Podcasts about it's not your journey

Show date 5/17/2016

Show date 8/10/2017

On Episode 47 of You, Me, Empathy, Rebecca Lombardo and I explore what it means to be a mental health advocate, and how we can improve our mental health advocacy through education, listening, loving, and leading with our hearts. For the full show notes, go here. Plus, I'm giving away 3 copies of Rebecca's book, It's Not Your Journey! Look out for an announcement for the giveaway on Instagram and Twitter. Support You, Me, Empathy on Patreon.  Buy some sweet You, Me, Empathy merch. Leave a rating and review in Apple Podcasts.  

When you've been married for 17 years, you can certainly say that you've seen your share of struggles and triumphs, ups and downs, good times and rough times. Even more, through all of those experiences you can most definitely say that you are dedicated to each other and your relationship. It's that kind of dedication that can help carry you through the challenges that come with mental illness, and also help you celebrate each and ever win in your relationship and advocacy work. That's especially true with my guests on this episode of the Beyond Your Past Podcast, Beka and Joe Lombardo. I first came to know Beka a few years back when I started Surviving My Past, and she offered to be a guest blogger, and share some insight in the area of body image and bullying. Since then we've kept in touch and supported each other's work while building a friendship and mutual respect for the struggles of living with mental health challenges. Beka is a blogger for The Mighty, and an author of her own book, It's Not Your Journey, the true story of one woman that fights a battle inside her mind every single day and attempts to document what she is feeling to help others while she helps herself.  Her ongoing battle is not fought alone, her incredible husband Joe is there with her every step of the way as they navigate daily life in the wake of a troubled past. Their never ending desire to help others is forged not only in blogging and her book, but also with their podcast, Voices for Change 2.0, which I had the pleasure of being a guest on previously. During my recent chat with Beka and Joe, we talk primarily about their relationship and the unique challenges that come with being a suicide attempt survivor and having a mental illness: Did Rebecca explain her mental health struggles before you started a relationship? You’ve been married for nearly 17 years despite the difficulties mental illness brings. What advice do you have for someone entering a relationship with someone with mental illness? The effect that Beka's suicide attempt had on Joe and how he's been able to support her as well as making sure to take care of himself. How and why they started the #KeepTalkingMH hashtag and what it's meant for them and so many who use it on social media. Thanks so much to both Beka and Joe for joining me on the show, and being so open about their struggles so that others can benefit and realize that no matter what they endure, there is hope and that they are surely not alone.  Be sure and check out RebeccaLombardo.com for information about their advocacy work, her book, and the podcast.  Oh, and if you are looking for a guitar teacher, Joe teaches on the weekends and just might be looking for some new students! Please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcasting app, I would definitely appreciate it,  and thank you to my incredible sponsors, iNLPCenter.org and Daily Recovery Support. -Matthew Pappas, CLC, CPNLP All conversation and information exchanged during participation on the Beyond Your Past Podcast, on BeyondYourPast.com, and BeyondYourPastRadio.com is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on these podcasts or posted on the above mentioned websites are supplements for or supersedes the relationship and direction of your medical or mental health providers.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

Special guest Rebecca Lombardo joins me via skype so we can chat about our own experience with mental health and suicide. We discuss her book, It's Not Your Journey, and how us and others can talk about our issues on her Twitter hashtag #KeepTalkingMH. All that and more! PodcastGoingMental@gmail.com Twitter @PhilMedieval

Special guest Rebecca Lombardo joins me via skype so we can chat about our own experience with mental health and suicide. We discuss her book, It's Not Your Journey, and how us and others can talk about our issues on her Twitter hashtag #KeepTalkingMH. All that and more!

Rebecca Lombardo joins Matt on this edition of the podcast to talk about the impact that the loss of a loved one has on our overall mental health. We discuss the importance of working through the grieving process, and how it can often bring up a multitude of emotions and memories from the past. This time of loss can have a great impact on our overall well being, especially for those that live with mental health challenges. As a suicide survivor, and someone who battles depression and bi-polar, Rebecca is an inspiration to so many. Her unwavering desire to advocate for others is evident in her book, her podcast, and her blogs. We also discuss the release of her book, It's Not Your Journey, along with her podcast, Voices for Change 2.0. So grab those headphones or plug us in to your car and join us for a time of sharing, validation, and healing. Don't forget to head over to RebeccaLombardo.com to find out more about her advocacy work, the podcast, and her book. Be sure and stay tuned to SurvivingMyPast.net for weekly blog posts, more podcasts, and my future coaching work! Facebook.com/SurvivingMyPast Twitter.com/SurvivingMyPast Instagram.com/SurvivingMyPast Pinterest.com/SurvivingMyPastSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sPH8pMZ)

In the summer of 2013, Rebecca faced one of the biggest struggles of her life. After losing both her mom to lung cancer in 2008, and her brother to an accident (on her birthday) in 2011, she felt as if she was drowning. Her physical health continued to deteriorate, and the migraines that were once just a nuisance became a constant. They would sometimes last 6-7 days at a time and were cause for countless trips to the emergency room. Trying to pick up the pieces of her life after her mother’s death, she attempted to work a couple of retail positions, but found that she was just unable to work due to her condition. Her depression was just too much to take and she fell apart. She knew there was no way she was going to come back on her own this time. She attempted to take her life and was hospitalized against her will in a horrible place. ​ Rebecca was released the first week in July. Her PTSD, anxiety, depression, and grief were overwhelming, so she decided to begin writing again. When the words began to flow easier and easier, she decided that she would be willing to turn it into a blog. She hoped others could see her struggle and know that it’s a vicious cycle, but it can be overcome. She desperately wanted it to help her get past all the trauma of these experiences. As her writing went on, she would receive more and more feedback from total strangers, sometimes in other countries, that would thank her for telling her story. They were grateful that because of her, they were now able to get help. ​ On August 23, 2015, It’s Not Your Journey was released on Amazon.com. Feeling accomplished and proud, Rebecca now hopes to go on and help an even broader audience. Rebecca is now an advocate for mental health, a blogger for the Huffington Post and a podcast host. ​ She will celebrate 15 years of an incredibly happy marriage on August 3, 2016 Follow her on Twitter @BekaLombardo http://www.rebeccalombardo.com/