Show My Scars

Former family medicine nurse practitioner Bre opens up about losing her career to epilepsy and depression, surviving a suicide attempt, and how becoming a patient changed her view of healthcare forever. This conversation is a must-listen for providers, patients, and anyone seeking hope.

We also discuss how to improve communication with your providers, common misconceptions in the mental healthcare field, small acts of kindness maki...

In this powerful episode of Show My Scars, I sit down with Tim DeWeese, Director of the Johnson County Mental Health Center in Kansas. Tim shares what sets government-run mental health centers apart from private nonprofits, how his team implemented same-day access to psychiatry, and why mental health care in America is failing so many.

We talk about:

• The difference between nonprofit vs. government-run mental health centers

• ...

In this deeply personal episode, Sydney shares her powerful story of navigating postpartum depression, identity loss, and the long road to recovery. Sydney opens up about the emotional toll of becoming a mother, relocating to a rural town, and facing mental health challenges head-on. She discusses postpartum psychosis, the struggle to feel worthy of having her own needs, and the critical role her partner and therapy played in her h...

Relief from depression and anxiety symptoms doesn’t have to be large, dramatic, or external. It can come in micro-doses of presence anchored in repeatable, simple practices that your nervous system can begin to trust. The goal is not to erase sadness or anxiety in one sweep, but to create tiny, dependable pockets of safety and grounding.

In this episode, I'll give you 3 practices with examples that you can try to add to your coping...

Stacey Tilley operates her own meditation and sound therapy practice in Arizona called DesertZen. She also volunteers her time at the Sunrise Project, a re-entry program that supports individuals through their transition from incarceration to reintegration, emphasizing hope and possibility.

Stacey discusses her previous struggles with addiction to drugs as an escape from trauma she incurred due to sexual abuse from her father at a ...

Today's a solo pod on how my Meditation Group at NAMI SWMO is going and how I keep hope alive when it feels like nothing is going right in my life. 

During the episode, I give you 6 steps to try when you're feeling hopeless that help me out when I feel like I can't keep going. 

If you like the show and want to support us please subscribe, like, and rate the show on the app you listen to us on. 

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Today I bring you a conversation I had with award-winning author, Scott Gordon. He has a book out called Head Fake which features a character named Mikey who makes everything a joke including his clinical depression, ADHD, and various valleys in life. After a run of failed jobs, he becomes the basketball coach at a high school for high-risk offenders who also experience mental illness.

I thought this book was an authentic look at s...

In this episode, I talk with Alexa Ochoa, a Licensed Master Social Worker currently specializing in family therapy. We talk about how she found herself in the mental health field, managing burnout, practicing radical acceptance, breaking generational trauma cycles, and the importance of recognizing physical symptoms of mental health issues early. 

If you like the show and want to support us please subscribe, like, and rate the show...

Today I bring you a conversation with John Reed. John is the Director of Tutis Online over in Kidderminster, a town in the UK.

Tutis is a nonprofit that focuses on reducing loneliness and social isolation in both elder care homes and prisons.

He does this through telling stories, music, holding poetry workshops, comedy, or simply chatting.

You might ask, why would he spend his time helping incarcerated people during their time in p...

Today's episode is a solo pod and I talk about how to be OK when you don't feel OK. I describe my recent mood which has been filled with depression and Impostor Syndrome. I give you tips I've received from my therapist which has helped me battle feelings of being an impostor. Finally, I talk about the importance of one small win in these moments. 

If you like the show and want to support us please subscribe, like, and rate the show...

Today's episode is with Nathan Cole, the Founder of Listener, an app in which you can book 20-minute blocks of time to talk about whatever you need to get off your chest to a trained listener who isn't trying to fix you or give advice. The simply listen and give you space. We talk about why he started listener, a stat that says loneliness is as bad as having 15 cigarettes per day, what being truly heard does for us, and how to be m...

Today's episode features Joel Olsen, a former music therapy major. We discuss how we can curate our music playlists more intentionally to support our mental well-being, what music therapy looks like from a generalized standpoint, and more!

If you like the show and want to support us please subscribe, like, and rate the show on the app you listen to us on. 

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Orlando Ochoa is a retired Military Police Officer who served in the Iraq War. He has battled his PTSD ever since. 

In today's episode, he talks about his deployment, what helps him cope and heal, how talking with other vets help, not forgetting who he's lost, not giving up looking for compatible therapists, and how you shouldn't dismiss strategies that haven't helped others because they may help you. 

If you like the show and want...

I met Krista Peryer when she was the Founder and CEO of The Geek Foundation, which provided free education, resources, and support to women, minority groups, and low-income individuals seeking careers in tech fields; video game development, computer programming, and IT. I was immediately impressed with her creativity, outside-the-box thinking, and drive for her mission. So, I was shocked when I heard her foundation ended in 2023. 

...

In today's episode I talk with Robert Powell, President of Kwik Performance. I met Robert a couple of years ago when I started shooting YouTube videos for his business. 

What struck me about working with Robert was how much laughing we were doing while still making helpful and enjoyable content for his customers. It's a culture Robert said he was adamant about maintaining when he took over as President - build quality products but ...

Rustin Pangburn stepped off the bus in Springfield, MO in 2010 following a 5-year stint in prison for drug trafficking. He had little money and no idea what to do with his second chance at freedom. He felt his old life calling him but resisted the urge to answer that call.

Now, he's setting out to start a re-entry program to help others who find themselves in the same situation. In this episode we talk about what led Rustin to gett...

I've got another solo pod for you! Do you ever feel disconnected from the world? Even those closest to you? I do. One of the ways to combat this is through Metta (Loving Kindness) meditation. However, I'll also share 7 tips you can use in everyday life to improve feelings of self-worth, gratitude, love, compassion and other happiness-inducing emotions. 

If you like the show and want to support us please subscribe and rate the show ...

Kara Bryant is a licensed massage therapist. Her practice is built upon Precision Neuromuscular Training which allows her to work with the nervous system when treating the body. She holds certification in Level Two Thai Massage, Level Two Reiki, CranioSacral Therapy, Somatoemotional Release, and Trauma Informed Care. 

In this episode, we discuss the impact of massage on mental health and how it might help us release emotional traum...

Stephanie Robinson spent 14 years of her life stuck inside with agoraphobia before finally taking her life back by trying medication and therapy. She is now the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in the Southwest Missouri area. They are a grassroots, not for profit organization dedicated to providing programs and services to individuals and family members impacted by mental illness. NAMI serves as a drop-...