On today's show, we are speaking with Shanon Williams, local activist and the founder of Selfcare Housekeeping, a mental health home care service. Shanon discusses how her personal experience with trauma, gaslighting, and mental illness gave her the motivation to start Selfcare Housekeeping, as well as the importance of intersectionality in mental health and social justice spaces. She also talks about the impacts of negative media representation, erasure, and the tokenization of the Black community in Pittsburgh and beyond. Tune in to learn more! Learn more about Selfcare Housekeeping: https://selfcarehousekeeping.com/ Email or Call: peacelives@selfcarehousekeeping.com | (412) 589-1377 Coalition for Racial Justice in Media: https://www.facebook.com/racialjusticeinmedia/ Upcoming Event: “Media & High Profile Court: How Media Influences The Jury” on Monday, March 18th at 6pm at A Peace of Mind: https://www.facebook.com/events/2069978083095831/ Support Inside Our Minds and The Mental Illness Spotlight: insideourminds.org/donate/ Note: the opinions expressed on this show are not professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for your own self-care, wellness, or treatment plan.

On today's show, we are speaking with Dr. Rachel Kallem Whitman, a professor, advocate, and writer on mental health, mental illness, and disability. Rachel discusses what it's like working in academia as someone with a mental health diagnosis and reads some of her honest and thought-provoking writing on mental illness. Rachel's talk gives us a number of awesome takeaways, including how mental health narratives are unique and universal, and how success and insanity are not mutually exclusive. Enjoy! Read more of Rachel's work on her Medium page: https://medium.com/@RKallemWhitman Link to the opening piece read on this podcast, "Mental Illness in Four Acts": https://medium.com/@RKallemWhitman/mental-illness-in-four-acts-note-114-5ddccf1eb6a0 Link to the closing piece read on this podcast, "Moonlit Mania": https://medium.com/@RKallemWhitman/moonlit-mania-c51473c7dc04?fbclid=IwAR2ka84CHyamlI9ONH3lwb4hIuc-M4m6-VryIDoUx7IeREfrSm5bbZiWZBE Support Inside Our Minds and The Mental Illness Spotlight: http://insideourminds.org/donate/ tw: descriptions of suicide, self-harm, hospitalization, substance abuse Note: the opinions expressed on this show are not professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for your own self-care, wellness, or treatment plan.

Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most stigmatized and misunderstood mental illnesses today - which is why we’re going to speak openly about living with it! Join Inside Our Minds as our panelists, Katie, Danyelle, and Dave, discuss their personal experiences with BPD with a lot of self-deprecating humor and swearing involved. Content warning: Descriptions of suicidal behavior, self-harm, symptoms of eating disorders, joking around about violence / “crazy people”, and lots of swearing Podcast Reference: Stand Together - http://standtogether.againststigma.org/ DBSA Young Adult Council - http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=peer_young_adult Pittsburgh Borderline Support Group Meetup - https://www.meetup.com/BPD-team412/ For more Inside Our Minds and the Mental Illness Podcast, visit www.insideourminds.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @insidemindspgh. Panelists: Katie, Danyelle, and Dave Hosted by: Alyssa Cypher Production Team: Max Chis and Shaun Hartley

“You’re really skinny.” “Thanks!” “I don’t mean that in a good way.” “Eating a candy bar put a smile on my face. Eating became my comfort.” Eating disorders receive a lot of media attention, and often seem romanticized or presented as a rite of passage through adolescence. In this month’s powerful episode of Inside Our Mind’s The Mental Illness Spotlight, our panelists Amy, Cara, and Marissa discuss their experiences living with and living through eating disorders. Among other related topics, join The Mental Illness Spotlight as we discuss the emergence of their eating disorders, challenges in receiving treatment, recovery, body dysmorphic disorder, social media, and the connection between bullying and their eating disorders. Content warning: self-harm, suicidal thoughts, bullying, descriptions of binging and purging. For more Inside Our Minds and The Mental Illness Spotlight Podcast, visit www.insideourminds.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @insidemindspgh. Also check out Panelist Cara’s local chapter of Project Heal, theprojectheal.org/chapters-heal/pittsburgh-2, or theprojectheal.org and Panelist Amy’s Youtube Channel, Amilia TheGeek, and Twitch Amiliathegeek! Panelists: Amy, Cara, Marissa Hosted by: Max Chis Production Team: Kate Mafrica Langford and Alyssa Cypher