoga in the “Park” via Zoom!

Join us Tuesday June 16th, roll your mat out on your deck or lawn or living room and tune in as our founder Katie Jolicoeur guides you through an all levels yoga practice.

We are also offering an online vendor market! Over the next 6 weeks we will be sharing local businesses that we love and have been amazing supporters of the Be Free Yoga Foundation.

We are so excited to gather with you again, so every Tuesday starting in May leading up to Yoga in the “Park” we will be offering online guided meditation practices to support your mental wellbeing.

Follow them on social media @befreeyogafoundation

Finding Forgiveness in Faith is one woman's journey after experiencing sexual assault as a 7 year old girl.

There is a disclaimer and TRIGGER WARNING for this story and cast. Please protect yourself and reach out to someone or an agency if you are experiencing difficulty or are in need.

Resources to support you:

https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/sexual-assault-harassment/ (https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/sexual-assault-harassment/)

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html)

sexual assault is far more common than most would suspect

few incidents of sexual assault are reported to the police

young and otherwise vulnerable women are most likely to be sexually abused

Sexual Assault Statistics in CanadaA Numerical Representation of the TruthOf every 100 incidents of sexual assault, only 6 are reported to the police

1 - 2% of "date rape" sexual assaults are reported to the police

1 in 4 North American women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime

11% of women have physical injury resulting for sexual assault

Only 2 - 4% of all sexual assaults reported are false reports

60% of sexual abuse/assault victims are under the age of 17

over 80% of sex crime victims are women

80% of sexual assault incidents occur in the home

17% of girls under 16 have experienced some form of incest

83% of disabled women will be sexual assaulted during their lifetime

15% of sexual assault victims are boys under 16

half of all sexual offenders are married or in long term relationships

57% of aboriginal women have been sexually abused

1/5th of all sexual assaults involve a weapon of some sort

80% of assailants are friends and family of the victim