Mental Health In Minnesota

Said Shaiye is a Somali writer. In his words, “Resistance is living”. The conversation digs into the journey that is life seeking to find peace in acknowledging trauma and extending yourself forgiveness. As a resistance tool, Said explains how writing allowed reflection, keeping an account of different parts and a place to go to be with himself. He shares the importance of finding your voice both metaphorically and literally as a journey of finding home. His debut book, Are You Borg Now?, was recently released by Really Serious Literature. It's an experimental combination of poetry, self-interview, memoir, photography & Star Trek: Voyager tribute. Find more of his work and engage with him on his website saidshaiye.com. This episode was recorded on 6/30/2021. “Mental Health In Minnesota” is produced by NAMI Minnesota. Visit us online at https://namimn.org/. All music used in this episode came from the song “The Way” produced by MIKE LEITE and made available via a Creative Commons license. Loops were create

Natasha Sohni reflects on her undergraduate journey at the University of Minnesota as her process of exploring resistance. She shares the role of involvement, from student government, movements, volunteering and dialogues, in empowering both one’s self and the community around them. As a problem solver she talks about operating in kindness and extending it generously through empathic listening to view individuals and their circumstances in a holistic manner. Further reflections with Natasha can be found on her blog at natsohini.wordpress.com. This episode was recorded on 6/18/2021. “Mental Health In Minnesota” is produced by NAMI Minnesota. Visit us online at https://namimn.org/. All music used in this episode came from the song “The Way” produced by MIKE LEITE and made available via a Creative Commons license. Loops were created from various sections of “The Way.”  Find the full song by MIKE LEITE via the following links: “The Way” song page on SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/mikeleite/the-way-instr

Christine Cariño is the Founder and the Head of Learning & Training at Conscious Thrive, a consulting firm with a mission to bring back the human at the center of corporate businesses. Her resistance work challenges and centers on the need for leaders and institutions to create inclusive and safe spaces outside of mere checked boxes. We engage on how spaces should combine both intellectual and emotional intelligence in order to have wellbeing as the center of all things to create systems that attend to the wellness of the human need. Diversity and inclusion work should refocus on the who in order to instruct the practical how. This episode was recorded on 6/29/2021. “Mental Health In Minnesota” is produced by NAMI Minnesota. Visit us online at https://namimn.org/. All music used in this episode came from the song “The Way” produced by MIKE LEITE and made available via a Creative Commons license. Loops were created from various sections of “The Way.”  Find the full song by MIKE LEITE via the following link

Dr. Lavonne Moore is a doctor of nursing practice, the founder and CEO of Chosen Vessels Midwifery Services a subsidiary of Kemet Circle, LLC. In a bid to address health disparities for women of color, she provides training through the Chocolate Milk club offering intimate services such as health counseling, lactation and birth support for all women. The conversation explores breastfeeding as an act of resistance against systems that have created a lack of control for women over their own bodies. Her resistance work is medical activism centered locally on the ground work to create accessible solutions that protect marginalized communities from systems that have often disfavored them. We talk about what individuals need to do to be engaged about their own health and providers on how be culturally informed to ensure patients know how to navigate the health care system in the best serving way. This episode was recorded on 7/08/2021. “Mental Health In Minnesota” is produced by NAMI Minnesota. Visit us online at

(Recorded 1/28/2020) This episode is an interview with author and former Minnesota state Representative Mindy Greiling and her son Jim Greiling. Mindy Greiling served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, including 14 after her son, Jim, was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder in 1999. She initiated the first state bipartisan mental health caucus where legislators worked together to pass legislation, including allocating the most annual funding for mental health in Minnesota history up to that date. She also has served on the national and state NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) boards. Mindy’s son Jim is on staff at NAMI Minnesota and has been a part of NAMI’s mission for about five years. This interview includes discussions on Mindy’s and Jim’s journeys with NAMI, their views on mental health and the mental health system, as well as Mindy’s new book which is titled:  “Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and A Lawmaker's Fight For Her Son”  Mindy’s book will be published in ea

(Recorded 5/14/2020) This episode is focused on Lisa Nasseff’s experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help her achieve recovery and maintain mental wellness.  Lisa also talks about exposure therapy.  Lisa is a trained volunteer presenter in the NAMI “In Our Own Voice” program through which she shares her personal recovery story of living with a mental illness.  She discusses her diagnoses of anorexia, chronic major depression, panic and anxiety disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. NAMI Minnesota fact sheets related to this episode: NAMI Minnesota fact sheet on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): https://2a392k31wksy2wkejf1y03dp-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/188/2018/05/CognitiveBehavioralTherapy_TreatmentOptions_2018.pdf NAMI Minnesota fact sheet on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): https://2a392k31wksy2wkejf1y03dp-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/188/2018/05/OCD_Illnesses_Adult_2018.pdf Psychotherapy for OCD. There are two types of

This episode is a conversation with Danny Evans and is focused on his experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to experience recovery and help maintain his mental health.  Danny Evans is a performer of a rap-style of poetry he calls “gift rap poetry” through which he talks about mental illness and addiction awareness.  Danny talks in this episode about how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Therapy (ERT) has helped him as a parent, as an employee, and with many other aspects of his life.  Danny is a presenter in the NAMI “In Our Own Voice” program through which he courageously shares his personal recovery story of living with mental illnesses.  Danny is in recovery from bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety.  Danny performs his “gift rap poetry” with the stage name of “Dan Triple E.”  He performed at the 2018 and 2019 NAMIWalks event in Minneapolis, MN.  He was also invited to perform during some NAMI Family-to-Family classes while he att

This episode is an interview with Keely Herron (click) who shares her experience of going through DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and continuing to use DBT skills to help maintain her mental health. Keely is a strategist, marketing communications specialist, and mental health speaker. She lost her father to suicide in 1999 and has contributed to mental health awareness by sharing her personal recovery story through various platforms such as the NAMI In Our Own Voice program and the NAMI Minnesota Speakers Bureau. Keely presented a TEDx Talk (click) titled “Leaving the Cult of Happiness” given at TEDx Jackson Hole in 2017 which has been viewed over 525,000 times as of the publication of this episode in late June 2020. Keely is available for speaking engagements on her personal experience with mental illness, Complex PTSD, suicide, sexual violence, trauma, and invisible disabilities. You can learn more about Keely and connect with at https://www.keelyherron.com/ which includes links to her TEDx Talk (or list

This episode is Part 1 of a series on DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, as well as touching on CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  Included in the series are bits and pieces of how people might maintain mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The series begins with a conversation with a mental health professional and will be followed by future episodes consisting of conversations with people who live with mental illnesses and who have benefited from DBT and CBT. Dr. Helen Valenstein-Mah (click) is a clinical psychologist who specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and trauma-focused treatments for adolescents and adults. Dr. Valenstein-Mah co-leads the DBT Program in the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, through which she provides training and supervision for psychiatry residents, psychology interns, and psychology practicum students. Dr. Valenstein-Mah’s research interests include treatment development for individuals with PTSD and co-occurring disorders (e.g., substance use disorders, borderli

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Houa Moua Hosted by: Vang Xor Xiong (Xorr) Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) Guest Bio: For Houa Moua, healthy means being happy. From a moderately traditional Hmong household, Houa’s parents and elders believed that most anything could be fixed through shamanic intervention. However, if there are signs of mental illness, it was the doing of your soul or spirits trying to communicate. This is the reason that she believes, Hmong folks don't seek medical treatment for mental health, especially for depression and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and then healing rarely happens. Yet in spite of this, her wellness goals are to have healthy, communicative, and inclusive relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and community. This episode was recorded on 05/20/2019 at NAMI Minnesota in St. Paul, MN. For more information and resources

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Seyeon Bae Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) Guest Bio:  Raised in South Korea, current Minnesotan Seyeon Bae says her relationship with mental health is both love and hate. Fears that others would think she was “crazy” or “ill” were always initially present, yet she was never afraid to seek help and sought therapy with the support of her family. Ultimately, change is incremental, and her views towards mental health have been shaped by her time spent in the U.S. Her plans are to shift opinions on mental health not only within herself, but also within her culture, which drives her to constantly reflect on her own journey to knowing but flipping the status quo in order to destigmatize mental health issues. This episode was recorded on 05/06/2019 at NAMI Minnesota in St. Paul, MN. For more information and resources

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Jasmine Q’ian Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) Guest Bio:  Living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 21 year-old Jasmine Q’ian battles two worlds, the rigors of student life attending college in Minnesota while also navigating her cultural background where talk of mental illness remains heavily stigmatized. Today she talks to “Wellness In Color” about the barriers she has faced both personally and culturally growing up first generation Chinese American. Working hard to knock down personal and cultural barriers, she shares how years of mental health treatment and support have given her a brighter outlook on the future of her wellness journey. This episode was recorded on 05/02/2019 at NAMI Minnesota in St. Paul, MN. For more information and resources on mental il

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Lauryn Daniel Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) Guest Bio:   A native of Chicago’s South Side, Lauryn Daniel describes herself as multifaceted. Living with anxiety and depression, she talks to Wellness In Color about her experiences working in the mental health field as an Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Service (ARMHS) worker with plans to continue her career as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Eventually she wants to reconnect with her roots in Chicago with plans to open her own clinic. She learns as much from her clients as she does from herself and wants people to know that empathy starts from within. Her mantra is “Be empathetic with yourself. Never stop watering your roots.” ARMHS info: https://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocNa

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Vang Xor Xiong (Xorr) Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) GUEST BIO:  Being a 1.5 generation immigrant and mental health advocate Vang Xor Xiong (Xorr) has an ability to bridge both worlds in a unique way. Within his role as Partnership Organizer for the Minnesota based Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP), his plans include expanding on his current work to open up opportunity for voices from other marginalized communities such as the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA/PI) queer population. Contact Information: Instagram: Xorr_X Email: vangxor@aaopmn.org Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP): A Minnesota based non-partisan, non-profit organization that supports the Asian American and Pacific Island Communities across many social platforms including language access, immigration reform and civic engagem

Welcome to "Wellness in Color," a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: True Thao Interviewers: Amy Wang and Mai Yee Chang Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) GUEST BIO:  For twenty years True Thao has provided bilingual and bicultural mental health services to adolescents and adults and has experience working with organizations in the areas of employee mental health, refugee issues and Hmong culture. Understanding the complexity of Hmong lives and the issues affecting the Hmong families and community True currently works with clients at his practice True Thao Counseling Services based in St. Paul, MN. True Thao's website: https://truethaocounseling.com/ True Thao's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/True-Thao-Counseling-Services-141059885976834/ This episode was recorded on 02/28/2019 in St. Paul, MN. For more information and resources on mental illness, education and legislat

Welcome to "Wellness in Color", a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: John Anthony Burchall Interviewers: Caroline Ludy and Cynthia Fashaw Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) GUEST BIO:  A native of Bermuda, a former newspaper reporter, writer, EMT and currently an ordained Baptist Minister, 49 year old John Anthony Burchall talks to Wellness in Color about his understanding of hope and its connection to his own mental health after surviving two suicide attempts. Related Article: "On Vocation: Where Gladness Meets Need" http://www.lyndaleucc.org/sermons/on-vocation-where-gladness-meets-need/ This episode was recorded on 02/11/2019 in St. Paul, MN. For more information and resources on mental illness, education and legislative advocacy please visit the NAMI Minnesota website at namimn.org These efforts were supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of th

Welcome to "Wellness in Color", a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Aneela Kumar Interviewer: Maritza Steele Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) Guest Bio: Born and raised in New York to parents from India, Aneela Kumar shares her story on growing up with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and trichotillomania (an impulse control disorder in which individuals have the compulsive urge to pull out their own hair). Currently a mental health advocate, Aneela talks to Wellness in Color about her struggles with identity, race and religion and how her path to recovery began with the words “shy”, “weird” and “wrong” but continue with “love” and “awareness.” Resources mentioned in this episode: The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors https://www.bfrb.org/ Free video series "The Noise in Your Head" https://noiseinyourhead.com/free-video-series/ HabitAware Keen device

Welcome to "Wellness in Color", a podcast series that explores perspectives on mental health to reshape the cultural language of mental illness. Interview Guest: Geetanjali Mittal Interviewer: Maritza Steele Hosted by: Caroline Ludy Produced by: NAMI Minnesota (namimn.org) GUEST BIO:  An educator, artist, and internationally-published researcher Geetanjali Mittal shares her Wellness in Color story about navigating the mental health field while establishing roots in the United States. Originally from India, Geet grew up in a variety of cities and has a deep appreciation for different cultures. Before coming to the US, she taught post-graduate English Literature at Panjab University. A strong advocate for social justice Geet is currently studying Community Health at Normandale College. Geet’s Recommended Books: - Book of Mirdad by Mikhail Naimy - Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak - Secret by Rhonda Byrnes - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho This quote by Christine Caine

(Recorded 07/03/2018) NAMI Minnesota (click) staff member Kay King discusses anxiety in older adults, a topic focused on in a version of “Gray Matters” older adults programming available from NAMI Minnesota. See full descriptions below. Kay King can be reached via email at kking@namimn.org or by phone at 651-645-2948. NAMI Minnesota website: www.namimn.org “Gray Matters” is a series of five educational programs available for people who work with older adults. Targeted audiences could include senior workers in assisted living, long-term care facilities, adult day programs, rehab facilities, senior centers and senior housing. Pastoral care, health clinic staff, parish nurses, case managers, Meals on Wheels volunteers, hospice staff and volunteer befrienders are also potential audiences. Gray Matters: Depression is a good first choice for programming if the audience has just beginning knowledge about older adults and mental illness. Gray Matters: Understanding Depression in Older Adults – 1.5 hour program Fe

(Recorded 07/03/2018) NAMI Minnesota (click) staff member Kay King discusses substance use disorders in older adults, a topic focused on in a version of “Gray Matters” older adults programmingavailable from NAMI Minnesota. See full descriptions below. Kay King can be reached via email at kking@namimn.org or by phone at 651-645-2948. “Gray Matters” is a series of five educational programs available for people who work with older adults. Targeted audiences could include senior workers in assisted living, long-term care facilities, adult day programs, rehab facilities, senior centers and senior housing. Pastoral care, health clinic staff, parish nurses, case managers, Meals on Wheels volunteers, hospice staff and volunteer befrienders are also potential audiences. Gray Matters: Depression is a good first choice for programming if the audience has just beginning knowledge about older adults and mental illness. Gray Matters: Understanding Depression in Older Adults – 1.5 hour program Feelings of sadness, loneli