NPO Media Podcast

NAMI NYC Staten Island community education webinar recorded on Jan. 12, 2022 HEARING VOICES?One in ten people hears voices. Voices, visions, or other unusual or extreme experiences may be unique, but they are not uncommon but there is a place where people can share these experiences in an atmosphere of acceptance and respect. Guest Speakers:Leah Rokeach, LCSW, Private PracticeJoel Simonds, Peer Specialist http://www.hearingvoicesusa.org/

Welcome to another edition of sibling stories with Alana Ezderman, where we shed light on the personal experiences of siblings of loved ones with mental illness. My interviewee, Pran, was struggling with feelings of being overwhelmed. His brother had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and he found himself constantly trying to find solutions for his brother and parents. Pran had grown up in a tight-knit family and was close with his brother. His parents had created their thriving life from scratch after fleeing war-torn Sri Lanka decades ago. For Pran, they were the model of unlimited strength and resilience, and he strived to emulate that bounce-back mentality in his own life. Here's Pran's story…

Growing up with a sibling with mental issues means homelife is consistently tumultuous. Many children try to help their siblings- while also creating an armor of self-protection that shields them from pain, but prevents them from sharing their true selves. My interviewee, Bennie, stepped in to get her brother the care and correct direct diagnoses when his symptoms worsened to a point of crisis, setting him on a course of recovery. Now, Bennie is beginning the journey of removing her armor to reveal the greatest version of herself.

NAMI NYC Staten Island presents an informational webinar, recorded May 4th, 2021 for Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week, as well as May is Mental Health Month. Panelists include Dr. Adam Smith and Dr. Eli Shalenberg of Richmond Behavioral Associates. Ken Cybulska, Christine, and Annie share their stories of living with symptoms of TD.

Welcome to Sibling Stories with Alana Ezderman, featuring interviews with siblings of a loved one with mental illness to foster hope, resilience, and community support. This podcast is for all of those siblings out there who need a voice- either a voice to listen to, or a voice to speak.  When the brother of my first interviewee started showing symptoms, Tatiana stepped into the role of caretaker at just 28.  Her story is that of unending courage, resilience, and support.  Tatiana is an excellent example of both self-care and perseverance.  Here’s Tatiana’s story.  

David and his mother Paulette share their journey with mental illness, starting when David first had symptoms of schizophrenia. David and Paulette are both experienced program facilitators with NAMI NYC Staten Island, helping countless others in their paths to recovery and living well with mental illness.

This podcast is the follow-up to the episode recorded with NYC police officer Michael Balioni. In this episode, Michael’s wife, Nicole, bravely recounts her own story. She describes her struggle with substance abuse, the impact it had on her family, and her subsequent recovery. Since then, Nicole and her husband have become advocates for others living with similar struggles, networking with local groups and leaders in the recovery movement.

Kyle is a young college student who has already dedicated himself to helping others. He is pursuing a graduate degree in mental health counseling. Kyle candidly shares personal experiences and traumas, so please keep that in mind before listening.

Michael Balioni is a NYC police officer who shares his story of personal struggle and growth after his wife developed a severe opiate addiction following a motorcycle accident. Michael has collaborated with the office of Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon to help spread the word about prevention and coping with addictions and co-occurring mental illness. Check out Instagram @sobrietywalk or email michael@sobrietywalk.com .

For this episode,  Alana shares her lived experience and empowerment through positive psychology. She is an active member of NAMI and shares her time helping others. Alana completed a program at The Flourishing Center.  https://theflourishingcenter.com

Another collaborative effort with Five Flags Company Inc, Elliott shares about his addiction and recovery. https://www.aa.org/

Another collaborative effort with Five Flags Company Inc, this brief but poignant episode features Bernadette, who shares about her addiction and recovery. https://www.aa.org/

This is another collaborative project between NAMI NYC Staten Island and Five Flags Company, Inc. Five Flags Company works to promote financial empowerment for those who are less fortunate on Staten Island and beyond. Drug addictions are prevalent issues, particularly on Staten Island. By sharing experiences of those living with addictions, their loved ones, and clinicians, we hope to offer insights and tools for coping with the ravages of addiction. Moreover, we want to get the word out to young people at risk. This is Michael's Story.

A message about drug abuse from Marjorie Pugliese, Ph.D., educator and Executive Director of Five Flags Company, Inc.

Catherine is a full-time college student who has been living with anxiety and depression for the past six years. She also documents her story on an Instagram blog titled @positivelycat. She is working with NAMI to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Chris shares his experience as a parent of a child living with addiction. He shares insights that offer strength and hope for others. https://www.nar-anon.org/ This episode is the first collaborative project between NAMI NYC Staten Island and Five Flags Company, Inc. https://www.makeusjobs.com . Five Flags Company works to promote financial empowerment for those who are less fortunate on Staten Island and beyond. Together, we recognize the primary need for health and wellness. Drug addictions are prevalent issues, particularly on Staten Island. By sharing experiences of those living with addictions, their loved ones, and clinicians, we hope to offer insights and tools for coping with the ravages of addiction. Moreover, we want to get the word out to young people at risk for substance abuse.

Elizabeth Kelley is a criminal defense lawyer with a nationwide practice focused on representing people with mental disabilities. She co-chairs the CriminalJustice Advisory Panel of The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice andDisability.  Kelley is the editor of representing people with Mental Disabilities: A Practical Guide for Criminal Defense Lawyers, published by the American Bar Association in Fall, 2018. She serves on the Editorial Board of the ABA's Criminal Justice section magazine. She served three terms on the board of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), chaired its Mental Health as well as Membership Committees, and is a Life Member. Ms. Kelleylectures across the U.S. as well as abroad on representing people with mental disabilities, and frequently provides commentary for radio and television. Elizabeth Kelley’s website is at: https://www.elizabethkelleylaw.com/

Episode 12 of the NPO Media Podcast features an interview with Gene Kaplan, L.C.S.W., a licensed Clinical Social Worker with the NYS Office of Mental Health. Mr. Kaplan chronicles his career as clinician and educator, describing various treatment approaches he has helped bring to South Beach Psychiatric Center. Frequent questions brought up by families with NAMI NYC Staten Island are also addressed by Mr. Kaplan.

Desiree is a young professional and a single mother. She bravely details the struggle for recovery by a loved one with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse disorder.

Christina Bruni is a mental health advocate who published her first book Left of the Dial: A Memoir of Schizophrenia, Recovery, and Hope in 2015. Formerly a disc jockey on FM radio in the 1980s, she chronicles this experience in her book along with what happened after she recovered. Chris has an MS and works as a professional librarian. Visit Christina's author website at http://www.christinabruni.com

Edith Scheie is a Staten Island native, whose parents were from Norway. She has 4 siblings, an older sister and three older brothers, who have contributed to the development of her sense of humor, as well as her resilience. She received a public-school education and attended Wagner College and Queens College, City University of New York. She studied music from the age of 7 to the age of 20, starting in the children’s church choir. She played Carnegie Hall, as well as other venues around the tri-state area. She has been doing volunteer work for various non-profit organizations since 1983, most recently with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Staten Island affiliate. With the support of NAMI NYC Staten Island, she started the first support group on Staten Island for people with psychiatric diagnoses. Since 2007, she has been doing In Our Own Voice presentations and speaking to members of the community about mental health issues. Her interests in addition to mental health, include journal writing, reading, embroidery, and music.

This episode features Justin, who shares his personal experiences with hospitalizations and the road to recovery while living with bipolar disorder and severe social anxiety.  An experienced digital content creator, Justin makes the case for finding what works and pursuing it with tenacity.

This episode features Anna, who shares her experience living with an eating disorder and also speaks about barriers to treatment and misconceptions that people have about eating disorders. A full recovery from an eating disorder is possible, and everybody's story is different. This is Anna's story.  

Episode 6 of the NPO Media Podcast features Dominic Ruotolo, who shares his journey from tenuous teenage years to the present. Dominic works as a Bridger for Baltic Street, AEH, Inc., a peer-run not-for-profit corporation dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with mental illness. A certified alcohol and substance abuse counselor, Dominic draws on his personal and professional experience to empower others as they transition out of the hospital and work on their recovery. Through his relentless advocacy, Dominic has helped many to achieve their goals of independent, meaningful lives.

Episode 5 of the NPO Media Podcast features Greg Hitchcock, a journalist, filmmaker and advocate who was diagnosed with schizophrenia while serving in the military. Sharing personal experiences, Greg takes us from the earliest days of his illness through his ongoing recovery journey. Greg's work can be found online at www.greghitchcockonline.net. Thank you to the dedicated folks at NAMI-NYS for helping us spread the word about the podcast. Because of you we are able to share Greg's inspiring story with others.

Episode 4 features James J Lewis of mid-Hudson Valley, NY. James called in via Skype to share his story of living with bipolar disorder. He is a community advocate and a member of NAMI. He shares his insights with other young people to provide a message of empathy and hope.

The 3rd installment of the NPO Media Podcast features a conversation from Norway via skype with author and teacher, Robert Crane. He describes his personal and professional life, sharing his experience of living with bipolar disorder while offering insights on what has helped him on his path to recovery.

NPO Media Podcast episode 2 features Kenneth Cybulska, NAMI peer facilitator and Honoree for the 26th Annual NAMI NYC Staten Island Awards Celebration. Ken details how he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and had to learn the skills needed to cope with his illness.

Episode 1 of the NPO Media Podcast features Ricardo Nunez, a remarkable young man living with schizophrenia. Ricardo describes his illness and the challenges he must face while working on his recovery.