The Struggles of Man Podcast

Dave Hicks has Bipolar Schizoaffective disorder. He shares his experience with mental illness and the importance of "peer support" .  Dave shares real life examples of how mental health peer support benefits programming. Dave offers up 3 main tips for someone living with mental illness.  

Daves latest "peer" initiative is comedy of all types. Teaching groups of people with mental health stand up/improv/and video.  

Links here.. 

ooomnetwork -  

https://www.facebook.com/ooomnetwork 

Comedy group performances  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS47T... 

Music stream 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC07k...

Michaela Walsh is a returning guest and discusses here experiences with mental health. She gives a brief overview of her story, experiencing mental health struggles at a young age. This led to self harm, addiction, stints in the hospital, and recovery programs. Since last chatting on the podcast, she shares going through a relapse after an abusive relationship. She became suicidal and was turned away at the hospital due to lack of beds. She made an attempt on her life, luckily to be found by her mother in time to receive medical attention. While recovering in the hospital her mother shared her story on Facebook, and it got thousands of shares. CBC reached out and did a story, and in the months following Michaela felt she finally got the help and therapies that she needed.

So amazing to see Michaela preserve through these things. She’s currently 5 months pregnant in a happy relationship, and completely medication free for the first time.

Hope you enjoy!

Michelle and Victoria are authors, mindfulness teachers, and wellness coaches and co-founders of Balance your Path company out of Salt Lake City, USA. What started from personal research for their children struggling in the 80s with mental health, lead them into making it their mission to share what they learned with others. We chat about the effects on mental health in the technological age, decluttering your mind, and managing emotions. We run through some quick exercises you can try to bring yourself into the present and reduce anxiety. 

Great conversation with Michelle & Victoria, I love there easy to fallow approach to mindfulness.   They were kind enough to offer a Free PDF copy of their 5 steps to wellness book to Mattys Mental Health Listeners. I read through it, a ton of value there I would take advantage.  

Just email “Mattys Mental Health” to [email protected] and they’ll send it over.  

 Hope you enjoy!   

Website https://balanceyourpath.com/ Social https://www.instagram.com/balanceyourpath/ https://www.facebook.com/balanceyourpath https://www.tiktok.com/@seeshells?lang=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-willette-24723a123/ Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/seeshellsjourney Books (Amazon) The 5 Steps to Wellness Workbook The 365 Day Wellness Challenge Journal Self Protect with Love Only you can create a Feeling Stop handing out your power like it's a Party Favor!

Christine is an early childhood educator, and an avid supporter in the Mental Health community on PEI. She shares her story, from childhood trauma to developing chronic auto immune disorder in her early 20s. Christine share lots of insights on the mental health care system on PEI and her experiences.     

Great conversation with Christine,

Beth Gardner is a life coach, author, and former rower. She returns to the podcast to chat about her work with non addicts. Not the addicts themselves, but those around them affected. Beth discusses the first steps she works on including setting boundaries, and accessing your own needs.  

Great chatting with Beth,  

 Hope you enjoy!

Jessica is the founder of a community organization called TREE OF STARS. They do community based projects helping spread mental health awareness and support.  

She shares building this organization from the ground up, as well as her own story. From childhood trauma, foster homes, drug use as a teen, to getting her life together after being arrested at 19.   

Jessica has been a youth worker for the last 15 years. Working on the school board as well, she shares how she helps educate youth on mental wellness.   

Great chatting with Jessica, its inspiring how much she gives.   

Hope you enjoy!

Brendan Fraser is a mental health care worker, pianist, and gamer. He first experienced signs of mental health struggles when he was 12. fallowed by a deep depression in high school. Brendan had to completely break contact with his family after leaving the jojoba witness church when he was 18. He discusses what it was like growing up in this faith, and having to start on his own with no family contact at 18. He shares being diagnosed with Bi polar type 2, schizophrenia, as well as the balance of things he needs in his life to maintain his mental health.  

Hope you enjoy!   

Prince Edward Island, Canada

I lost a friend recently to addiction. I felt compelled to share about him and our friendship. Condolences and love to his family and love ones.   Hope this helps someone.

Lyndsay is a child care worker, a studying youth worker, and a mental health advocate. She recalls her earliest memories feeling as though she was born in the wrong gender. (Born male) She knew something was not right, and had the courage to open up to her mother at the age of 10.  After getting some help, she continued as a male experiencing bullying and harassment through junior high and high school. She was later diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria and began transitioning in 2016.   Lyndsey describes the hardships she's had forming relationships as a transwomen, and the lasting effects of hiding who she was for so long. She was also diagnosed with Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, and OCD.   After going through her worst episode of suicidal depression, Lyndsey was able to get into the Reach Foundation program. This was a big turning point for her finding herself and beginning to build her future.   

Really great story,   

Hope you enjoy!

Lincoln starting experimenting with drugs at the age of the 13, soon after becoming a daily occurrence. By the age the age of 14 he getting trouble in school, running away for days at a time, and selling drugs. He shares his experiences using through his teens, in and out of the youth center. He recalls going to the addictions center at 16, and how this was a turning point for him understanding the deeper reasons of his using. He continued how ever and hit rock bottom at age 24 before then decided to get clean. Lincoln is now 1 year into sobriety, and wants to help others that are going through what he did.   

He has a twitch account he created as a safe place for anyone struggling to go and share, and encourages people to reach out that are struggling. Lincoln is currently back in school working towards becoming a youth worker.   

Twitch account -  https://www.twitch.tv/suge_white902 Hope you enjoy!  

Prince Edward Island, 2021-04-20