May 26, 2026 • 20 mins
May is Mental Health Month and we are talking with Bryan Carson and Dr. Keevia Porter Carson about their organization"minding Your Mental Health" on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
In Memphis or in a sinkhole somewhere. Thank you for
listening to the Bev Johnson Show on w d I
A Memphis. You're listening to the Bev Johnson Show. Here's
(00:52):
Bev Johnson and we're back.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And let me say thank you, thank you, Thank you
to my guests for being so patient with me today
as I'm still trying to get myself together from from vacation, but.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
In the house with me I have missed.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I put a put a put a handle on that.
Mister Brian Carson and his beautiful wife, doctor Kiva Carson. Hey,
y'all doing this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
No, we're doing great. Thank you, Thank y'all for being
patient and being here with me.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I want to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I love it. I love Brian brother.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
How you doing, I'm doing great.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I'm good, good good.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
We know, Brian that May is mental health month and
and you are here and I didn't know you had
this business.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah. Yeah, My wife and I we both were co
founded Minding Your Mental Health maybe two years ago. And
so the work we do, some of it is non traditional.
When you think about a psychiatric nurse practitioner. We work
with the courts and she actually goes inside of jail
and she does medication management and psychia psychiatric evaluate on
(02:00):
them before they get the medication management to make those referrals.
So we go through mental health court to do that.
That's the process.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Let me ask this question to you, Brian, before we
get to doctor Carson. Is that one of the reasons
you wanted to start the business that you saw that
we needed help?
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Yes? Absolutely, And there's always been an a stigma attached
to mental health, and so we want to highlight raise
awareness to everyone in our community to let them know
the significance of people of mental health and the people
to struggle with their illness.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
And I know that with the times we're having now, brother,
people are going through a lot of things.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
They're going through a lot, and they're getting triggered from
traumatic situations that may have occurred several years ago, and
they're acting out and if they're not diagnosed properly or
stabilized with the medications that they should be on, it
could result in them in and know, behind bars and
in the mental health court.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Wow, wow, Eve, how you doing, sister?
Speaker 5 (03:02):
I'm doing fine.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Good talk talk to us a little bit about what
people are now struggling through. And it's basically let me,
are they already in jail or going to jail, Let's
talk about that mental health what's happening?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Okay, So, like miss Johnson said, I'm doctor Keevier Portakar saying,
and I'm a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. And what
I do daily is I treat people who have PTSD
anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, or just need just basic
therapy or counseling. Also provide medication management if they need
(03:41):
to be on medication. So I'll able and licensed to
do both. Okay, some of the things we see that
may have people that may end up incarcerated sometimes sometimes
my mental health illnesses. You have people who may experience hallucinations,
they have what we call manic behavior where their behavior
is a little bit more active than normal. We have
(04:05):
people who even have things like antisocial personality disorder where
it go out and commit crimes such as rob and
killing or not having regards for human life, and all
of those conditions fall up under the mental health umbrella.
So what I do is I work to treat those
people who need medications and basically getting people more familiar
(04:30):
with and know that those there are resources out there.
These are illnesses, just like diabetes is an illness and
my heart condition is an illness. Sometimes our brain, which
is an organ, can malfunction and it's an illness as well.
So we need to treat our brain because the brain
is centrally, it's our central station. It controls everything. So
(04:51):
that's why back in the day when you hear people
say when we used to pray, and we say I
woke up in my right mind, and that's what we're
talking about. I didn't know what it meant back then,
right but now I understand what it means because sometimes
there are people who literally are not their reality and
their perceptions are different from what's actually going on in
the real world, right then, So we have to learn
(05:12):
how to help those people who help alter perceptions or
alter realities because what they see or what they feel
is real to them.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Let me go back and I'm glad you explained that
to our listeners. So with the company minding your own
mental health, can people come there or people are sent there,
doctor Kibia.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Both so people can find me like on psychology today,
they can look me up or also they can be.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Referred okay, right, okay, and do you work a lot
with those people? Because Brian had talked about have gone
to jail, and we know there are a lot of
people in jail who do have a mental illness.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Right, one third of the population that to a one
has a mental health one third. And so we have
about three thousand people there, about a thousand people down
there would have a mental health condition.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
And most of the times it's untreated, untreated mental health bulness.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
So I don't know if you work with the jail
are you are are they getting the message that some
of these people need to be treated?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Right?
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So when they are when they arrived at the Shelby
County Correction Center, they are screened, they are asked if
they I think maybe have suicidal thoughts. They ask them
a couple of questions. And sometimes patients or people who
are detained down there because to a wonder detained. So
the detainees when they're down there, they will act or
(06:42):
just say I need my medications. Well, they'll act to
see the providers. They're now at UH at the Shevy
count Correction Office. I'm center. They are singing by well
path now I specifically see the people who are in
the Mental health Court program.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
In the mental health Court program.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
So okay, So those people if they're referred to us
from their normally non non violent offenders, they don't have
felonies or maybe like misdemeanors or whatever. When they come
through the program, then they're allowed to they're entered into
programs such as the CAPS if they have some type
(07:20):
of substance use or disorder, because that most people have
dual diagnosis where they have a substance use disorder as
well as a mental health illness. Sometimes they'll go to
project when judicare different places where they can go to
seek help and then they get the therapy any type
of recovery or sense this they need it if they
if they are suffering from a drug use. So when
(07:42):
they go through those programs, and then I'll help manage
the medication part of it.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Okay, So let me ask this doctor Kiva, so is
has the mental I don't know if you all know
this has the mental health court taken the place of
the drug court.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
So there are three specialty courts still down there. You
have the Mental Health Court, Drug Court as well as
the Veterans Court. There are all considered specialty courts where
they help people who need issues in those areas. I
think mental Health Court, drug Court does people who have
drug offenses as well as people who use drugs. So
when he does all, judged Lee does all anything related
(08:24):
to you.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Have a new judge down there in the Drug Court.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
No, Judge Lee Wilson.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Wilson been there for a couple of years now. Well.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
The reason I'm saying because doctor Q, it's been a
long time. I did my internship there. Okay, I'm a
substance abuse counsel, and so I remember doing I had
to do my internship in the Drug Court and I
and I was wondering about that because when you said that,
I didn't know the Mental Health Court.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
It's the youngest court.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That's the youngest.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
The tenth year. This year we're celebrating ten years of
Mental Health Court and sheld.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Account what it was started by the late judge game.
So okay, okay, good.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
So I'm glad, Okay, y'all y'all educated me because I'm
glad they have those courts because I know when I
did my internship with the Drug Court. I'm trying to
think of the judge that was there. It was yeah, right,
but I didn't. But but he did great work, great work.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But I'm glad. But I'm glad to know.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Now see the mental Health court, Brian, because I don't
think a lot of people know about I don't.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
I didn't know about it, okay until I met Judge
le Bruce Renfrow when she was running for it. She
and I worked together on her campaign trail day. I
kind of helped her understand some mental health, good things
about mental health when she was running, okay, so because
she wanted to be informed for the seat that she
was running for. So I that was the first time
I had ever heard of it.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
I think it's wonderful. I do specialty courts. Yes, I
think it's it's great that she'll be county offered that
these courts.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
So have you seen doctor Kiva?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
A lot of people in that mental health that have
there since you, Brian, you said it's been ten years now,
You've seen a lot of people.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
I see a lot of people. See what happens is
especially most of the the participants that I deal with,
they either have either schizophrenia or bipolar and substance use. Right,
Like I said, they kind of go together. And when
people are what we if they're not on their medications,
they may experience alter realities where they may experience psychosis.
(10:28):
They may hear voices something giving them commands telling them
to do things, or they're manic. When we're saying person's
manic when they have bipolar, we talk about bipolar means
it's two different. It's two different, like a bicycle's two
different things. You're either manic or you're depressed. Okay, When
they're manic, they do things such a person may do
things such as breaking cars, go rob something, or go
(10:51):
rob somebody, going to somebody's house who they're not whose
house they're not supposed to be in. So they typically
have more of a I would say expensive behavior where
they're doing probably a little bit more than they should.
They're agitated, they're irritable, they start arguments and fights. And
(11:12):
one thing about bipolar is that it runs in families. Okay,
I always tease when I say people, when everybody in
the house on Thanksgiving arguing and pulling our knives, half
of the house probably bipolar anyway, because bipolar people can't
people who have bipolar can't get along. If they're not
on their medications because everybody's on one hundred Okay, so
(11:34):
everything is intense. So when I say it runs and families,
I've treated mothers, grandmothers, the daughter, the whole families, and
especially with women, it's just generational. Okay, it can be generational.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
And since serving them, have you found that these clients
or patients are they taking their medication?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Is it hard to get people who just get off
or stop?
Speaker 5 (12:01):
They're starting to a lot of times. But I do,
especially with my younger patients when they come in in
like twenty one, twenty two and they're just experiencing their
first psychotic break or their first experiencing their first manic episode,
and they think back to their mother or somebody who
had the same situation, and we talk about forgiveness first
(12:22):
because a lot of times, like I explained to them,
your mother probably didn't know what was going on, and
she wasn't medicated, so she wasn't able to take care
of you properly. So if we can work on forgiveness,
because a lot of times there's all of anger because
there was a lot of things that probably went on
during that person's childhood that they couldn't explain or didn't understand.
(12:42):
So we talk about forgiveness. Then we talk about starting medications.
And I normally say, now, if this is the kind
of relationship you have with your mom and you don't
want to be like your mom or don't want to
want to break this generational thing that's going on here,
then I need you to take your medications. And this
is something that's going to be life. It's lifelong. The
medications don't stop right. A medication may quit working, it
(13:05):
may not be as effective, but then that's when you
come back and see me and we try something different.
Oh I love it, but you can't stop it. It's
something I make sure they understand that this is lifelong.
It doesn't go away. It's no cure for it. We
can manage it, but there's no cure.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
There's no cure. Yeah, I like that. Doctor. Keep you
this good.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And I'm so glad Brian that you all are here
because people may not know about this, your business, the
organization minding your mental health, and they can get help
and somebody is listening. How can they again get in
touch with you all? You all have a website or.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Well well number is nine O one sixty five seven
five zero nine zero give it again nine zero one
sixty five seven five zero nine zero. And our website
is info at mindingyourmntalhealth dot org. And it's just like
minding your business, but minding your mental health. So it's
info at minding your Mental Health dot org.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I love that, love that, and I also and I'm
glad that to keep you mentioned Judge Sheila Bruce Renfrew
because I love what she's done and to start this
mental health court so people don't understand won't just take
them to jail.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Know something else is going.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
On, right, And I encourage people not to call nine
one one if you know your family member has a
mental health illness. Shelby County through Alliance does have a
crisis team that you can call out to evaluate your
family member, because sometimes if the officers that come out,
if they're not trained in de escalation or how to
(14:43):
recognize mental health, especially like we've got the National Guards
out here now, I don't know how well they're trying
and de escalation or recognizing mental health illnesses. So call
the crisis services through Alliance and they'll come out. What
a crisis nurse, police officers fire department. They'll come out
and do evaluation of your family member.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Good.
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Try not to call the police.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, because if you call nine one, they're going.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
To tell you right, and it may not end well.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Call okay, nine crisis. I like it. I like it.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
And if you do call nine one one, mention the
person's mental health is Yeah, we do have a team.
Team they will come out with the police department.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Okay. Good.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
And I love doctor k Or you mentioned that you
it's a mental it is an illness. And when when
people take the medication, it's not a cure, but it helps,
it helps you. And people need to understand that about medication, right. Yeah,
and there are a lot of medications out there. So
(15:47):
and we even have genetic testing where we can find
the might write medication for you. Okay, So if you've
tried ten medications and none of them work, but we
can do something called gene site testing and it'll go
in and give us a print out of this may work,
this doesn't work at all, or this is the best
fit for this person. They're genetic the genetic makeup.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Good. I love this information, Brian.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
This is good and people are listening, and I know
they're going to want to have the number on the website.
But also I know you all trying to raise money
and you got an event or something that's coming up.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Yeah, well the gala is this Friday. So yeah, So
just and Bruce Bnfrow. She started a nonprofit organization is
the Mental Health Court Foundation. It's the foundation that supports
the Court. And both of us are board members of
this organization. I'm atually the vice president. And if you
want to come to the gala, you know, just get
online look at the link and you can come out.
You know, we'll be more than happy to have you.
(16:41):
We have the Commissioner, Marie Williams. She was appointed by
the governor. She's over substance abuse and mental health at
the state level.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Oh is she? She'll be here and she's appointed by
two governors.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Actually, yeah, she was appointed by Haslam first, then Lee
he appointed her again.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
He decided to keep her.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Okay, So, I mean she's doing a great job.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I love that. I love that, and so yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Rochelle Stevens our very own. Yeah, Olympic gold medalist from
Iphics to the c if she will be I MC okay, yeah,
And then we have an ocscope. He's going to tell
a few jokes. We have a band of What's the.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
John John Williams and John Williams and a fall for
the band listen.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Then we have the Unfielded Aunties and then my Mother
Gil Jones car not my Girl. So they're gonna make
an appearance. This will be their first appearance in starting
their podcast, so it's gonna be a good time. So
we're looking forward to it. Friday, Botanical Guard from sixty
nine stop by if you have time.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Oh that sounds good. I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I love this information here and and and doctor Kebah,
I love what you tell. You know, got to have
you back so people will can understand what's happening. I
definitely will have both of you all back. And maybe
maybe maybe one day, Brian, you can set up that.
I know the judge is busy all the time. I know,
so we could I know, so get out. I know
(18:07):
the sister she's busy. Matter of fact, a classmate with
her sister down the road.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Michael and I want to come back. You know, we're
doing Salute the Fatherhood next month, so I'll behave you.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, okay, okay, well you know.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Don't say nothing, but yeah, but doctor Kiev A Porter
Carson last words you'd like to say to our listeners today?
Speaker 5 (18:27):
The last words I would say that less attempt as
a community to reduce the stigma associated mental health illness.
If you know someone that's going through and need some help,
send them our direction or send them to someone that
can help them and get the assistance that they needed,
that they need and it's it's not it's nothing to
be ashamed of. That's right, it's nothing to be ashamed
(18:49):
of now, Brian.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Your last words, brother.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Just if you know someone that is struggling with mental health,
help them find an accountability partner. And this is something
I learned from my wife about to keep you. An
accountability partner would help them recognize when they may be
falling off track, if they're not taking their meds when
they should be. Just keep them focused, if they have
some classes or anything that they should be pertaining to.
(19:16):
This person will hold you accountable. And it's usually a
friend that you've been knowing for a while, a family member,
someone to keep you on track. Because what I always
say is not a destination, but it's a journey.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Yes it is.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Thank you so much, Brian Carson and doctor KEVR Porter
Carson there is I love this minding your mental health
and we need to brothers. Thank you all for being
here and much success. Tell my boyfriend I said hello, John,
Tell my boyfriend, I said hello. Thank you all so much.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
All right, thank you.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
The views and opinions discussed on the BEV Johnson Show
are that of the hosts and callers and not those
of the staff and sponsors of w d i A.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I want to thank you callers.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I want to thank you listeners for joining us this
day on the BEV Johnson Show. We do, we really
do appreciate you. So until tomorrow, please be safe, keep
a cool head, y'all, don't let anyone steal your joy.
Until tomorrow, I'm dev Johnson, y'all, keep the faith.
In Memphis or in a sinkhole somewhere. Thank you for
listening to the Bev Johnson Show on w d I
A Memphis. You're listening to the Bev Johnson Show. Here's
(00:52):
Bev Johnson and we're back.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And let me say thank you, thank you, Thank you
to my guests for being so patient with me today
as I'm still trying to get myself together from from vacation, but.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
In the house with me I have missed.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I put a put a put a handle on that.
Mister Brian Carson and his beautiful wife, doctor Kiva Carson. Hey,
y'all doing this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
No, we're doing great. Thank you, Thank y'all for being
patient and being here with me.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I want to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I love it. I love Brian brother.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
How you doing, I'm doing great.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I'm good, good good.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
We know, Brian that May is mental health month and
and you are here and I didn't know you had
this business.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yeah. Yeah, My wife and I we both were co
founded Minding Your Mental Health maybe two years ago. And
so the work we do, some of it is non traditional.
When you think about a psychiatric nurse practitioner. We work
with the courts and she actually goes inside of jail
and she does medication management and psychia psychiatric evaluate on
(02:00):
them before they get the medication management to make those referrals.
So we go through mental health court to do that.
That's the process.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Let me ask this question to you, Brian, before we
get to doctor Carson. Is that one of the reasons
you wanted to start the business that you saw that
we needed help?
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Yes? Absolutely, And there's always been an a stigma attached
to mental health, and so we want to highlight raise
awareness to everyone in our community to let them know
the significance of people of mental health and the people
to struggle with their illness.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
And I know that with the times we're having now, brother,
people are going through a lot of things.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
They're going through a lot, and they're getting triggered from
traumatic situations that may have occurred several years ago, and
they're acting out and if they're not diagnosed properly or
stabilized with the medications that they should be on, it
could result in them in and know, behind bars and
in the mental health court.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Wow, wow, Eve, how you doing, sister?
Speaker 5 (03:02):
I'm doing fine.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Good talk talk to us a little bit about what
people are now struggling through. And it's basically let me,
are they already in jail or going to jail, Let's
talk about that mental health what's happening?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Okay, So, like miss Johnson said, I'm doctor Keevier Portakar saying,
and I'm a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. And what
I do daily is I treat people who have PTSD
anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, or just need just basic
therapy or counseling. Also provide medication management if they need
(03:41):
to be on medication. So I'll able and licensed to
do both. Okay, some of the things we see that
may have people that may end up incarcerated sometimes sometimes
my mental health illnesses. You have people who may experience hallucinations,
they have what we call manic behavior where their behavior
is a little bit more active than normal. We have
(04:05):
people who even have things like antisocial personality disorder where
it go out and commit crimes such as rob and
killing or not having regards for human life, and all
of those conditions fall up under the mental health umbrella.
So what I do is I work to treat those
people who need medications and basically getting people more familiar
(04:30):
with and know that those there are resources out there.
These are illnesses, just like diabetes is an illness and
my heart condition is an illness. Sometimes our brain, which
is an organ, can malfunction and it's an illness as well.
So we need to treat our brain because the brain
is centrally, it's our central station. It controls everything. So
(04:51):
that's why back in the day when you hear people
say when we used to pray, and we say I
woke up in my right mind, and that's what we're
talking about. I didn't know what it meant back then,
right but now I understand what it means because sometimes
there are people who literally are not their reality and
their perceptions are different from what's actually going on in
the real world, right then, So we have to learn
(05:12):
how to help those people who help alter perceptions or
alter realities because what they see or what they feel
is real to them.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Let me go back and I'm glad you explained that
to our listeners. So with the company minding your own
mental health, can people come there or people are sent there,
doctor Kibia.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Both so people can find me like on psychology today,
they can look me up or also they can be.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Referred okay, right, okay, and do you work a lot
with those people? Because Brian had talked about have gone
to jail, and we know there are a lot of
people in jail who do have a mental illness.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Right, one third of the population that to a one
has a mental health one third. And so we have
about three thousand people there, about a thousand people down
there would have a mental health condition.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
And most of the times it's untreated, untreated mental health bulness.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
So I don't know if you work with the jail
are you are are they getting the message that some
of these people need to be treated?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Right?
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So when they are when they arrived at the Shelby
County Correction Center, they are screened, they are asked if
they I think maybe have suicidal thoughts. They ask them
a couple of questions. And sometimes patients or people who
are detained down there because to a wonder detained. So
the detainees when they're down there, they will act or
(06:42):
just say I need my medications. Well, they'll act to
see the providers. They're now at UH at the Shevy
count Correction Office. I'm center. They are singing by well
path now I specifically see the people who are in
the Mental health Court program.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
In the mental health Court program.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
So okay, So those people if they're referred to us
from their normally non non violent offenders, they don't have
felonies or maybe like misdemeanors or whatever. When they come
through the program, then they're allowed to they're entered into
programs such as the CAPS if they have some type
(07:20):
of substance use or disorder, because that most people have
dual diagnosis where they have a substance use disorder as
well as a mental health illness. Sometimes they'll go to
project when judicare different places where they can go to
seek help and then they get the therapy any type
of recovery or sense this they need it if they
if they are suffering from a drug use. So when
(07:42):
they go through those programs, and then I'll help manage
the medication part of it.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Okay, So let me ask this doctor Kiva, so is
has the mental I don't know if you all know
this has the mental health court taken the place of
the drug court.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
So there are three specialty courts still down there. You
have the Mental Health Court, Drug Court as well as
the Veterans Court. There are all considered specialty courts where
they help people who need issues in those areas. I
think mental Health Court, drug Court does people who have
drug offenses as well as people who use drugs. So
when he does all, judged Lee does all anything related
(08:24):
to you.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Have a new judge down there in the Drug Court.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
No, Judge Lee Wilson.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Wilson been there for a couple of years now. Well.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
The reason I'm saying because doctor Q, it's been a
long time. I did my internship there. Okay, I'm a
substance abuse counsel, and so I remember doing I had
to do my internship in the Drug Court and I
and I was wondering about that because when you said that,
I didn't know the Mental Health Court.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
It's the youngest court.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That's the youngest.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
The tenth year. This year we're celebrating ten years of
Mental Health Court and sheld.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Account what it was started by the late judge game.
So okay, okay, good.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
So I'm glad, Okay, y'all y'all educated me because I'm
glad they have those courts because I know when I
did my internship with the Drug Court. I'm trying to
think of the judge that was there. It was yeah, right,
but I didn't. But but he did great work, great work.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But I'm glad. But I'm glad to know.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Now see the mental Health court, Brian, because I don't
think a lot of people know about I don't.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
I didn't know about it, okay until I met Judge
le Bruce Renfrow when she was running for it. She
and I worked together on her campaign trail day. I
kind of helped her understand some mental health, good things
about mental health when she was running, okay, so because
she wanted to be informed for the seat that she
was running for. So I that was the first time
I had ever heard of it.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
I think it's wonderful. I do specialty courts. Yes, I
think it's it's great that she'll be county offered that
these courts.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
So have you seen doctor Kiva?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
A lot of people in that mental health that have
there since you, Brian, you said it's been ten years now,
You've seen a lot of people.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
I see a lot of people. See what happens is
especially most of the the participants that I deal with,
they either have either schizophrenia or bipolar and substance use. Right,
Like I said, they kind of go together. And when
people are what we if they're not on their medications,
they may experience alter realities where they may experience psychosis.
(10:28):
They may hear voices something giving them commands telling them
to do things, or they're manic. When we're saying person's
manic when they have bipolar, we talk about bipolar means
it's two different. It's two different, like a bicycle's two
different things. You're either manic or you're depressed. Okay, When
they're manic, they do things such a person may do
things such as breaking cars, go rob something, or go
(10:51):
rob somebody, going to somebody's house who they're not whose
house they're not supposed to be in. So they typically
have more of a I would say expensive behavior where
they're doing probably a little bit more than they should.
They're agitated, they're irritable, they start arguments and fights. And
(11:12):
one thing about bipolar is that it runs in families. Okay,
I always tease when I say people, when everybody in
the house on Thanksgiving arguing and pulling our knives, half
of the house probably bipolar anyway, because bipolar people can't
people who have bipolar can't get along. If they're not
on their medications because everybody's on one hundred Okay, so
(11:34):
everything is intense. So when I say it runs and families,
I've treated mothers, grandmothers, the daughter, the whole families, and
especially with women, it's just generational. Okay, it can be generational.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
And since serving them, have you found that these clients
or patients are they taking their medication?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Is it hard to get people who just get off
or stop?
Speaker 5 (12:01):
They're starting to a lot of times. But I do,
especially with my younger patients when they come in in
like twenty one, twenty two and they're just experiencing their
first psychotic break or their first experiencing their first manic episode,
and they think back to their mother or somebody who
had the same situation, and we talk about forgiveness first
(12:22):
because a lot of times, like I explained to them,
your mother probably didn't know what was going on, and
she wasn't medicated, so she wasn't able to take care
of you properly. So if we can work on forgiveness,
because a lot of times there's all of anger because
there was a lot of things that probably went on
during that person's childhood that they couldn't explain or didn't understand.
(12:42):
So we talk about forgiveness. Then we talk about starting medications.
And I normally say, now, if this is the kind
of relationship you have with your mom and you don't
want to be like your mom or don't want to
want to break this generational thing that's going on here,
then I need you to take your medications. And this
is something that's going to be life. It's lifelong. The
medications don't stop right. A medication may quit working, it
(13:05):
may not be as effective, but then that's when you
come back and see me and we try something different.
Oh I love it, but you can't stop it. It's
something I make sure they understand that this is lifelong.
It doesn't go away. It's no cure for it. We
can manage it, but there's no cure.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
There's no cure. Yeah, I like that. Doctor. Keep you
this good.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And I'm so glad Brian that you all are here
because people may not know about this, your business, the
organization minding your mental health, and they can get help
and somebody is listening. How can they again get in
touch with you all? You all have a website or.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Well well number is nine O one sixty five seven
five zero nine zero give it again nine zero one
sixty five seven five zero nine zero. And our website
is info at mindingyourmntalhealth dot org. And it's just like
minding your business, but minding your mental health. So it's
info at minding your Mental Health dot org.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I love that, love that, and I also and I'm
glad that to keep you mentioned Judge Sheila Bruce Renfrew
because I love what she's done and to start this
mental health court so people don't understand won't just take
them to jail.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Know something else is going.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
On, right, And I encourage people not to call nine
one one if you know your family member has a
mental health illness. Shelby County through Alliance does have a
crisis team that you can call out to evaluate your
family member, because sometimes if the officers that come out,
if they're not trained in de escalation or how to
(14:43):
recognize mental health, especially like we've got the National Guards
out here now, I don't know how well they're trying
and de escalation or recognizing mental health illnesses. So call
the crisis services through Alliance and they'll come out. What
a crisis nurse, police officers fire department. They'll come out
and do evaluation of your family member.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Good.
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Try not to call the police.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, because if you call nine one, they're going.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
To tell you right, and it may not end well.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Call okay, nine crisis. I like it. I like it.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
And if you do call nine one one, mention the
person's mental health is Yeah, we do have a team.
Team they will come out with the police department.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Okay. Good.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
And I love doctor k Or you mentioned that you
it's a mental it is an illness. And when when
people take the medication, it's not a cure, but it helps,
it helps you. And people need to understand that about medication, right. Yeah,
and there are a lot of medications out there. So
(15:47):
and we even have genetic testing where we can find
the might write medication for you. Okay, So if you've
tried ten medications and none of them work, but we
can do something called gene site testing and it'll go
in and give us a print out of this may work,
this doesn't work at all, or this is the best
fit for this person. They're genetic the genetic makeup.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Good. I love this information, Brian.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
This is good and people are listening, and I know
they're going to want to have the number on the website.
But also I know you all trying to raise money
and you got an event or something that's coming up.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Yeah, well the gala is this Friday. So yeah, So
just and Bruce Bnfrow. She started a nonprofit organization is
the Mental Health Court Foundation. It's the foundation that supports
the Court. And both of us are board members of
this organization. I'm atually the vice president. And if you
want to come to the gala, you know, just get
online look at the link and you can come out.
You know, we'll be more than happy to have you.
(16:41):
We have the Commissioner, Marie Williams. She was appointed by
the governor. She's over substance abuse and mental health at
the state level.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Oh is she? She'll be here and she's appointed by
two governors.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Actually, yeah, she was appointed by Haslam first, then Lee
he appointed her again.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
He decided to keep her.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Okay, So, I mean she's doing a great job.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I love that. I love that, and so yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Rochelle Stevens our very own. Yeah, Olympic gold medalist from
Iphics to the c if she will be I MC okay, yeah,
And then we have an ocscope. He's going to tell
a few jokes. We have a band of What's the.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
John John Williams and John Williams and a fall for
the band listen.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Then we have the Unfielded Aunties and then my Mother
Gil Jones car not my Girl. So they're gonna make
an appearance. This will be their first appearance in starting
their podcast, so it's gonna be a good time. So
we're looking forward to it. Friday, Botanical Guard from sixty
nine stop by if you have time.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Oh that sounds good. I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I love this information here and and and doctor Kebah,
I love what you tell. You know, got to have
you back so people will can understand what's happening. I
definitely will have both of you all back. And maybe
maybe maybe one day, Brian, you can set up that.
I know the judge is busy all the time. I know,
so we could I know, so get out. I know
(18:07):
the sister she's busy. Matter of fact, a classmate with
her sister down the road.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Michael and I want to come back. You know, we're
doing Salute the Fatherhood next month, so I'll behave you.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Okay, okay, okay, well you know.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Don't say nothing, but yeah, but doctor Kiev A Porter
Carson last words you'd like to say to our listeners today?
Speaker 5 (18:27):
The last words I would say that less attempt as
a community to reduce the stigma associated mental health illness.
If you know someone that's going through and need some help,
send them our direction or send them to someone that
can help them and get the assistance that they needed,
that they need and it's it's not it's nothing to
be ashamed of. That's right, it's nothing to be ashamed
(18:49):
of now, Brian.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Your last words, brother.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Just if you know someone that is struggling with mental health,
help them find an accountability partner. And this is something
I learned from my wife about to keep you. An
accountability partner would help them recognize when they may be
falling off track, if they're not taking their meds when
they should be. Just keep them focused, if they have
some classes or anything that they should be pertaining to.
(19:16):
This person will hold you accountable. And it's usually a
friend that you've been knowing for a while, a family member,
someone to keep you on track. Because what I always
say is not a destination, but it's a journey.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Yes it is.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Thank you so much, Brian Carson and doctor KEVR Porter
Carson there is I love this minding your mental health
and we need to brothers. Thank you all for being
here and much success. Tell my boyfriend I said hello, John,
Tell my boyfriend, I said hello. Thank you all so much.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
All right, thank you.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
The views and opinions discussed on the BEV Johnson Show
are that of the hosts and callers and not those
of the staff and sponsors of w d i A.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
I want to thank you callers.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
I want to thank you listeners for joining us this
day on the BEV Johnson Show. We do, we really
do appreciate you. So until tomorrow, please be safe, keep
a cool head, y'all, don't let anyone steal your joy.
Until tomorrow, I'm dev Johnson, y'all, keep the faith.
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