It's Okay if You're not Okay

Keith, Kate, John and Renee decide to take on the popular opinion that 2020 stinks (or worse!) in this year-in-review episode. The bottom line: sometimes it's healthy to step away from comparing this year to other years and just appreciate 2020 for what it has been in its own right - even if all those scarfs you crocheted this year have curves.

Returning to their roots as hosts of "a mental health podcast with personality," the It's Okay Crew takes a break from talking about current events to address a broader mental health topic: schizophrenia. Keith, Kate, John and Renee use depictions of mental health in movies to underscore what's true (and what's not) about delusions, hallucinations and other realities typically associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. 

The Johnson County community has been talking recently about the ways that mental health and public health intersect and compete in the time of COVID-19. Keith, Kate, John and Renee decide to take up this conversation for themselves, considering the two ideas from their professional and personal perspectives. They wrap up the episode by sharing practical skills and practices for self-care in the midst of the pandemic. Of course, the episode can't get too serious with this crew. 

Happy Birthday! The It's Okay if You're not Okay turned one year old this week! The hosts believe that every single person can learn, change and grow. In this episode, the four hosts reflect on how they've experienced this personally in the last three months of the pandemic with increased awareness of racial injustices. Of course, it's been a bit, so Keith, Kate, John and Renee were a little rusty on the intro. 

Keith, Kate, John and Renee keep things lighter with a conversation on the meaning of hope. This episode was recorded several weeks ago, so it does not include references to current events. The hosts hope that listeners can take the themes of this episode and apply them to the struggle against systemic racial injustices. Also, don't tell anyone, but Keith might be a coffee thief. 

The It's Okay Crew keeps it light in this episode, sharing some favorite books, shows and songs that have been meaningful in these days. 

The gang's back together - well, virtually. Keith, Kate, John and Renee talk about what it's like to manage change and transition. There each have several skills they've been using personally to manage their emotions during this time. Of course, the podcast wouldn't be complete without some type of virtual faux paus; Renee's connection is interrupted and her face freezes in place. Then Kate and John can't stop laughing. 

An It's Okay first - an episode recorded live! Since the crew can't come together in one place during the pandemic, they decided to record using Zoom and broadcast it live on Facebook. Listen in as Keith, John and Renee welcome special guest Jessica Murphy to talk about the pros and pitfalls of positive reframing during the pandemic and beyond. You'll also get to hear what an episode usually sounds like before Keith does all of his editing!

Kate seeks redemption from Episode 4, when she confused self-care strategies for coping skills. In this episode, Keith and Kate discuss how self-care and coping might look in the midst of physical distancing and the stay at home orders. Knowing yourself is key to healthy application of these skills. Look out for the business pork at the end. 

Renee has her own way of processing her experience of this pandemic. Moving through stages of awareness, Renee unpacks what it's taken for her to return to her old self in the midst of the coronavirus. Of course, she also creates her own #COVIDcliche list.

Unlike Keith (who reflected on his time working remotely from home in the last episode) John is reporting to the office each day. In this episode, he reflects on how he has been processing COVID-19 as one still coming to work and the stages he has seen in his own acceptance. Turning to gratitude is one way he's found to help cope.

Keith reflects a bit on his time working from home with all 27 of his kids, his two dogs and his wife who is also trying to work throughout the COVID-19 crisis. This peculiar time forces us to hold together feelings that would otherwise seem to conflict with one another. It's important to remember that we're not alone and we can get through this together. Help is available. 

Keith, Kate and Renee welcome new co-host, John, to the show to add an additional clinical perspective. In this episode, the four co-hosts unpack what the idea of "It's Okay if You're not Okay" really means. The bottom line: the more we talk about our struggles, the better off we are individually and as a community. It's a great episode, but it gets off to a bit of a rough start.

In their first-ever "Part 2," Keith, Kate and Renee pick up where they left off in their last episode on grief. This time, instead of talking about grief connected to the loss of a loved one, the It's Okay Crew talks about grieving other types of losses. They don't get a chance to grieve the worm that fell from the ceiling though. A transcript will be available at jocogov.org/podcasts.

The "stages of grief" framework has helped a lot of people understand and discuss what they're experiencing after the death of a friend or family member. It's also caused confusion for those who have felt emotions that don't seem to match with these stages. Keith, Kate and Renee unpack the stages of grief and provide room for all the emotions one might experience after the loss of someone held dear. In the midst, Renee had to create some less-than-flattering hashtags for the podcast. A full transcript will be available at jocogov.org/podcasts. 

It's surprising just how much a good workplace can affect your mental well-being. What happens when a workplace isn't so good? In this episode, Keith and Renee are joined by special guest, Shana Burgess to discuss workplace conflict and mental health. Before they could start talking about such a heavy subject, they had to do some articulation warm-ups. A full transcript will be available at jocogov.org/podcast.

Happy New Year! Keith, Kate and Renee tackle New Year's Resolutions through the lens of goals and treatment plans. What they find is that by celebrating small accomplishments, our overall quality of life improves. Renee also has weird dreams about buying things in bulk. A full transcript will be available at jocogov.org/podcasts.

The last episode of 2019 is out a bit early! Keith, Kate and Renee push pause on New Year's Resolutions in order to give due diligence to looking to the past. Using mindfulness skills, the hosts reflect on how they've learned, changed and grown in 2019 and look forward to what that means for the future. 

Keith, Kate and Renee are inspired by a teen who encouraged the community to unlearn loneliness when it comes to phone use. They tackle the world of social media with a well-balanced discussion that starts with the importance of knowing yourself. Also, Renee goes completely blank mid-sentence. A transcript will be available on jocogov.org/podcast.

Director Tim DeWeese joins the crew as a special guest and promptly proclaims "I'm Renee, and it's okay!" Keith, Kate and Renee invite Tim to talk with them about how community partnerships improve overall mental health for both an individual and a community. Read the full transcript at jocogov.org/podcast.

Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, you'll be able to appreciate some the ideas and skills discussed in this episode. Keith, Kate and Renee share stories from their own family traditions that connect to skills helpful for making Thanksgiving, or any family gathering, just a little bit better. Plus, a 9 year old inspires all of them to make sure to talk about their gratitude. And, don't forget, never yell in your microphone when the producer is wearing the headphones.

Keith's just doing the best he can producing the podcast, no thanks to Josh and Renee. Despite their best efforts at sarcasm, Keith asks each co-host to share the names of the people who have most greatly influenced their own perspective of mental health. Their choices might surprise you. The full transcript is available at jocogov.org/podcast.

After Josh gets done laughing, the It's Okay Crew talks about the practices that help them maintain emotional health. Everyone could use a little help sorting through what they're doing for self-care or to positively cope with negative emotions or activities. Read the transcript at jocogov.org/podcast.

Join Keith, Kate and Renee as they fight off their craving for Chinese food in the third episode of It's Okay if You're not Okay. They reflect on #WhyCare, this year's theme for Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 6 - 12) and the biggest barriers for individuals seeking mental health service. Spoiler alert: Some of those barriers are public policy. A transcript is available at jocogov.org/podcast.

Keith, Kate, Josh and Renee each take on the challenge of picking the one thing they want the community to know about suicide prevention. Of course, Kate finds a loophole. This episode is in honor of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which is observed each September.

Keith, Kate, Josh and Renee kick-off the new podcast from Johnson County Mental Health Center by sharing the creative works that have most shaped their perspective on mental health and the human experience. Oh, and the Backstreet Boys don't like Josh.