Waking Up Bipolar with Chris Cole | Bipolar disorder, spiritual awakening, and everything in between.

In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Garrett Duncan, Navajo healing facilitator, shaman, medicine person, Reiki master, and story teller.

Garrett Duncan was born and raised on the Navajo reservation. His clans are the Bitter Water clan born for the Red Running into the Water clan. His maternal grandfather's clan is the Mexican clan and his paternal grandfather's clan is the Many Hogans clan. He is from a small community of Sanostee, New Mexico and is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.

Garrett underwent his spiritual awakening in 2008. It happened on the 27th day of his 27th year. In this transitionary period, Garrett was dealing with a job layoff, the birth of his nephew, and visions of the future. Due to his Navajo heritage, Garrett has always encompassed his spiritual upbringing into his everyday life. This provided a solid foundation to which Garrett could rely on for assistance and guidance. After his awakening, Garrett was given guidance from an elder of the tribe to assist the peoples of Earth.

Upon receiving his Eagle feathers, Garrett was initiated into the world of shamanism. His mentor had informed Garrett of his role to act as a bridge between cultures in addition to providing healing and counsel to those who sought his energies. The elder confirmed Garrett’s gift of sight and is known as a “seer” among the Navajo. His gift also included hands on healing through energy that radiated from his hands. 

Garrett is currently acting in service to his people and peoples of Earth using his wisdoms and knowledge to bring healing to those in need. If you’ve ever wondered how much of your experience was spiritual and how much of it was psychological, you’re going to love this episode. Just remember, spirituality and psychology are not in competition, but may be integrated on a path toward greater wholeness and wellbeing.

Keep up with Garrett Duncan’s offerings at navajoilluminations.com and on Facebook.com/navajoilluminations

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross, internationally known author, speaker, expert and pioneer in the use of Integrative Medicine for the treatment of eating disorders, addictions, mood and anxiety disorders, and obesity.

Dr. Ross is a graduate of Andrew Weil’s Fellowship Program in Integrative Medicine, is the former head of the eating disorder program at internationally-renowned Sierra Tucson, and is a highly-revered consultant for treatment centers around the US. She is the author of three books including one of the first books on Binge Eating Disorder: The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook and her recent book, The Emotional Eating Workbook. Her newest book, The Food Addiction Recovery Workbook was just released September 1, 2017. Dr. Ross currently has a private practice in Denver and San Diego.

Dr. Ross comes from a Health at Every Size, Intuitive Eating, Integrative Medicine approach that seeks to liberate, not oppress. I am tremendously grateful for her presence in my life, and the influence her expertise has had on my own location with binge eating disorder, addiction, and bipolar recovery.

Check out Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross’s new book, The Food Addiction Recovery Workbook: How to Manage Cravings, Reduce Stress, and Stop Hating Your Body, on Amazon.

Connect with Dr. Ross and her work at carolynrossmd.com

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with David Lukoff, PhD about the overlap of mystical experiences and psychotic disorders. Dr. Lukoff draws from decades of research and training in the overlap of psychological disturbances and spiritual realization.

David Lukoff, PhD has been active with the mental health consumer movement for 20 years and worked with the California Mental Health Spirituality Initiative since its inception in fall 2006. He helped design, administer, and analyze the data from the surveys and interviews. He has been an active proponent of spiritual competency in the field of psychology with 80 articles and chapters on spiritual issues and mental health, including spirituality and recovery from mental problems. He is a Professor Emeritus in Psychology at Sofia Institute and a licensed psychologist in California. He is co-author of the DSM-IV category "Religious or Spiritual Problem" and has been an active workshop presenter providing training in spiritual competencies in areas such as spiritual assessment, loss and grief, death and illness, spiritual problems and struggles.

Read the article mentioned in this episode, "The Diagnosis of Mystical Experiences with Psychotic Features," watch Dr. David Lukoff tell his own story of awakening, and learn more about his work at spiritualcompetency.com

I have personally benefited tremendously from David's research and writing. Much of my confusion around my own spirituality was feeling as if I needed to choose either mental health or spiritual teachings. Dr. Lukoff's work helped me bridge two worlds that often felt light years apart. May we all find greater freedom having listened to his words.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Lama Rod Owens — a formally trained Buddhist teacher, Harvard Master of Divinity graduate, and co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation. Lama Rod works to be as open, honest and vulnerable as possible and help others do the same, including discussing his journey with depression.

Sitting with Lama Rod is to be guided into conversations and contemplations around things that affect us all but we’re scared to talk about like sex, race, identity, gender, class, power, depression and all the other stuff we tend to turn away from. I have personally benefited from Lama Rod's wisdom and love in both reading Radical Dharma and also attending a recent Living Radical Dharma retreat with Lama Rod Owens and Reverend angel Kyodo williams at the magnificent Shambhala Mountain Center.

Stay in touch with Lama Rod Owens at lamarod.com

Find Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation on Amazon.

Watch the full interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/WiNmEEOkeQ8

Watch the full interview on Facebook here: http://fb.me/Ac9vD0Ng

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Gabe Howard— host of The Psych Central podcast, award-winning writer, and sought-after speaker. In 2003, he was formally diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorders after being committed to a psychiatric hospital.

In his writing, speaking, and in life, Gabe is direct, charismatic, and approachable. He loves interacting with people, and he discusses the serious topic of mental illness with the right blend of education and entertainment. He makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive and patient wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer puppy that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without.

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Gabe Howard’s pragmatic approach to raising awareness and doing good for those of us identifying with bipolar. Thanks for joining us!

Stay in touch with Gabe Howard (and get a bipolar emoji tee shirt) online at gabehoward.com

You can check out The Psych Central Show podcast by visiting PsychCentral.com/show 

You can also join his online Facebook community, The Positive Depression/Bipolar Happy Place.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Debra Silverman—world-renowned astrologer to the stars (both in Hollywood and the Cosmos) and author of The Missing Element: Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition. 

Debra is part comedian, part psychologist, part astrologer and ALL REAL. She helps people turn on their own inner observer, to see the things they say and do in a totally objective way. Debra has been in private practice for over 38 years. She uses astrology and her own system called The 4 Elements (or 4E for short) as tools to help people step into their power.

Debra’s mothering approach to understanding and empowering people from all walks of life has earned her international fame and admiration. In addition to her recently-published book, The Missing Element, she has written magazine columns, hosted a radio show, and has a YouTube channel with over 3 million views.

She is dedicated to creating community and working for the children. Debra believes the future is arriving and none of us can do it alone. She is an expert in embracing the feminine, and her ultimate dream is to revolutionize therapy by teaching therapists how to provide custom treatment to their clients.

Debra believes in the power of listening. When we are silent - both with ourselves and each other - the messages that are trying to come through us can be given a voice, and we can all start walking our authentic and powerful path.  She splits her time between Kauai and Boulder, Colorado, where she enjoys talking to the beautiful flowers, daily swims, and laughing with friends and family.

Debra Silverman has been instrumental in my own spiritual unfolding. I met with Debra for an astrological reading shortly after my last hospitalization for an acute manic psychosis, and her wisdom regarding my personality and astrological location allowed for greater space and self-compassion during a time when I desperately needed clarity. She was even able to locate the years of my previous mental health crises. To say the least, Debra embodies and marvelously articulates an ancient wisdom that has been largely obscured in our modern culture.

Stay in touch with Debra Silverman at www.debrasilvermanastrology.com and https://www.facebook.com/debrasilvermanastrology/

Pre-register for Debra's latest project, The Star Community—an astrology membership program for "secret service agents!" by going to http://www.secretserviceagents.org/

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Matthew Gindin—freelance journalist, former Buddhist monk, educator, meditation teacher, and friend of the late Michael Stone. Michael Stone was a dharma teacher with an international sangha, a social and environmental activist, hatha yoga instructor, husband, father, author, and the embodiment of a life driven by heart-centered action. In addition to the miracle that is the life of Michael Stone, he occupied a bipolar body.

I came across today’s guest, Matthew Gindin, when reading his article for the prominent Buddhist publication, Tricycle Magazine, titled, “Putting to Rest the Myth of the Heroic Self." Read the entire article here: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/putting-rest-myth-heroic-self/

In addition to the moving words from Matthew, I was struck with a lightning-like evocation by the message from Michael’s life partner, Carina Stone, in an official statement from the family. She wrote, “As versed as Michael was with the silence around mental health issues in our culture, he feared the stigma of his diagnosis. He was on the cusp of revealing publicly how shaped he was by his disorder and how he was doing.” Read the full statement here: https://www.lionsroar.com/official-statement-on-passing-of-michael-stone-released/

If you feel moved to do so, a gofundme page has been created for Michael Stone’s family. Please consider a donation here: https://www.gofundme.com/carina-stone-family-fund

As you’ll hear in our discussion, Matthew’s life has been touched in deeply poignant ways by this intersection of mental illness and spiritual unfolding. In this interview, I did not hear one word uttered from Matthew’s lips that did not pour from the oceanic depth of heart-centered dharma.

Matthew Gindin, formerly a Buddhist monk, is a journalist, educator and freelance writer located in Vancouver, BC. He is the Pacific Correspondent for the Canadian Jewish News, writes regularly for the Forward and the Wisdom Daily and has been published in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Religion Dispatches, Situate Magazine, and elsewhere. He also writes on Medium from time to time. Follow Matthew Gindin on Twitter @MatthewZGindin

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at FB.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Andy Behrman—author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania, published by Random House and translated into six languages. Behrman is a mental health advocate and speaker who promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention, speaking to college audiences, mental health care professionals and local and national mental health support groups.

Andy's writing has been published by The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine and he is a frequent contributor to mental health websites. Behrman has appeared on Anderson Cooper 360, NPR Radio and on the cover of Bipolar Magazine. He was interviewed by Stephen Fry for his documentary, “The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive” which aired on the BBC, and he will appear in a documentary called “In His Own Mind,” a film which traces his illness over a period of decade directed and produced by Brian Cresto.

Andy lives in Los Angeles with his two daughters who are ten and twelve years old and never dreamed he would attend a Parent Association Meeting. His newest projects are the feature film version of Electroboy, which is currently in development, as well as a written sequel to his book.

Andy’s work is near and dear to my heart for multiple reasons. He is a male voice for mental health and shares intimate, often painful details of his life—adding disarming humor and wit—in order to increase visibility for his own life and those he serves today. As a father with two little boys, I look up to Andy as someone who trail-blazed before me and is balancing fatherhood and activism.

For more with Andy, visit electroboy.com and follow him on Twitter @electroboyusa

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at FB.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Monica Cassani, writer and creator of the website Everything Matters: Beyond Meds, a site that documents and shares many natural methods of self-care for finding and sustaining health in body, mind and spirit. Much of Monica's writing also deals with wider issues in the socio/political and spiritual realms as they pertain to mental health and human rights issues surrounding psychiatry.

Monica Cassani has seen the system from both sides – as a social worker and as a person whose life was severely ruptured by psychiatric drugs. She writes critically about the system, as well as about holistic pathways of healing without medication now having gone through a transformative healing process herself. In this podcast episode, Monica explains what she calls the "Somatic Imperative," in which the body invites, and often demands, yielding to deep somatic wisdom and ultimately the call to heed one's heart.

As part of Monica’s visit with us, she has extended a very generous offer for listeners. Click the link below for a PDF compilation, basically a customized ebook (over 20 pages of her writings), related to The Somatic Imperative we just discussed, covering topics like somatic mysticism, meditation, informed consent, and as you heard in the podcast, the ability to hold space for multiple truths. This is an extremely generous gift so do not miss out.

https://beyondmeds.com/monica-cassani-pdf-prepared-for-podcast-waking-up-bipolar-with-chris-cole/

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at FB.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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In this episode of Waking Up Bipolar, Chris Cole speaks with Dr. Steve Prentice, Doctor of Chiropractic and author of Wrecked: Why Your Quest for Health and Weight Loss Has Failed... And What You Can Do About It. 

Dr. Steve Prentice, practicing chiropractor and health contrarian since 1996, has spent his career questioning the status quo and challenging the accepted norms. His experience working with thousands of patients over 20 years led him to create what he termed “the stress-centered approach to health,” and he now leads his patients through the process of restoring their health and quality of life while rejecting many of the restrictive and obsessive health recommendations of the day. In his most current work, Wrecked, Dr. Prentice introduces these concepts to a wider audience for the first time.

www.healthnutrehab.com

JOIN THE DISCUSSION at FB.com/groups/wakingupbipolar

Chris Cole hosts the Waking Up Bipolar podcast, focused on the intersection of bipolar disorder and spiritual awakening. He is the author of The Body of Chris: A Memoir of Obsession, Addiction, and Madness, inspired by his own journey of spiritual unfolding and mental health challenges. Chris Cole offers life coaching for any number of mental health conditions, specializing in bipolar disorder and spiritual emergence. Chris’s experience with addiction, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, psychosis, and spiritual emergency allows him to relate to a wide range of clients. He utilizes a holistic approach to mental health which views wellness in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual domains. Learn more about Chris and his work at colecoaching.com.

The Waking Up Bipolar podcast in now available on the following platforms:

Apple Podcasts | apple.wakingupbipolar.com

Google Play | google.wakingupbipolar.com

Stitcher | stitcher.wakingupbipolar.com

TuneIn | tunein.wakingupbipolar.com

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