Welcome to “Compassionate Conversations”
Compassionate Conversations is a podcast about mental health and mental illness, hosted by NAMI Racine County.
New episodes are released monthly on the first Wednesday. Follow us on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify and other major podcast platforms or listen to each episode on this page as they are published.
We want to know what you think! Share your impressions with us.
Season 2 - 2024
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
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Welcome to the first episode of our second season!
We start this season by having a conversation with Melissa (Work Order Day Coordinator) and Marshall (Clubhouse Participant) about the Clubhouse philosophy, their mission, and how this program can empower people living with mental illness to achieve a successful and independent life.
For more information on the Racine Friendship Clubhouse, go here:
https://racineclubhouse.org/
For more information on the Clubhouse International organization and to find a Clubhouse near you, go here: https://clubhouse-intl.org/
https://clubhouse-intl.org/
You can find previous episodes of Compassionate Conversations here:
https://www.namiracinecounty.org/podcastLet us know what you think of this episode!
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March is "Self-Harm Awareness Month"
Our guest, Kevin Wahl, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and NAMI Racine County Board Member
In this episode, we talk about Self-Harm or NSSI (Non-Suicidal Self-Injury), some possible reasons why people engage in this behavior, and what can be done to shift to a healthier coping mechanism.
For more information on this Self-Harm Awareness Month, click here:
https://www.pennfoundation.org/march-is-self-harm-awareness-month/
For more information on Kevin's specialties, click here:
https://lifestance.com/provider/kevin-wah-dsw-ma-lpc-csac/ -
Jelena Jones is the Administrator of Behavioral Health Services for Racine County.
In this episode, Jelena and Carlos have a very informative conversation about the status of mental health services in Racine County and the County's efforts to fight the current opioid epidemic.
More information on the Human Services Department is here: https://www.racinecounty.com/departments/human-services
More information on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline here: https://988lifeline.org/ -
May is Mental Health Awareness Week, and May 5th - 11th is Children's Mental Health Acceptance Week.
To discuss the critical issue of Children's Mental Health, we have invited Julie Hueller, Manager of the Racine Collaborative on Children's Mental Health, to share important information, guide what signs to look for in children, and discuss mental health.
You don't want to miss this important episode!
If you're interested in the "Access for All" Program, don't hesitate to get in touch with Julie Hueller at julie.hueller@rusd.org
To access resources and information on mental health, please go to the Racine County Family Resources page at https://racine.wi.networkofcare.org/family/
We appreciate your support! -
The Inclusive Bean is a new Coffee Shop with an important mission in the Racine, WI area.
A place "...where individuals of all abilities can have a sense of belonging, be challenged appropriately, and be supported in wherever they may be going next in life."
In this episode, we talk to Amelia Fahnrich, Co-owner, and Helena Fahnrich, Manager, about the experience of inclusion of people who live with mental health disabilities and the impact of compassion in the workforce in the development of those living with mental health issues and in the community at large.
For more information about The Inclusive Bean, go to https://www.theinclusivebean.org/
To fill out the application form follow this link:
https://www.theinclusivebean.org/employment -
In this episode, we have a conversation with Keidy Bognar, from WWBIC, about the need to break the stigma on mental health and mental illness.
Keidy shares her experience and that of her family as an immigrant, and DACA recipient, and how therapy has become a family affair.
Keydi is also a TEDx Talk presenter of "More than a DREAMer", you can check her presentation here:
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En éste episodio especial de Compassionate Conversations, hablamos con Keydi Bognar, de WWBIC, sobre la necesidad de romper con el estigma sobre salud mental en la comunidad Hispana.
Keydi comparte con nosotros su experiencia personal y familiar, como inmigrante y recipiente de DACA y de cómo la terapia se ha convertido en una actividad familiar.
Keidy es también la presentadora de "More than a DREAMer", un Tedx Talk que pueden ver aquí:
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Guest will be announced soon.
A description of this podcast will be released by September 4, 2024.
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Guest will be announced soon.
A description of this podcast will be released by October 2, 2024.
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Guest will be announced soon.
A description of this podcast will be released by November 6, 2024.
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Guest will be announced soon.
A description of this podcast will be released by December 4, 2024.
Season 1 - 2023
Our deepest gratitude for the United Way of Racine County Equity Innovation Fund which enabled the first season of Compassionate Conversations. The goal of this podcast was to help amplify the voices of communities who have historically been unheard in discussions about mental illness and mental health. Thank you to the guests who joined us for Season 1. We look forward to coming back February 2024 to bring you Season 2!
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
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with Bridget Munson and Sheri Hess
Tune into our brand new podcast to hear from NAMI Racine County Executive Director, Bridget Munson, on why she supports the NAMI mission and the positive changes happening at NAMI Racine County!
Also, in the second feature of this episode, Sheri Hess, NAMI Racine County Outreach Coordinator, talks about her personal experience with mental illness and "How to Talk about Mental Illness."
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with Maria Bishop and Scott Kinderman
PART 1: This episode is the first part of a conversation with Maria Bishop, therapist and founder of "Breath of Courage, a non-profit organization that uses education, therapy, and creative arts to promote, guide and walk through deep healing and hope with survivors of trauma, and Scott Kinderman, survivor, advocate and Board Member of BeLeaf, a non-profit that seeks to provide a safe and compassionate environment to promote hope and healing after sexual assault.
In this section, we introduce Maria and Scott and the work they do to support survivors of sexual assault; we define myth and truth on what sexual assault is, the experience of sexual assault, and the signs of sexual assault in children.
If you want to listen to Scott's experience of sexual abuse, go to this episode in Candance Sanchez's podcast, "Unspoken: Conversations with Candance": "Breaking the Cycle with Scott and Scarlette Kinderman.
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with Maria Bishop and Scott Kinderman
PART 2: In the second part of our conversation with Maria Bishop (Breath of Courage) and Scott Kiderman (BeLeaf), we talk about the benefits of support groups and therapy, the prevalence, and the main manifestations of trauma on survivors of sexual assault.
NAMI Racine County Sexual Abuse/Assault Survivor (SAAS) Support Group is held every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. This support group is facilitated by trained leaders who have experienced similar trauma.
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with Maria Bishop and Scott Kinderman
PART 3: The third (and final) part of our conversation with Maria Bishop (Breath of Courage) and Scott Kinderman (BeLEAF Survivors).
In the final part of this episode, we talk about when the healing process starts, what to do after the “trauma membrane” rips out, the consequences of doing and not doing the healing work, and some recommendations for those supporting survivors of sexual abuse.
Thank you, Maria & Scott, for such an insightful conversation, and thank you to our listeners for your support!
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with Harley Glodowski
In this episode, we are having a conversation with Harley Glodowski, a Therapist at Mindfulness Counselling, LLC, specializing in Maternal Mental Health, about how to make the practices of self-compassion and self-forgiving part of our personal process as a way of growth.
Harley also has a Tik-Tok account named @Justamothertherapist, where she talks about compassion freshly and simply.
If you're interested in the book Harley recommends, you can find it here: "The Self-Compassion Workbook: Practical Exercises to Approach Your Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions with Kindness."
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with Barb Farrar
June is #PrideMonth, and on this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we are talking to Barb Farrar, Executive Director of The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, about the intersection of mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community, clarifying some key concepts, exploring the challenges the community faces, and what can we do to better support the members of the community.
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with Sha’Boris Mays
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and in this episode, we explore, along with Sha'Boris Mays, the particular challenges faced by ethnic communities in the US, as well as ways to overcome these challenges.
Sha'Boris is a mental health and addiction care therapist working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples with various mental, emotional, behavioral, and addiction disorders as well as physical and psychological disabilities.
Sha'Boris is African American, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a new Board Member at NAMI Racine County.
She offers online services and can be reached here: Alma - Sha’Boris May
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with Mary Buchaklian
In this episode, we're having a conversation with Mary Buchacklian, Human Resources Specialist and NAMI Racine County Board member, about what type of accommodations can be made for employees living with mental illness, how to create a "mental health culture" at the workplace and the importance of keeping open communication with employers about mental health issues.
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In this episode, we are having a conversation with the staff members of the LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin about the alarming rates of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth and what we can do, as a community, to prevent it.
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Today, we bring you a special episode recorded on August 29th, just before school started.
This is the second part of a podcast collaboration with the Racine Video Production Workshop, a Racine Unified School District program.
The entire episode can be found here on YouTube!
We hope you enjoy this special conversation as much as Sheri and Carlos did!
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with Luann Simpson, MSW
In this episode, we have a conversation with Luann Simpson, long-time and now-retired NAMI Racine County staff member and mental health advocate, about how we all can advocate for a more compassionate society that accepts and includes those who live with a mental illness and ends the stigma on mental illness and mental health, and provides the resources needed for a successful recovery.
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with Zack Zdroik
In today's episode, we're having a conversation with Zack Zdroik, Executive Director of Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin, about what 9-LINE [(262) 456-7059] is and what resources are available for Veterans in our state.
For more information on 9-LINE and to learn more about "Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin," click here: https://vowvillages.com/9-line-2/
"If you are in immediate crisis and need to talk to someone now, call the Veterans Crisis Line, available 24/7. Dial 988, then press 1 or text 83825"
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with Amanda Busack
In this episode, we're having a conversation with Amanda Busack from the Racine County Health Division about resources and strategies to strengthen our mental health during the holidays.
You can access the resources mentioned in this conversation in the episode description.