You Are Not Alone: Voices of Recovery

In the final episode of this limited series, Liam Winters is the second of four children in his family, just a couple years older than his sister, Emma. Both Liam and Emma struggled with depression in their early years and both ultimately developed bipolar disorder. They talk with Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, about the ways in which bipolar presented and the ways their family rallied around them in support. Emma and Liam also discuss how they continue to support one another in managing their disorder. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Drea Landry lives in Northern California and has experienced bipolar disorder as well as disorders related to anxiety and post-traumatic stress. She speaks with NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, about her path to understanding her mental health and how best to manage the challenges set before her. In one part of the interview, Drea talks about a confrontation she had with the police and how she eventually took on a role training police officers in de-escalating encounters with people struggling with mental health conditions. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Ray Lay is on the national Board of Directors, the Board of Directors for NAMI Indiana, and is considered to be in the In Our Own Voice Hall of Fame, having shared his story over 200 times in presentations of NAMI’s In Our Own Voice program. Ray is an honorably discharged veteran who has had experience with substance issues, a period of being unhoused, time in a correctional facility and hospitalization. He draws on all his experiences in helping others, including with the Veterans Administration. Ray talks with Dr. Ken Duckworth, the Chief Medical Officer of NAMI, about how participating in In Our Own Voice both empowers him and empowers others to get treatment.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Chrissy Barnard was repeatedly hospitalized and was never told that recovery was possible. It was only when she went to NAMI Connection in Duluth that recovery was mentioned as an option. Chrissy began to build her recovery plan, which included dialectical behavior therapy, working with her psychiatrist, and her spirituality. She talks with Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, about what recovery means for her and the tools that have helped her along the way.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Nikki Rashes is grateful to her mother for the unending support she provided throughout Nikki’s recovery. Nikki now works for the NAMI National office as the Senior Manager of Programs and Digital Training Delivery. She also regularly speaks as a part of NAMI’s In Our Own Voice program, where she shares her journey to recovery after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19. Nikki has told her story too many times to count, and whether she's presenting to a group of nurses or a high school class, Nikki's story resonates with her audience. In this episode, Nikki talks with Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI's Chief Medical Officer, about the people who helped her on the road to recovery. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

 Carlos Laurrari describes himself primarily as a mental health advocate. He’s pursuing a law degree at the University of Michigan and a policy degree at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In the spare time he somehow still has, Carlos plays music with his band, Fogdog. Carlos also has a background as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. He’s 35 now and, as he tells NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, a lot has changed in his world since he was first diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 23.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Dante and Chastity Murry are a married couple, living in Kentucky, and they have a lot in common. They met through their mutual involvement in NAMI affiliates in their area, and they both live with mental health conditions. They base their successful marriage, in part, on principles they’ve learned through NAMI support programs. Dante and Chastity talk with Dr. Ken Duckworth, Chief Medical Officer for NAMI, about what they’ve learned about mental health and making a partnership work.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

George Kaufmann, a father, and Patrick Kaufmann, his son, have developed some incredible communication skills as their family has come together around Patrick’s mental health condition. In a broad-ranging conversation with NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, George and Patrick recall Patrick’s struggle with substance use disorder and schizoaffective disorder, how the family learned the best and most effective ways to support him, and what they learned about their family culture. They also discuss Patrick’s involvement with NAMI as a Peer Support Specialist. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

After a long career with the U.S. Postal Service, Marc DeGregorio retired a few years ago and dedicated his time and energy to helping others. He teaches classes for NAMI, including the Family-to-Family program. That’s an eight-week program meant for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Marc’s passion for helping others is informed, in part, by his efforts to make a better life for his daughter, who lives with mental illness. He talks with Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, about teaching, learning, parenting and philosophy.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

This Pride Month, we bring you the story of Nick Emeigh, a member of the LGBTQ+ community. By day, he is a mild-mannered leader at a NAMI affiliate. But on special occasions, he dons a mask, a cape and big, green boots to become… NAMI Man! Unlike Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne, Nick doesn’t keep his identity secret, nor does he keep his mental health story hidden. In this episode, he talks with NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, about his substance use disorder, the loss and grief that fueled his breakdown, and his time spent in inpatient facilities. He also explains the origin story of NAMI Man, and we hear how his affiliate runs 100 support groups a month, including groups for the LGBTQ+ community. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Tracy Green was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, or DID. It’s a condition where there are two or more personality states within the same person. DID used to be known as multiple personality disorder, and while the condition is often depicted in movies and TV shows, the reality is very different from Hollywood’s portrayal. Tracy talks with NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, about living with DID, meeting resistance from family and church, and ultimately finding a path to recovery.  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Dr. Mary Ellen Copeland is the founder of Wellness Recovery Action Plan, a widely respected and widely employed approach to mental health care and maintenance. According to the website for the Copeland Center, “WRAP is a personalized wellness and recovery system born out of and rooted in the principle of self-determination. WRAP is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to: 1) decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; 2) increase personal empowerment; 3) improve quality of life; and 4) achieve their own life goals and dreams.”  This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Tera Carter was 39 years old when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She talks about that revelation and the reception it received in her community and family with NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth. They also discuss the work she’s doing now as a certified peer specialist on a mobile crisis team. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

When NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, talked with Eric Smith, Eric was finishing up a master’s degree in social work and looking forward to a bright future. It hasn’t always been that way. From an early age, Eric heard voices and had symptoms consistent with bipolar disorder. He turned to marijuana for relief and then moved on to more powerful substances. After that came jail time, worsening mental health, psychiatric hospitalization and, ultimately, recovery. He also dealt with anosognosia, a condition where a person is unaware of their psychiatric condition or mental health issue. Eric shares his powerful and moving story. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Pooja Mehta has dealt with severe panic attacks and, when she was younger, voices in her head that were intensely negative. It was scary, but her parents were supportive and got her help. The reception in her cultural community was a little more complicated and difficult. She tells Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI’s Chief Medical Officer, about those situations, as well as her experience starting a NAMI chapter at her university, which quickly became the largest student organization on campus. Pooja also discusses the unexpected death by suicide of her brother. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

James Ramirez has served on the steering committee of NAMI's Southern Oregon affiliate and as one of NAMI's national trainers. He tells NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth about starting out as a student in classes like Family-to-Family in an effort to help his son, and how he learned methods and techniques that made a huge, positive difference. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Sascha Biesi is the co-owner of Skull & Cakebones, a vegan bakery operating in the Austin, Texas, area. She spoke with NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth about opening her shop to a project called Depressed Cake Shop, which raises awareness of mental illness and raises funds for mental health causes. We also hear how Sascha underwent electro-convulsive therapy as part of her long journey from suicidal depression to improved health. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Stephen Smith is the founder of NOCD, a company that exists to bring support and treatment to people dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly known as OCD. He talked with NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth about developing the disorder, struggling with it for many years, finally finding an effective way to treat it, and then starting a business to help other people going through the same struggle. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Josh Santana is a musician and music instructor in the Boston area. He spoke to NAMI Chief Medical Officer Ken Duckworth about his experiences growing up as an exceptionally bright student but also a kid who dealt with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder. He talks about his journey to better mental health, how his dog helped him immeasurably and his work with the ME2 Orchestra, a musical organization for people dealing with mental illness and the people who love them. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.

Diana Chao is the founder of Letters to Strangers, a mental health support group she started in high school that has grown quickly and significantly to have chapters on six continents. She tells NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth about her family’s journey from China to Claremont, Calif., and her experiences with bipolar disorder, complex PTSD and depression. This conversation was part of Dr. Duckworth’s research for the book, You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health--With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real People and Families. Hear more episodes of this and other podcasts and nami.org/podcast.