Mondays with Maddy

Stories submitted by YOU.  TW: suicide, mental illness, death and grief. You are not alone. If you are in a crisis, help is available: 1-800-273-TALKIf you want to submit your story for a future episode, visit our website at www.madisonholleranfoundation.org

Jill and Dave Henry are married co-authors of the award-winning book, The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed. Jill Henry is a veteran high school girls cross country coach. She was recently selected as a National Winner of the 2022 Positive Coaching Alliance's Double-Goal Coach Award for her attention to athlete wellness and mindset, and has received local “coach of the year” honors a total of six times in her fourteen year career. Jill's professional background is in secondary education. As a long-time statistics teacher, she has a deep professional interest in study design and analysis. Dave Henry is a Peabody Award winning and Emmy-Nominated editor with extensive experience in unscripted television and feature documentaries. His work has won awards from the Associated Press, Directors Guild of America and the Television Critics Association. Athletics are also a part of Dave's background - he was an all-state high school quarterback in Arizona, a two-sport college athlete, and spent five years as high school football coach. Jill and Dave live in Los Angeles with their two kids, Mac and Cammie, and their scrappy dog, Russ. Their book can be purchased on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Greatest-College-Health-Guide-Needed/dp/1510759093 

Jenna Shotmeyer is a New England-based writer, speaker, and artist. Ever since she was a child, Jenna took frequent trips to the New Jersey Shore, and spending time at the ocean gave her a lens to understand her own ups and downs. Now, nearly ten years after the accident that changed the trajectory of her life, she is passionate about helping others find their true identity, worth, purpose, hope, and freedom like she found in Christ. She recently published her first book in October, titled "Are you Drowning? Overcoming in the Midst of Trauma and Loss." It can be purchased here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-Drowning-Overcoming-Trauma-ebook/dp/B09FXNDT4Q

Dr. Matthew Murphy, superintendent of Ramsey Public Schools since 2012. For the past 4 years, Dr. Murphy has also served as President on the West Bergen Board of Trustees, where he works to end harmful stigmas related to mental illnesses and seeking resources for them. In this Mondays with Maddy, he shares his insight on mental health in public schools, his work on the West Bergen Mental Health Board of Trustees, as well as being a dad in this time of social media and technology. For more information on West Bergen Mental Health, please visit: https://westbergen.org/

On our first episode, we talk with Dr. Jolene Arasz, a practicing psychologist in northern New Jersey. She specializes in anxiety management as it is at the root of any mental health issue. Dr. Arasz currently has a private practice working with adolescents, adults, and families. Dr. Arasz now resides in Allendale, New Jersey, with her husband and two remarkable boys. She started her private practice in 2012, where she continues to work with her clients on managing their anxiety and provides an educational approach to her work. She also collaborates with local schools, providing professional development training to teachers and school personnel, and speaks publicly with parents to help them understand anxiety and mental health.Dr. Arasz is very passionate about her work. She decided to write a book, "Why on Earth Do I Feel This Way?"  after more than fifteen years of practice in the field, recognizing a major theme throughout her work across settings, ages, demographics, and diagnoses. The theme was anxiety and that anxiety is rooted in lacking a sense of personal control. Dr. Arasz's control theory can be applied to all ages. She is a strong advocate for mental health education becoming a requirement in school curriculum for all ages.