Last week I put out the call for stories. If you listened, you might already know that my dear friend Angela Howell was the brain behind the challenge. Today, she called me and said, "Hey, let's talk about the stories together!" It's SO last minute, and I loved it! So, enjoy some of her reader's stories here, and respond to the challenges we give you today. Happy Valentine's Day!! Show notes at http://bit.ly/2uEHgzkCYH51.

Episode #51: Today's Hug - The Love Challenge Part II with Angela Howell

Thanks for visiting with us at for Consider Yourself Hugged: Mental & emotional well-being.” Do you find yourself thinking, "Life can be so overwhelming! I feel so frustrated all the time! I worry about everything! I wish I could speak up more and not be a doormat!" If you're looking for improved mental and emotional well-being, please join me every Wednesday as we talk about how to make positive choices in your life.

*Disclaimer:
The information in this show is not intended to be therapy or to address your individual situation. It is information based on my experiences, opinions, and research. If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources mentioned in the show notes.

About me:
Tami West, PhD 
Stress and Mental Health Expert Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and 
compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges. Her passion stems from a lifelong battle with an anxiety disorder which has uniquely equipped her to teach, encourage, and motivate others. 

Tami has worked in a variety of industries including healthcare, school nutrition, corporate sales, and 10 years as a public-school teacher. In 2013 she received her PhD in Human Development, studying the connections among stress, emotions, and identity. 

Dr. West has spoken in 48 states across the US, as well as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. 

Dr. West is the author of several successful publications including two books: The Stress Club, Life Without the Monsters and Thrive. She is a mother of eight in a blended family and enjoys reading historical fiction, traveling with her husband Tim and family, and watching The Big Bang Theory.

Health & Fitness

Welcome to week 5 of Mental Health Awareness Month! Today I'm discussing two seemingly unrelated topics: The 1976 Chowchilla kidnappings and the death by suicide of golfer Grayson Murray. 

In 1976, 26 elementary and middle school kids and their bus driver were kidnapped by 3 armed men, their faces covered with panty hose. They were driven around for 11 hours and eventually forced to climb into a 26' trailer buried underground. After all 27 were in, the kidnappers sealed the opening and buried the remaining portion of the trailer with dirt. They dug themselves out after 16 hours. Their lives were forever changed, and because childhood trauma wasn't understood, their mental health was forever damaged.

This past week on Saturday, May 25th,  pro-golfer Grayson Murray took his life after a fairly public battle with depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. In an interview last year (Link in show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/chowchilla-to-grayson-murray-mentalhealth), he said: 

I just thought I was a failure. I always looked at myself as a failure. I thought I had a lot of talent that was just a waste of talent. It was a bad place, but like I said, you have to have courage. You have to have the willingness to keep going. Lo and behold, that’s what I did, and I’m here, and I’m so blessed and I’m thankful.

He was in the public eye, and felt like a failure.

How are they related? They are related because they both help us to see both how far we have come in treatment, help, and stigma surrounding mental health AND how much more there is to be done. 

I hope you'll listen to today's episode. The reason it struck me so, in part, was because I WAS the age of those children during the Chowchilla kidnappings. In 1976 I was 12 years-old, the age where my panic attacks were debilitating, but panic attacks weren’t really a thing. I wasn’t understood. So, why did I not go down the path that some of the survivors did, including alcoholism and suicide?  And, Grayson Murray was a Christian. I am a Christian. Why did he still battle, and why do I still battle anxiety?

I think the bottom line is this:

We have amazing treatments for heart disease. People still die.

We have new treatments for cancer. People still die.

With all the mental health treatments available now and to come, people will still struggle and people will still die. It breaks my hearth.

I was thinking deeper about that question, why didn’t I go down a worse path? For me, it was and is so many things:

-My relationship with Jesus
-My family & friends
-Allowing myself to fail and to talk about it. Saying out loud, Oh gosh I messed that one up and realizing I am not perfect!
-Continuing to learn and grown
-Counseling
-Medication for seasons in my life

As we end Mental Health Awareness Month, I encourage you on 2 fronts:

1.    NEVER LET ANYONE SHAME YOU INTO NOT GETTING HELP IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING!

2.   Get trained in Mental Health First Aid. It truly changed how I view and interact with those who are struggling. I have 2 virtual classes coming up. Link with dates is in show notes which post by 7 AM CST 5/29/24.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Hug 170 From Chowchilla Kidnapping to the Death of Grayson Murray

Welcome to week 4 of Mental Health Awareness Month! Today is a bit different as I'm simply going to share a very personal story with you about my epiphanies about bullying, my bully, forgiveness, and more! 

Show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/bullying-to-empowerment. 

Thanks for joining!
**Not intended to be therapy or replace therapy - If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources:
General Resources National Alliance of Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org 
Mental Health America: https://mhanational.org 
Mental Health First Aid Resources: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ 
Celebrate Recovery: https://www.celebraterecovery.com/ A
bout AA: https://www.aa.org/ 

Tami West, PhD Stress and Mental Health Expert 
Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges. 

*Disclaimer:
The information in this show is not intended to be therapy or to address your individual situation. It is information based on our experiences, opinions, and research. If you need further help, please reach out to one of the resources mentioned in the show notes.

Hug 169 From Bullying to Empowerment: My Story

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, week 3, we're diving into another crucial aspect of mental wellbeing: Celebration!  This week I'm using more recommended resources from the National Council for Mental Well-being, the organization that sponsors the Mental Health First Aid course. You may know I am passionate about teaching that class! 

But I'm also diving a bit deeper with 4 suggestions of my own: 

1.	Decide if you want to want to actively participate in creating positive awareness for mental health.
2.	If no, that’s ok, but maybe don’t actively create NEGATIVE awareness 

Hug 168 Mental Health Awareness Month Part 3: Celebrate Mental Wellbeing!

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, week 2,  we're diving into a crucial topic: Leading by example, and in particular: self-care. It's not just a buzzword; it's a vital part of maintaining our mental health. This week I'm using some recommended resources from the National Council for Mental Well-being, the organization that sponsors the Mental Health First Aid course.  You may know I am passionate about teaching that class!

Today, we'll explore why it’s important, how it can set an example for others, and share some practical tips on how you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine.

So how can we practice self-care? Here are four strategies recommended by the National Council:

  1. Activity Calendar: Use the National Council’s activity calendar for daily self-care ideas.
 2. Mental Health Days: Consider taking a mental health day from work this month. It’s a chance to step away from daily stresses and do something rejuvenating.
3. Relaxation Exercises: Incorporate relaxation exercises into your day. Whether it's meditation or deep breathing, these can help you stay centered.
 4. Daily Relaxing Activity: Try to do something relaxing every day, even if it’s just for 30 minutes. Whether it’s a walk, reading, or journaling, find what feels good for you.

Thanks for joining! Show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/mental-health-awareness-month-part-ii-lead-by-example.

**Not intended to be therapy or replace therapy - If you need further help, please reach out to one of these resources or one in your area:

General Resources
National Alliance of Mental Illness: www.nami.org
Mental Health America: mhanational.org
Mental Health First Aid Resources: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/
Celebrate Recovery: www.celebraterecovery.com/
About AA: www.aa.org/

Tami West, PhD Stress and Mental Health Expert
Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.

Hug 167 Mental Health Awareness Month Part 2: Lead by Example

Welcome to May - Mental Health Awareness Month! Each week this month we'll dive into practices that will help you with your mental wellbeing. This week? Meditation with Dr. FF, as she is affectionately known. Show notes at https://www.tamiwest.com/post/mental-health-awareness-month-part-i-meditation.

Jennifer Fisch-Ferguson lives in Michigan where she does all the things writing. She is busy doing academic endeavors when she would rather be writing all about her characters and their many adventures. She spends her free time being a fabulous crazy mom to two dynamic boys and staff member to four highly demanding cats.

She also likes to cook and bake and subjects her family to her many creations (most of them good!). She is blessed to have friends who support her with her endeavors.

Jennifer enjoys writing urban fantasy, paranormal romance, speculative fiction and exploring all the questions starting “What if…” which allows her mind to make the mundane much more exciting. She is excitedly expanding her ever developing world and looks forward to the new adventures waiting to be written. She also had the joy of being a reviewer for AAMBC and reading some great new works of her fellow Indie authors.

Jennifer has had amazing experiences book signings and meeting her fans.
Jennifer has been teaching Composition, Genre writing, Creative writing, and Professional Writing at various colleges for last eight years. As well as facilitating a high energy writing group that explores peer editing and book coaching/ developmental editing on the side. With experience in teaching face to face, hybrid and online courses, she continues to push for more exciting ways to engage people in their writing.

Jennifer is completing her doctorate in which she looks are Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing and practices of editing and publishing. She presents at conferences and enjoys speaking engagements.

Thanks for joining!

**Not intended to be therapy or replace therapy - If you need further help, please reach out to one of these resources or one in your area:

General Resources
National Alliance of Mental Illness: www.nami.org
Mental Health America: mhanational.org
Mental Health First Aid Resources: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/
Celebrate Recovery: www.celebraterecovery.com/
About AA: www.aa.org/

Tami West, PhD Stress and Mental Health Expert
Dr. Tami West uses her entertaining and compelling style to shine a new light on how to transform your life and discover solutions to life’s challenges.

Episode #51: Today's Hug - The Love Challenge Part II with Angela Howell

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