Our Fractured Minds

We discuss our mental health and how we're caring for ourselves in this era of social distancing and quarantine. We will talk about how we are doing, how we are coping, and ideas for how you could cope too.Contact us:jvrenoe@gmail.comInstagram: @jenninrinthTwitter: @renoeResources:Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741The Trevor Project: 866-488-7386Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860NAMI HelpLine: 800-950-6264

Pop culture surrounds us 24/7 and it sculpts not only our personalities but our self-image and self-worth. In this episode, we continue a conversation we started earlier this season about dysmorphia and dysphoria while discussing the importance of visibility but ask if it is valid to struggle with how transgender stars continue to forward cis-heteronormative beauty standards. We ask the questions:Is it okay to be triggered by some visibility?Can you still be supportive of the community and of visibility if you can't watch it?What are the impacts of beauty standards on our mental health?How do dysmorphia and dysphoria intersect and differ?As a reminder everyone, once again, we are not in anyway experts or doctors. What you’ve heard today are our own personal life experiences that we hope will help end the stigma surrounding mental health. If you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feel suicidal please seek out professional help. You can find links to options on our About Us page at OurFracutredMinds.com. As always, if you enjoyed the podcast, we’d love it if you’d subscribe and review the show. You can find us just about anywhere podcasts can be heard, including, most recently, Castbox. Thanks for listening, but, like our last episode, we really hope you’ll take time to add your thoughts to this topic. As I mentioned earlier, you can always reach me via @Renoe on Twitter or reach us at our email box of FracturedMindsPodcast@Gmail.com.

Interventions are commonly recognized as a way to help someone struggling with chemical dependance, however, are they ever appropriate to help a friend who may be in crisis? Is there ever a time when it is okay to bring others into the conversation? Is there a right way to have the conversation? What are some things you should think about if you're considering staging one? In this episode we discuss interventions and a few experiences we've had from being a part of mental health interventions that didn't go well. We're curious to hear your takes on this topic. Is there ever a time when this is acceptable? You can always let us know on twitter via @Renoe or email via FracturedMindsPodcast@Gmail.com.Remember, especially with this episode, we are not experts or doctors. What you’ll hear  today are our own personal life experiences that we hope will help end the stigma surrounding mental health. If you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feel suicidal please seek out professional help. You can find links to options on our About Us page at OurFracutredMinds.com. As always, if you enjoyed the podcast, we’d love it if you’d subscribe and review the show. You can find us just about anywhere podcasts can be heard, including, most recently, Castbox. 

A look at where we've been since July and the reasons it's been so hard for us to record an episode since our last release, as well as a look at why, even with the trauma of 2019, the year was still pretty darn good.Content Warnings:Sexual AssaultSelf HarmSuicidal IdeationIn this episode, we'll chat about feelings surrounding a sexual assault, suicidal ideation, self harm, as well as some of what we've worked on to recover from the trauma that's occurred and look ahead to all the things 2020 has us excited about.Also, always remember that we are not in any way experts or doctors. If you ever have feelings of worthlessness or feel suicidal, please seek out professional help. You can find links on the about us page of OurFracturedMinds.com.  

In this week's episode we discussed how coming out later in life can impact your life. We talked about our experiences, what the research suggests, the reasons why people wait to come out, and how it has impacted our mental health over time through both living in the closet and identity denial. That and more - today, on Our Fractured Minds. As always, I just want to remind everyone that we are not in anyway experts or doctors. What you hear today are our own personal life experiences that we hope will help end the stigma surrounding mental health. If you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feel suicidal please seek out professional help. You can find links to options on our About Us page at OurFracutredMinds.com. As always, if you enjoyed the podcast we’d love it if you’d subscribe and review the show. Thanks, and we look forward to talking with you next time on Our Fractured Minds

In continuation of our special pride month coverage where we focus on exclusion within our own community, we talk with Nico Bolton, a queer POC, about her experiences growing up queer and feeling, and being, excluded in both queer and mental health spaces. In this episode we cover: Exclusion in the LGBT as a Queer WoC The importance of safe spaces for minority communities The critical impact of love and respect How to overcome our own ignorances Check out this week's episode to hear our conversation on these topics, and more, this week on Our Fractured Minds.

Today we’re launching our second annual pride month celebration. This episode is especially important for a few reasons. One of them being, this week marks one year since I came out as transgender here on the podcast. It’s also very important to me because we were joined by Amanda Jette Knox to talk about trans exclusion in the LGBT community. Amanda is an award-winning writer, LGBTQ advocate and public speaker from Ottawa, Canada. Her work has been featured in both national and international publications, including O Magazine, Chatelaine (SHAT-uh-lane), and Upworthy. She’s also the author of the upcoming book, “Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family” which will be available this summer from Penguin Random House Canada. I’m so excited to have this opportunity for a lot of reasons. Most importantly, though, is the recent news about trans exclusions in healthcare and government protections in the United States. Being excluded from the general public is hard enough, but there’s been a movement for exclusion in the LGBT community as well. Luckily, advocates like Amanda are standing up and saying enough is enough in a movement recognized online by the handle, L with the T. That, and more, today on Our Fractured Minds.

Coming out as mentally ill is hard, especially when it comes to our workplaces. Will people see us differently? Will it impact my ability to grow in my career? Will it even keep me from finding a job? These are all important questions that keep us, all too often, from letting people know when we're struggling. In this episode we address a number of critical issues including: The importance of an empowering workplace Why is there such a stigma ? The difficulty of managing mental health at work What can you do to help a coworker? What needs to change? That, and more, in this episode of Our Fractured Minds.

Managing a relationship is hard. Managing Mental Health is hard. Combining the two while being queer? That's difficult on an entirely different level. Today we look at our experiences to try and understand the best way to cope while maintaining your relationship. Jenn Defines her sexuality Rachel defines her sexuality The dynamics of our relationship Ways that Jenn struggles Ways that Rachel struggles What are some times we’ve struggled together? How have we managed these issues? What do we see in the future? I just want to remind everyone that we are not in anyway experts or doctors. What you'll hear here are our own personal life experiences that we hope will help end the stigma surrounding mental health. If you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feel suicidal please seek out professional help. You can find links to options on our About Us page at OurFracutredMinds.com. As always, if you enjoyed the podcast, we’d love it if you’d subscribe and review the show. Thanks, and can't wait to talk with you again, next week, on Our Fractured Minds.

Dysphoria and Dysmorphia are serious issues for people who struggle from either. But, what's the difference between the two? In this episode we take a look at what makes these two conditions different, how they can be similar, how our feelings are often shaped by society as well as our own experiences with both conditions. Remember, we are not in anyway experts or doctors. What you hear today are our own personal life experiences that we hope will help end the stigma surrounding mental health. If you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feel suicidal please seek out professional help. You can find links to options on our About Us page at OurFracutredMinds.com.

Rachel Dick is a queer identifying grad student at Fordham University with a passion for hanging from aerial apparatuses, and the new co-host of the OFM Podcast. She grew up in Memphis but never went to Graceland, and has spent the last 7 years in Chicago without ever once seeing a Cubs game. She’d love to eventually obtain a Ph.D in Human Sexuality with an emphasis on sexuality in spiritual traditions so she can spend her life writing niche pieces about people’s sex lives that no one will probably ever read. When she’s not wasting time on social media, she’s reading fantasy novels and looking for cute dogs to pet. We chat about anxiety, depression, misdiagnosis, the diagnosis journey, the shocking impact being queer can have on your psyche in today's society, and more. As she says at the end of the episode "10/10 would record again."

We're back with a quick teaser on what's coming this season at OFM, complete with a new cohost. Meet Rachel, an aspiring social worker with a desire to help out humanity with her care, mind, and empathy. This season we're going to focus on communities more often overlooked. We're still trying to decide if the show will be weekly this year, but, regardless, great content is coming your way. Strap in, see what's coming, and we can't wait to have you along for the ride. If you enjoy this podcast, we'd love it if you'd subscribe and review the show. Remember, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and, now, on Spotify. Also, if you ever have thoughts of worthlessness or feels suicidal, please seek out professional help. You can find links on our about us page at OurFracturedMinds.com.

After a long break, I couldn't stay silent this week. The importance of this year's vote is critical for both the mental health community, and myself as a transgender woman. As you take time and evaluate the issues, if you listen to this podcast I can only assume that mental health is important to your life. If someone you know suffers and struggles with their own mental health, please educate yourself on how each party will impact care. In this episode, I'll discuss the issues surrounding mental health, how the political parties have shown they'll impact it in the future, and why it's so critical to ensure we work as a global community during the 2018 vote. I also touch on a number of critical reasons why this vote is so important for me, as a transgender woman, and the issues that have been made a topic of debate within my community.

In our return from the holiday, I spoke with Edie, a psychotherapist who works with the LGBT community to help manage the anxiety and depression that comes with managing the stigma it often faces. We discuss treatment options, anxiety, who you should see, how difficult it can be to see someone, and the difference between being LGBT Friendly and LGBT Knowledgable. Edie specializes in what we might term "identity conflict" and works with individuals toward a deeper sense of integration within a world that seems to demand labels for every experience under the sun but doesn't necessarily encourage understanding the experiences themselves. Her practice is queer as well as poly and kink friendly. She is dedicated to improving a sense of creativity, grace, thoughtfulness, and courage in the lives of individuals. Edie has been in the field for several years, having worked in community mental health with low-income adults who suffer from chronic and severe mental health disorders and is a fellow at the well-regarded Chicago Center for Contemporary Psychotherapy. Currently, she’s a doctoral student at the European Graduate School in Philosophy and Critical Thought, where she is focusing primarily on the politics, ethics, and physio-philosophical aspects of listening and subjectivity. Prior to her work as a psychotherapist and social worker, Edie worked in pastry, taught yoga, and completed her first Master's in Film and Digital Media. She also owns a BA in English and Women's Studies at the University of Chatham in Pittsburgh, PA.

In this week's episode of Our Fractured Minds, I speak with Denise Bowker about her experiences with gender dysphoria. We discuss the way it makes us feel, how we can get over it, and the anxiety and depression such an issue can cause. Denise, herself, was born in New Jersey, and grew up in a small bedroom town halfway between New York City and Philadelphia. After graduating from a small private liberal arts school in Connecticut, she married her college sweetheart and quickly moved to the Chicago area. She now has two grown children and is currently living in Chicago. During the day Denise is a Vice President in the technology department of a large bank in Chicago. Outside of work Her wide array of interests most notably includes supporting runaway kids by participating in an annual 500 mile bike ride through the Appalachian mountains of the Northeast to raise money and awareness for the cause. To date, Denise has spoken at a number of functions with regards to her own experiences managing mental health. To say she’s been a mentor to me during the process of coming out would be doing her a disservice as her advice and support has made her a dear friend. Hopefully, you'll all learn as much from Denise as I have.

Dan and Emily are two of the United States’ most skilled innovators in merging advanced consciousness and spiritual principles into therapeutic practice. Scientists by background and Mystics by practice, Dan and Emily approach constellating and consciousness from both experiential and evidentiary standpoints. Their unique therapeutic approach has revolutionized both their practices and created scores of extraordinary success stories. Together Dan and Emily access the ordinary, ancestral and spiritual dimensions of consciousness tocreate healing processes that are illuminating and life-transforming. In the field of their Constellations, ancestral presences often become tangibly real. Behind the pain of personal and transgenerational trauma, people can feel love and receive healing from the consciousness that envelops us. In this fascinating episode, we discussed the 7 - 14 year of trauma acquired by humans at birth, and how it impacts a person's mental health throughout their life. By addressing traumatic issues from a person's historic past, Dan and Emily have seen phenomenal results in their patients and have made them a believer in this treatment that many would consider alternative. We also discussed how this acquired trauma shows any kind of direction with regards to the nature versus nurture philosophy of humanity.

In week two of our content special during Pride Month, Emily and I discuss her dealings with depression and anxiety, coming out with regards to bisexuality, and, in the wake of last week's celebrity suicides, why it can be so difficult to ask for help when you need it. If we're willing to be honest with each other, it's quite likely that Emily is one of the coolest people I know. She’s an award-winning writer who currently develops mobile games for both the iOS and Android platforms. She’s been working in gaming for three years, and has been writing for ten. Thanks to her variety of interests and backgrounds, she’s comfortable crafting branded content across a multitude of platforms for both internal and customer facing platforms, including places like the the Geekie Award-winning Wrong Button Blog which she co founded, and as the host of the Fan Theories and Wednesday in Westeros podcasts. In the episode, we also discuss the importance of self care, however it works for you. For Emily, care was found in words from another time and place, known by millions around the world to be that of Hogwarts. We spend time discussing how her passions for all things Harry Potter, her personal love of writing, and a fascination with Helena Bertinelli helped her get through some of her darkest times. EDITOR NOTE: This is a recut version of the episode due to a prior upload error.

To kick of Pride Month 2018, Jenn, a transgender woman, discusses her battle with something called gender dysphoria on our podcast, and, in doing so, is introducing herself to the world. Jenn grew up knowing who she was for most of her life, but was ashamed of the person she knew she was meant to be. Instead, she thought she could choose to ignore that person. After living through al lifetime of shame, depression, self loathing, and suicidal ideation, she finally came to a realization that changed her life forever. Being transgender isn't a choice. It's something you are, and there is never anything to be ashamed of in that. Throughout the episode, Jenn and I discuss the impact gender dysphoria has had on her mental health, as well as the important distinction between what was once known as gender identify disorder and gender dysphoria. She ends the episode by saying hello to the world.

Five weeks into season two, I sit down with Tony Astacio, a born and bred New Yorker who likes to travel to new baseball stadiums. Professionally he’s a Social Media Coordinator and besides baseball he likes to swim, watch movies and send gifs whenever possible. He recently started a dating and relationship podcast and whenever possible writes about mental health and how he deals with it. We spoke in our short time together about the cost of seeking help, the difficulty of opening up, and how his experiences have impacted his ability to create content via social media, podcasting, or his long form creative writing, and how each can, in turn, impact his mental health.

Leslie Browning is an award-winning author of twelve books. In her writing, she explores the confluence of the natural landscape and the interior landscape. In 2010, she debuted with a three-title contemplative poetry series. These three books went on to garner several accolades including a total of 3 pushcart-prize nominations, the Nautilus Gold Medal for Poetry, and Foreword Reviews’ Book of the Year Award. She has freelanced for several publications and has a biannual interview column in The Wayfarer Magazine in which she has interviewed dozens of notable creative figures such as Academy Award-Nominated filmmaker Tomm Moore, Peabody-winning host of On Being Krista Tippett and celebrated poet David Whyte. Balancing her passion for writing with her love of learning, Browning is a graduate of the University of London, a Fellow with the International League of Conservation Writers and sits on the Board of the Independent Book Publishers Association. In 2011, she opened Homebound Publications. She is currently working to complete an l.b.a. in Creative Writing at Harvard University’s Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Leslie is joining us today to discuss her new book, To Lose the Madness: Field Notes on Trauma, Loss and Radical Authenticity. Unlike other books in her library, she wrote it with absolutely no intention of sharing it with others. This book, more than any other she has written, is meant aa conversation starter around a topic that’s important to her and society as a whole. Thus, even as a notoriously private person―she’s sharing the story of her most difficult moments with the world. In this week's episode I discuss miscarriage with Leslie and how her experience impacted both her mental health and her writing. We discuss stigma, coming out, and how the world needs more stories like hers to be told.

This week's episode is conversation about dealing with PTSD, depression, and anxiety following an attack on one's self and having to manage the fallout from domestic abuse and sexual assault. Our guest, Kristen Lo, is a self-proclaimed professional dog wrangler and conqueror of Netflix specials. She hails from the little Caribbean nation of Belize, and immigrated to Canada at a young age. She spent time exploring the Canadian wilderness ever since. Kristen's currently finishing up her Bachelors in Biology at the University of Toronto and hopes to one day become a veterinarian or doctor. Either way, she believes herself ready for the apocalypse. She’s joined us this week in order to share an experience she had as a freshly minted adult of 18. Kristen found herself in an abusive relationship. Though she eventually gained the courage to leave her abuser she's since been diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and anxiety. She came on the show to discuss her story for the first time and the experiences she's had with coping with the trauma, navigating the legal system, and dealing with contact from her abuser.

In this episode I speak with JMatt, a radio DJ out of Milwaukee about his own experiences with suicidal ideation and how they led to his work as an advocate for mental health. JMatt--the weekend radio DJ for 103.7 Kiss FM in Milwaukee--is a mental health advocate that promotes suicide awareness and prevention through his daily Instagram videos for the #22PushupChallenge (he’s up to 475 days in a row and counting). With his career in digital media strategy, he knows the power that social media can have around creating a community around a cause - his goal in creating social content is to get resources out to those that are in pain and struggling! JMatt is making an effort to be open about his own experiences with mental health disorders, including depression and suicidal ideation. During the episode we also touch on Trichotillomania, ADD, and the tragic reality of the US Veteran suicide rate.

Angelica Mata is a digital marketer who was a guest in season one of our show. Her field became an interest through her appreciation for film. This passion inevitably led her to pursue a Film degree at the University of Texas at Austin. To this day, she is captivated by the profound effect created by the various elements that comprise a film. These emotions create lasting memories that are sure to be shared amongst people. As and TEDxSanAntonio speaker curator and current Programming Committee chair, she understands the importance of sharing someone’s passion and the story that comes with it. Her fervent belief that rich relationships can be built through story resonates in her dedication to fostering user engagement using social media. Culled from experiences over the course of her career from Apple Retail, freelance work as well as her role with Overland Partners, she has developed a keen understanding of how technology and storytelling work together to connect with an audience. In the season premier Geli and I discuss the part mental health played at SXSW in Austin this past March, provide a recap of season one, and offer a look into what you may be able to expect in Season two.

Phoenix Underwood is the brains behind emp(a)t(h)y, a type of social network that believes that, sometimes, the best way to get through something is knowing you're not alone. It’s meant to provide peer support for users who match with others based on shared feelings and experiences. As he and I discuss on our season finale episode, while sympathy is appreciated, it often doesn't end our loneliness and our isolation. What he is proposing isn't all that different from the point of our podcast. If we can stand up and start talking about our experiences so that we can empathize with one another, we can all know that we aren't alone in our suffering and begin to truly heal. Regular episodes of Our Fractured Minds will return in 2018.

CAUTION: This episode involves a graphic description of a suicide attempt by strangulation. This past week, a young sophomore from my Alma Mater, Ball State University, was found dead in his dorm room, after tragically taking his own life. His last tweet, and the story of his passing, inspired me to reflect on this podcast and my own life experiences with mental illness and my own personal story with suicide. This is a change of pace from our normal episodes. It's just me, your host, musing about my own personal thoughts and experiences. It may crash and burn as an episode, but my hope is that this raw look at my own life will help inspire others to seek the help that I eventually found, and, unfortunately, so many others never do.

This week's guest has a resume that speaks for itself. Known as the Brown Ball of Fury, Johnnie Jae is a profoundly driven and unstoppable Indigenerd from the Otoe-Missouria and Choctaw tribes of Oklahoma. She is a writer, speaker, technologist, advocate, community builder and entrepreneur that loves empowering others to follow their passions and create for healing and positive change in the world. She is the founder of A Tribe Called Geek, a multimedia company dedicated to showcasing and encouraging Indigenous contributions to geek & pop culture as well as STEM fields. Jae, also, co-hosts the ATCG name sake podcast with Jackie Malstrom aka Jack the Pima, where they discuss native representation or the lack thereof in mainstream geekery with fellow Indigenerds from across Turtle Island. Jae has also contributed her skills to Native Max Magazine, Native News Online, Complex, Good Men Project and the Success Native Style Radio Network. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Jae is an advocate for many Indigenous and human rights issues, mainly focusing on youth empowerment, suicide prevention, mental health education, gender & racial equity, violence towards Indigenous people, human trafficking, police brutality, reconciliation & solidarity, and Indigenous representation in the media. She is a Founding Board Member of Not Your Mascots and LiveIndigenousOK. Through A Tribe Called Geek, she founded #Indigenerds4Hope, a suicide & mental health education initiative for Native Youth centered around Geek Culture and STEM Education. She is also a community organizer with http://MoveOn.org and a member of the 451 Global Digital Infrastructure Alliance. Her ability to seamlessly shift from humor and pop culture to advocacy and business has made her a much-sought after speaker, panelist, and commentator. She has taught numerous workshops that address suicide awareness & prevention, mascots & stereotypes, digital activism, Indigenous journalism & media, and the utilization of social & digital media for business and activism. Her work has been discussed in many media outlets, such as Indian Country Today, ATPN, CBC, USA Today, Women’s E-News, http://Takepart.com and Upworthy. She has been a guest on several radio shows and podcasts, including Native America Calling, Native Trailblazers, Black Girl Nerds, BBC World Have Your Say and ICI Radio. In this week's episode, Johnnie and I shared our own stories and discussed our own experiences facing suicide, our failed attempts, the fallout, and living with the knowledge that you've already been willing to try.

Crystal Mata was born and raised in Houston, TX. She graduated from HSPVA and went on to graduate from Berklee College of Music. She has since returned to Houston to become a member of the local theatre community, a representative of a local music festival, the lead vocalist of a Mariachi and a private instructor. She has also been a contributing writer to examiner.com for the last year and a half. We talk about depression, anxiety, confidence, bullying, echtelthernmal dysplasia, and how others who are fighting can be our greatest inspiration in an upbeat conversation on the state of mental health in America. Bullying isn't easy, and it's okay to to ask for help when trying to manage the repercussions.

I sit down with Katy, a world traveler and former couch surfer, about her experiences with mental health, and the impact suicide has had on her life. It's possible that she will have had to plan funeral arrangements for her mother, brother, and her father, all before turning 30. We touch on ADD, ADHD, medication, suicide, addiction, alcoholism, grief, counseling, stigma and more in our raw conversation about life and how even in our darkest days, there are always rays of brightness to be found in the shadows.

Sasha Wolff, founder of Still I Run - Runners for Mental Health Awareness, joined me for a conversation around her organization and own dealings with managing her mental health. We spoke about a variety of issues including her own dealings with depression and anxiety, her time in a mental hospital, how she came to launch Still I Run, and what keeps her running forward today. Spoiler alert, it's a lot. Sasha, herself, is a mental health advocate working to defeat the stigma through her non-profit. The group aims to promote the benefit of running for mental health and was started after Sasha discovered how much the sport aided her own recovery. When Sasha isn't running or working to spread the word about Still I Run, she works as a marketing manager and can be found hanging out with her husband, pups, friends, and family in West Michigan.

In recognition of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, I sit down with Berrak Sarikaya, a Turkish Immigrant, and discuss her experiences with mental illness through the lens of another culture. We discuss the difficulties of fitting in, schizophrenia, the impact not seeking treatment has on others, and more. Berrak is a natural conversation driver with an undeniable belief in the power of community. Motivated by a firm belief in owning who you are instead of trying to fit the mold, she forged her career path by finding a way to bring all of her passions together as a writer, community builder, and social strategist. Over the course of her career, she’s worked with startups, small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and agencies in both the B2B and B2C landscape. She loves penguins, speaks fluent GIF, and is obsessed with the three C's: Content, Community, Coffee. She opened up for a thoughtful conversation on growing up with someone who hasn't sought care, and how it can make someone feel like they were wrong for even being born. When you've immigrated from another country, sometimes the appearance of fitting in is more important than anything else.

In this episode I speak with a woman, whose real name we've withheld, about her experiences dealing with depression with psychotic features. She presents her past experiences for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in the area she lives, but her concern is that people will learn her story before she has the chance to frame it herself. In a world where stigma is prevalent, that's a concerning proposition. Being able to frame yourself before another tries to frame you in their own mind is something we all deserve the right to do. In the episode she and I speak about her experiences in a mental hospital, how difficult it can be to seek help, medication, diagnoses, and stigma at home, as we work together to show that you're more than your diagnosis, even in the darkest of days.

Bree Palmer identifies herself as a social media chick. She's an interior decorator in Ottawa, Canada and is currently writing a blog all about Amazing Humans in this world. The amazing Human Series highlights inspiring humans who are not well known but are impressive or amazing in her eyes. Her personal mental health story began at the age of sixteen when her father took his own life. This launched her into learning about depression and mental health. It also lead her down the path toward advocacy on the topic. Bree volunteers with mental health organizations in Ottawa and uses her social media presence to educate, inspire and advocate for those who suffer from mental health illnesses. In this week's episode, I sit down to talk with her. We discuss suicide, depression, personal value, the importance of finding the correct doctor, the potential mental health dangers of social media, and we soapbox for a few minutes on who is properly qualified to diagnose a person with an illness.

Raffael "Dr. B" Boccamazzo is a doctor of clinical psychology and the clinical director of TakeThis.org, an organization that, like this podcast, seeks to inform our community about mental health issues, provide education about mental disorders and mental illness prevention, and to reduce the stigma of mental illness. Dr. B also runs a private psychotherapy and psychological assessment practice in the Seattle area and works with several local groups as a social skills coach, often for older teens and young adults with high functioning autism spectrum diagnoses. In his spare time, he cooks, acts, and plays oodles of different tabletop and video games as you may imagine from someone who works for an organization that claims its name from the original Legend of Zelda game. Without a doubt, it is dangerous out there. Luckily, we don’t have to go alone. I sit down with Raffael to talk about the stigma that not only surrounds suffering from an illness, but the stigma that surrounds visiting a doctor. We touch on the difficulties of sometimes getting in to see someone, the speed dating game of finding the right doctor for you, offering help to those in need, and a lot of nerd related things like Redshirts, D20s, and comic cons.

Hawke is the founder and president of RPG Therapeutics LLC, and is registered with the Washington State Department of Health as a Recreational Therapist. He’s currently working toward being a nationally certified therapeutic recreation specialist. RPG Therapeutics LLC provides research, education, and therapeutic services, utilizing music and role-playing games in all formats including tabletop, live-action, solo, and computer-based. Involved with RPGs since 1979, the founder of RPG Therapeutics LLC first began developing and using role-playing games (RPGs) in educational settings in 1985, and has been developing programs using RPGs to achieve therapeutic goals for clients since 2004. During our conversation, Hawke and I spoke about how RPGs can be used for therapy, and who, based on his research, is most likely to find growth through gaming. We also spoke about suicide, depression, bi-polar disorder, and how stigma isn't just exclusive to mental illness. Instead, stigma exists around anything that people don't understand or are afraid of... like Dungeons and Dragons.

Ted is a freelance writer and marketer living in the DFW area. He's originally from New York City, went to Georgetown, and has worked for Teach for America, ESPN, McKesson, PBS, and a number of other places -- mostly as a copywriter, but sometimes in other marketing roles. He has a daily blog called The Context of Things that, like this podcast to date, has an impressively low-average following. But, low followings don’t mean low impact, and Ted joined us this week to try and help drive impact in our cause. In this week's episode we touch on issues related to depression, stigma within the family and, at times, your doctor's office, the bizarreness of the human mind and how sometimes forgiving yourself can be the hardest thing, and the best thing, you can ever do.

As we recognize PTSD awareness month, we spoke with Darrell Pruden, former submariner, as he discusses his own experiences with the disorder, how he worked to deny himself the help he now knows he needed, the process of seeking help, and how it's helped him no longer feel like a stranger in his own home. Daryl was born in Evansville, Indiana to two wonderful parents that always have meant the world to him. He did okay growing up through school but that began to change once he reached college. As many of us can probably relate to, he didn't really feel like he fit in anymore. That’s when he started drinking with a few of his friends. As the drinking increased, he decided to quit college and ended up joining the Navy. He’s found his life to be much different since he returned to civilian life. Now, he sees himself as a bit of a recluse which is a far cry from his extroverted college days. But that could be because of a recent diagnosis that led him onto the show today, and it was all thanks to the love of his two children and the support of his wife that allowed him to find it.

The author of the Girl From Everywhere and Ship Beyond Time was gracious enough to take time out of her day to join me for episode seven of our podcast. If you’ve read either of those books you may already know that Heidi grew up in Hawaii where she rode horses and raised peacocks. She then made the move to New York City and grew up even more, as one tends to do. Her favorite thing, outside of writing, is travel, and she has haggled for rugs in Morocco, hiked the trails of the Ko’olau Valley, and huddled in a tent in Africa while lions roared in the dark. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University in Musical Theatre Writing, of all things, and she’s written books and lyrics for shows including The Time Travelers Convention, Under Construction, and The Hole. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her son, and their pet snake. Contrary to her author’s picture, they do not, in fact, own a cat. The two of us met, somewhat by coincidence. She spoke at C2E2 in Chicago, which I lovingly call nerdcon, a couple of years ago to discuss Young Adult writing, and, of course, as a wannabe writer in the category I had to attend. I was unaware that I knew of her work until she discussed the book and then I realized I’d read her query letter--a letter that authors submit to find agent representation or publishing--via an online training portal called Query Shark. Heidi’s letters was one of the few to ever receive praise on a first attempt and it stuck with me. Luckily manic at the time, I had enough courage to walk up to her after the panel and discuss the letter and, as they say the rest is history. I picked up The Girl from Everywhere on that day and read it in just a few days time. I think, for me personally, the story meant something different than for most who read it. For me, it was a story of mental health redemption. As someone who often feels like he’s unredeemable, it hit me hard and it was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Come to learn, even if I may never become a published author, Heidi and I still share something in common… bi-polar disorder. The thing I'll always remember most about this episode was how, after it was finished, she told me how many times she was shocked at just how much I understood her and what she's been through. That's the whole point of the show--to share these experiences with others so that people know that we aren't alone in how we feel. Hopefully, you'll feel the same way after this episode.

Nicole is a social media maven, and the new social manager of our podcast where she'll be developing content on IG. On any given day, Nicole is actively feeding her brain as much knowledge as she can before it’s too late and trying not to be too bummed that she cannot eat it all in one lifetime, all while nurturing an extremely talented, soon to be high-school graduate into early adulthood. She’s spent a lifetime exercising emotion through poetry and is now working on a full-length collection. Nicole believes in creating a lifestyle that is uniquely her own and encouraging other to do the same. This episode was recorded on the day it was announced that Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave had taken his own life. Nicole and I discuss how those who suffer are often the best at hiding their pain, and our own dealings with death as we also touch on feelings of severe depression, anxiety, self-healing, Russian literature, and the impact that one's own innate curiosity can have on the soul.

Eric Weiner is a Brooklyn-based dog owner, food lover and music media entrepreneur. As founder and CEO of The Wild Honey Pie, he has built a distinguished destination for new music with brand properties such as Welcome Campers, Buzzsessions and The Beehive. Eric lives in Greenpoint with his amazing dog Buzz and in his free time loves to host dinner parties, enjoys live music, going to Transmitter Park and making friends with local business owners. After starting his own company and growing it from a single person start up to a five person business, Eric began to struggle with his mental health. After stepping away for several months, and getting things sorted out once he'd been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he realized he didn't only have to battle against a disorder he now faced, but a stigma that was keeping those around him from letting him step back in as head of the business he created. With a lot of work, and the love of his faithful companion Buzz, he found his way back, but the road was a long and, often, dark one. He and I speak on the lack of a conversation that exists regarding mental health and business, the impact bipolar disorder can have on the mind, psychotic breaks, paranoia, sleep, and how man's best friend became an entrepreneur's best friend.

Quirky social media technophile. Pop culture junkie. Aspiring amateur cosmonaut. Global revolutionary. Karaoke enthusiast. That's just a quick peak into the night life of Geli Mata and probably explains why she can only define herself as, well, herself. By day she's a digital marketing specialist, filmmaker, and the TEDxSanAntonio Programming Chair. In her eyes, every story is important, and she has made it her mission to help bring stories to life, while visually captivating audiences, cultivating relationships, & sharing a vision that resonates well into the future. When first diagnosed, Geli battled personal shame in trying to overcome what it meant to be labeled as "mentally ill." Did it mean she was crazy? Coming to terms with that was only a portion of her story. In this episode we discuss the stigma surrounding mental health, why you should always have an upcoming mental health appointment on the calendar--regardless of who you are--and how, when you're down, even the happiest place on earth can't always pick you back up.

I sit down with Amber Young, an anxiety sufferer, as she discusses her experiences with anxiousness and how it has impacted her life and her family. We'll discuss misdiagnosis, her venture toward proper diagnosis, and how a fantasy world has become one of her favorite escapes.

Our pilot episode where the host of the podcast, and a sufferer of bi-polar disorder, Jeff Renoe, discusses his vision of the Our Fractured Minds podcast as this week's co-host, Win Charles, helps him open up about some of his own experiences having to manage his own mental health. Together, the two discuss mental health, and work to learn the ins and outs of running, and recording, a podcast. Quality has grown since this pilot episode. Win explored her own experiences dealing with physical disability, Cerebral Palsy, and how that has driven her to be a part of this project. In a world that tries to tell us we're defined by our illnesses, both provide their own definitions of themselves.

Podcaster and NPR news reporter, Noah Glick, comes on the show to discuss his own experiences battling both alcoholism and depression. Together we touch on co-dependency and the difference between being defined by these mental health issues and defining yourself. You can read more about the episode in detail and see an example of Noah's 'list' at ourfracturedminds.com