MENTAL HEALTH: IS THE AMERICAN DREAM MAKING YOU SICK? S4:E32

Get ready for THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE℠ PODCAST: SEASON 4! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti (she/her) and Jenell Riesner (she/her), this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north. 

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we continue to celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

In today’s episode, we’re so excited to talk to Amy Walz, a wife, mother, mimi (grandma), puppy lover, advocate for the underdog, Christian, hope mentor, cancer registrar, + small biz owner specializing in wedding event planning. She lives with her husband (Nick), silly pup (Oliver), + sweet pup/therapy dog-in-training (Willow Grace)in Minnesota. With a servant’s heart + a desire to save others from the many years of struggles + dysfunctions that her family has endured, she remembers feeling very alone + as if no one understood what her family was going through + as a result found a drive + vision to change the world’s perception of mental health diagnosis. Amy writes her family’s story in Six Hearts, Four Paws, + One Ray of Hope, written from the perspective of one of her dogs. ***TRIGGER WARNING: suicide, sexual bullying, + emotional abuse. In this episode, we wrestle with:

• Recycled styles
• Chance encounters
• Transplants + changing personalities
• Adoption journeys
• Being open to non-traditional family structures
• Finding yourself later in life
• Normalizing mental illness
• Compassion + healing across generations
• Living the facade of the American Dream
• You are not weak 
• True rock bottom + crisis-peer-mentor program
• High functioning trauma survivorship
• Power of puppies

Amy is passionate, sincere, + a welcoming space as she genuinely supports people through mental illness + finding hope. Settle in as we get real, open, vulnerable, + hopeful together in realizing we truly are not alone. <3

 

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• #amplifymelanatedvoices @thelovelandfoundation
• #amplifymelanatedvoices @soulcarecollective
• #amplifymelanatedvoices @kiergaines
• Whoop promo: We’re teaming up with Whoop to offer our listeners a free first month free + free Whoop strap - simply use this link to sign-up or DM Jenell via IG @jaynelreese! Whoop is a wearable that tracks your heart rate variability + gives a ton of in-depth data around recovery, strain, sleep. 
• Connect with Amy via IG @yourenotalone_willowswaggin
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. The traditional family structures (or traditional anything) are very narrow + don’t really allow for a multitude of possible expressions that account for each of our unique beings. Not having enough expansive expressions can be isolating if you don’t fit the mold. The question to consider is where are you living in a way that you think is the “right way” or “only way”? Is it possible that there could be other ways of being that? Spoiler alert, there is, so we encourage each person to notice when they are stuck in one-way thinking + create space to consider more variations to allow more authentic coexistence to come to life in the world.
2. While the stigmatization of mental illness is shifting, there is still much to be done to normalize honesty around mental health needs + asking for help. You are NOT weak to acknowledge mental illness. It is ok if it is embarrassing. Be embarrassed + still ask for help. Mental illness is a signal that something is not being met in your life. Not that there is something wrong with you. Because there is nothing wrong with you. There are so many resources out there to support when we are feeling small + alone, but if we aren’t willing to say those words, then we may never find the support we deserve. You are not alone.
3. We all have our own chains in this life + we each need to recognize our own chains so that we can deal with them versus dumping them onto others. And as we understand our chains we can begin to unravel what support we need, what acceptance we need, how to ask for the resourcing that works best for each of us, to allow others into our world in a way that is life giving for all parties involved + creates choice without desperation for all parties involved. What are your chains? How are you dealing with them? What are you ready to do + be for yourself to start to loosen + remove those chains? What additional support would help you with this?