Ep 12: 4 people, 3 mental illnesses, 2 hosts, 1 advocacy goal

After having way too much fun at the HealtheVoices conference, Gabe (bipolar) and Michelle (schizophrenic) welcomed two of their fellow advocate conference-goers to join them on the show to continue talking about the ups and downs of their advocacy efforts. They recount some of the unusual methods they use to spread the word, from riding around in Herbie the Love Bug, to airing YouTube videos of being set on fire, to standing in the streets of New York City selling clothing. Listen in as they share stories of encounters with the public, both appallingly rude and amazingly heartfelt. You won’t regret it.

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“Let’s stop making people feel bad for feeling different.”
– Michelle Hammer

Highlights From ‘3 Mental Illnesses’ Episode

[0:30] Gabriel Nathan of the OC87RecoveryDiaries.com and Rachel Star Withers The Schizo Stunt-girl join us on the show.

[7:00] Gabe explains what platform he uses for his mental health advocacy

[8:30] Rachel explains why she became a YouTube sensation (hint: She sets herself on fire)

[12:50] Gabriel owns a Herbie The Love Bug – is it the real one?

[19:10] Michelle’s advocacy is completely different from Gabe, Gabriel, and Rachel – find out how.

[26:00] Gabriel speaks about professionals and mental health care.

Meet The Hosts of #BSPodcast

GABE HOWARD was formally diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorders after being committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003. Now in recovery, Gabe is a prominent mental health activist and host of the award-winning Psych Central Show podcast. He is also an award-winning writer and speaker, traveling nationally to share the humorous, yet educational, story of his bipolar life. To work with Gabe, visit gabehoward.com.

 

MICHELLE HAMMER was officially diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 22, but incorrectly diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 18. Michelle is an award-winning mental health advocate who has been featured in press all over the world. In May 2015, Michelle founded the company Schizophrenic.NYC, a mental health clothing line, with the mission of reducing stigma by starting conversations about mental health. She is a firm believer that confidence can get you anywhere. To work with Michelle, visit Schizophrenic.NYC.

 

Guests of #BSPodcast

RACHEL STAR WITHERS is an entertainer and has appeared in numerous TV shows including, America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior, Ridiculousness, World’s Dumbest… and creates crazy stunt videos for youtube. From bikini paintball to setting herself on fire to wrestling alligators, nothing is off limits. She is a schizophrenic and grew up seeing monsters around her. She started making videos for youtube and her Amazon Prime series “Insanity With Schizophrenic Rachel Star” documenting her schizophrenia and ways to deal with the mental disorder and mental health in general. She also speaks on the various mental health subjects and wrote “Lil’ Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Children” and created “To See In The Dark: A Hallucination and Delusion Journal” for tracking symptoms of schizophrenia.

 

GABRIEL NATHAN is an author, editor, actor, playwright, director and a lover of commas. For five years, he worked at Montgomery County Emergency Service, Inc. (MCES), a non-profit crisis psychiatric hospital in the capacity of Allied Therapist and, later, as Development Specialist. At MCES, he created innovative programs such as a psychiatric visiting nurse program, a suicide prevention collaboration with SEPTA, and an Inpatient Concert Series that brought professional performing artists to entertain the patients and enrich their inpatient experience. While at MCES, Gabe also produced and directed a full-scale production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town with the staff of the hospital, as an exercise in teamwork, empathy-building, and creative expression. Gabe serves on the Board of Directors of the Thornton Wilder Society and is Editor of its newsletter. He lives in a suburb of Philadelphia with his wife, twins, a Herbie the Love Bug replica, and a basset hound named Tennessee.

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from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/ep-12-4-people-3-mental-illnesses-2-hosts-1-advocacy-goal/