Surfacing - The Meaning in the Story

Jim Coyle is the musician behind the incredible music you hear in Surfacing's intro and outro.  In addition to his musical talent, he is also a dedicated employee of MHA's OnTrackNY program.  He works with young adults newly experiencing symptoms of psychosis, supporting them in pursuing their educational and employment goals.  His mission is to inspire hope in each individual and their family so that nobody experiences t...

Emily Grossman shares her powerful journey from struggling with bipolar disorder to thriving with bipolar disorder.  In addition to sharing how her greatest struggle became a springboard to her best self, her story also demonstrates the importance of instilling hope that recovery is available to all.  Her story illustrates how powerful the messages are that we receive about mental health and how these can be harmful or harnessed fo...

Sharon McCarthy is the volunteer Program Coordinator at NAMI Westchester.  NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is an organization that provides support and education in the community to individuals and families impacted by mental health concerns.  Sharon uses her own story of supporting her daughter through her recovery to illustrate the impact on families when a loved one is struggling with mental health.  She shares insigh...

Mike Ahearn from Wellbridge Addiction Treatment and Research joins us today to discuss his journey to recovery and how this has influenced his career today.  He covers a lot of ground during the episode, from his struggles with identity development in adolescence, to the challenges of entering adulthood, and how these and other factors contributed to a battle with addiction.  He then shares how he found self-esteem, meaning and joy...

China Darrington joins Jenna and Dillon today to share a powerful story of recovery that turned into a passion for advocacy.  China is the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Thrive Peer Recovery Services in Ohio, where she uses her knowledge, voice and passion to impact the larger systems that influence how behavioral healthcare is delivered.  Her story delves into some sensitive topics that we want listeners to be aware of,...

Dillon Browne is the Coordinator of Peer and Recovery Services at the Sterling Community Center, a program of MHA Westchester, which is located in White Plains, NY.  Dillon came to MHA 7 years ago as an intern, and since then has dedicated his time to creating community amongst the participants of Sterling so that everyone can experience the transformative power of meaningful connection.  He describes how his own life experience ta...

State Senator Chris Kolker was a prime sponsor of the 988 legislation that would implement the three digit number for crisis response services in Colorado, making the suicide prevention lifeline even more accessible for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis.  While there was broad support for this legislation, hearing the story of why it is so meaningful to Senator Kolker will bring a whole new appreciation to his work in s...

We have another amazing MHA employee on the podcast today, Eric Teitelbaum, a clinician in our Children’s Services division.  It is always so inspiring to learn what drives a person to seek a career in helping others, and Eric’s story makes it clear why he’s so passionate about what he does.  His story reflects the power of resilience and demonstrates the reason why Eric has the hope and belief that resilience is possible for anyon...

Martin Gromulat, MHA Peer Specialist, shares the compelling journey that took him from lawyer, to environmental conservationist, to peer specialist.  He shares how his own lived experience turned him into a fierce advocate for mental health.  His passion for ensuring that those in mental health crisis receive the right care at the right time is what changes lives and systems.

Find out more about Martin on his Linkedin profile https:...

Christina McMurray, author of Live Laugh Fly: A Family's Journey Through Childhood Cancer, Unimaginable Grief, and the Realization that Love Never Dies, talks about the ways in which her life equipped her to cope through the unthinkable loss of her son.  She shares just several of the many signs she has received since her son died that let her know he is with her and that gave her the courage and strength to write her book and...

Deb Faust, the Director of Family Engagement and Co-Director of Building Connections at The Mental Health Association in New York State, provides a powerful account of her life journey.  She has faced much adversity and trauma, which she has used to fuel her life’s work, making an impact on the lives of countless individuals and families.  She is a formidable advocate, a talented writer and speaker, and you will be blown away by th...

Today we are joined by sisters Meredith Gallo and Courtney Hunter, who will share from their unique perspectives about a pivotal experience in their childhood.  Meredith talks about her struggle with mental health and addiction, while Courtney shares the family perspective.  Their insights about how these experiences shaped them are powerful, and they do so with humility and humor.  As always, when we share stories that include dis...

Reginald Howard is a mental health advocate and the founder of The Black Mental Health Podcast, which is dedicated to understanding and unraveling mental health issues in the African American community. He has used his own experience and showcases real life stories to create connection with people who feel alone in their struggles.  He also shares that the podcast has been a mechanism for him to process his own experiences.  While ...

Melissa Bernstein, one of the founders of the Melissa and Doug toy company, joined MHA for a community conversation in September.  She agreed to let us air this as a special podcast episode so that we could share it with a wider audience.  Melissa shares a heartfelt reflection on her lifelong journey with anxiety and depression, and how developing a powerful set of practices supports meaning in her life.  In her book, LifeLines, Me...

Jeanette Fairhurst and Pat White are both dynamic women and fierce advocates for mental health.  They have unique and powerful stories that shaped who they are today.  Hear from them directly and you’ll understand why Jeanette is our honoree for this year’s MHA Gala celebrating 75 years in the community.  Pat is the Chair of the event, and we couldn’t think of two better representatives to help us mark this momentous occasion.

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Caroline Park and Neil Harman from Release Recovery join us for our final episode of Season 2. It was perfect timing for them to share their stories as National Recovery Month is wrapping up. They are both using their own lived experience to bring awareness to the strength and vitality of the recovery community and to eradicate stigma around substance use and addiction. Their stories are different, yet intertwine in fascinating way...

Three extraordinary local high schoolers (entering their Junior and Senior year of HS) join the podcast to share their reflections on surviving the challenges of COVID as a teenager. They talk about what was unique about the experience for their age group, how they made the best of the lockdown, and most importantly, what they need from the adults in their lives as we enter the next phase of the pandemic. If you’re a teen, you’ll r...

MartinJon, Recovery Mentor, host of the podcast Recover Yourself, joins us today to share his story of recovery from addiction. He talks about how he discovered the key to his own recovery, which was recovering TO, rather than simply recovering FROM. He also talks about how important it is to recover your sense of self, which is a continual process of discovery and re-discovery. His mission is to share these keys with others in ord...

David Richman, author of Cycle of Lives, joins Surfacing to talk about his 4,700-mile bike ride around the United States, during which he stopped to talk with individuals impacted by cancer in some way. He had spent years talking with these individuals and learning about their individual journeys. His book tells their stories in a way that is meant to inspire connection amongst those living with or supporting someone living with ca...