I Am Speaking

David Is Speaking - Living w/ Cerebral Palsy

When David Figueroa was born, his mother was told he would never walk, talk or learn enough to go through school.

Last week, David turned 32 years old (Happy Birthday David!). He’s a college graduate, he walked across the stage to get his diploma and now he’s a motivational speaker and youth advocate for underserved and underprivelaged youth. He’s also a cyclist and former 3 sport athlete. What’s his message? Only you know what you are capable of. 

David talks at length about who spurred him on before he developed his own voice of self-advocacy, how cruel people can be when they see someone “different,” and when not listening to a doctor was a good step in his process. 

David was a joy to have in the Speaker’s Chair. He has achieved plenty and deserves all the accolades and attention and love he’s getting for what he’s accomplished. But mostly, David is a caring, joyful, kind person who sees purpose in helping others, disability or not. 

Anuja Is Speaking - Life After a Brain Aneurysm

There are certain events that punctuate a person’s life, and one can’t help but think of life as “before” and “after”. We might think of life “before having kids” and “after having kids”. Or “before the pandemic” versus “after the world shut down”. Anuja Martinez (née Mehta) has her life “before brain aneurysm” and “after brain aneurysm”. 

At the age of 29, Anuja finally had th answer to why she would get debilitating headaches, light flashes, and tunnel vision, but the answer was terrifying. Finally a doctor listened to her and ordered an MRI, which revealed a fusiform brain aneurysm. She and her family, along with the best doctors in the world, chose a less mainstream surgery to repair the aneurysm, the surgery was successful, and Anuja is living a full and wonderful life in her “after”.

But the story never ends there. To kick off our Season 5 “Physical Disability & Challenges: Seen & Unseen”, Anuja shares her journey of facing her mortality in her 20s, the consequences of not looking like she had brain surgery, and how she uses her experience to address systemic problems in the healthcare system now.

A fun bonus for us: Anuja is our cousin! She is passionate, compassionate and truly lovely. You will hear her high highs and low lows in our conversation. But overall, you’ll hear the drive to use her “after a brain aneurysm” life to impact change and be a force for good. 

We Are Speaking w/ Nikki - Treating Mental Illness

To cap off Season 3: Mental Health & Neurodiversity, we have an amazing guest who is fighting the good fight. Nikki Naglich is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a mental health hospital in the suburbs of Chicago. She talks about treating serious mental illness, the difference between inpatient & outpatient work, and her hopes for her patients’ futures.  

We discuss why and when people are brought to an inpatient psych unit, which can involve police bringing a psychotic patient to the hospital instead of to jail (given someone’s psychosis may include agression/violence, destruction of property, a threat or harm to oneself or others). Nikki talks about having a good relationship with the local police force, and that calling the police is an option if there is a situation where one feels unsafe or threatened. Nikki and everyone at I Am Speaking are aware and note that involving the police is not the first or ideal option for dealing with a mental health crisis. 

“At the end of the day, police are trained to handle criminal activity, not provide health care. Many police tactics (including strategies of intimidation and control) are counterintuitive in mental health emergencies, where people need empathy and care.” - I Don’t Mind

Depending on the area and the situation, calling the police could exacerbate the situation, especially if the person is a person of color (POC.) Nikki speaks of understanding, deescalation and empathy. If you must call the police, NAMI has some advice here: tinyurl.com/3rt625w3

Nikki is a wealth of knowledge, but you hear the compassion come through loud and clear. She loves what she does, even when it’s hard. And we are glad she’s caring for people who have been marginalized, victimized, and demonized. Nikki, thank you for doing what you do. We need more people like you in mental healthcare. 

DISCLAIMER: I Am Speaking is for information, education and entertainment purposes only. In no way is I Am Speaking intended to provide medical advice or substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself or concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Hotline at 988, or call 911.

We Are Speaking to Athi Toufexis, Architect

“Athi is deeply committed to our clients, and takes a personal interest in the relationships that she builds through the practice of architecture.” 
- Scott Delano, Architect Extraordinaire

Athi Toufexis is an architect. She specializes in designing educational environments for learners of all abilities. She supports school districts and communities in transforming their visions into inspiring built realities. Athi strives to create future-ready solutions to better prepare students for the ever-evolving world of tomorrow.

Athi is also a joy to speak with. She is clearly passionate about public service, amd creating spaces in which people can find comfort, joy and awe. As Athi mentions, architecture is a facet of life that is constantly impacting our lives, every day, every hour, every minute.

We loved speaking with Athi to learn about what an architect does, and how she approaches work for different projects in and for different communities. Kosha also learns what a portico is during our conversation, which was exciting for her.

Do you have a favorite building?

Evan & Tara Are Speaking - Being True to Yourself

Unpacked is a podcast exploring life as messy people. It’s conversations with counsellors, industry leaders, all storytellers discussing their experiences of being human. They talk about the strength that comes from big messy failures and vulnerable moments so we can learn to live more authentically.

And today we have the co-hosts of Unpacked as guests on I Am Speaking. Evan & Tara are co-workers, best friends and found family. They speak to Kosha and Shailushi about meeting when Evan was a pastor at a church, working together at the church and then leaving that church and finding their way as individuals and friends on the flip side. Evan has become certified as an Enneagram Coach and now is helping others find their way toward growth as well. 

It was a true joy to have them in the Speakers Chair(s) for our first ever duo interview! And what an inspiring and lovely duo they were to speak with about the messiness of life. 

Check out their podcast Unpacked at unpackedpodcast.ca (they are Canadian!) - Shailushi and Kosha were both guests recently! 

Evan’s coaching business is also worth checking out! He’s on Instagram at @recesscreek, or at unpackedpodcast.ca/coaching. 

Also as promised, the current conversion for Canadian dollars:

1 Canadian Dollar = 0.74 USD

Kosha Is Speaking - Severe Anxiety

Hello, Listeners!

Shailushi here... introducing you to this week's guest, my beloved co-host Kosha Carstens.  Kosha has shared her diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) on our podcast.  This week, I spoke to her in detail about her experience-- when she realized something more than regular nerves was at play, how it led to her decades-long battle with disordered eating, and how she is learning to live with the "tiger in the room."

Although we are sisters, you'll hear in this episode just how well people can hide their mental health struggles from so many people, even their loved ones.  This episode is significant to me because I had the chance to hear what Kosha went through and how I could support her better.  I encourage you to listen with an open mind, even if you know what anxiety feels like.  One thing I have learned through this podcast is just how hidden some parts of our lives are and how misunderstood we might feel when we share them.

Shailushi Is Speaking- Mental Wellbeing After Cancer

What happens when there is not a biochemical imbalance in our brains? No low dopamine or suboptimal serotonin to explain our mental health challenges? Yet, life keeps happening to us and the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” rain down upon us and we must march forward? What happens when those slings and arrows shake our world views and affect our mental well-being? 

Today we have someone special in the Speaker’s Chair. You know her and love her…Shailushi Baxi Ritchie! Your beloved hosts realized that mental health & neurodiversity affects everyone, and wanted to make sure our listeners know us a little better, what we’ve been through and continue to go through that often direct how we navigate the world  and Shailushi is first up! 

In 2017, Shailushi was diagnosed with cancer. Loyal listeners know this, she isn’t shy about speaking about her cancer diagnosis, and we’ve had her oncologist on last April for Shailushi’s month of birthday surprise guests. But we haven’t heard her story as she tells it - until now. Shailushi starts from the beginning and takes our listeners through her emotional journey - the high highs and the low lows. In the end, you hear the resolve and resilience that makes your main host here pretty damn badass. 

 

We Are Speaking w/ Brittany Squillace About Grief

”We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world--the company of those who have known suffering.” - Helen Keller 

There are few things as isolating as grief, both in death and non-death loss. But at the same time, there is nothing so unifying, so completely shared and universal, as grief. Every person will experience grief from loss - a loved one in death, a job, a friendship, a marriage, an identity. Yet, grief and loss are concepts and experiences so seldom discussed and reckoned with. 

Brittany Squillace is on a mission to help people stop hiding from their grief, and instead begin honoring it by “instilling hope in the way you view, talk about, and navigate grief.”

In our first IAS w/ Expert Voices episode of 2023, Shailushi & Kosha talk with grief-specialized licensed marriage & family therapist Brittany to talk about core concepts in grief processing. how to honor one’s own grief journey, and how to support a loved one who is grieving. Brittany is a brilliant therapist, and she blew us away with her passion, compassion and conviction. 

Listen to this episode, and share it with someone you love. Then listen to Brittany’s podcast, Exposing Grief w/ Brittany Squillace, and follow her educational YouTube channel, Exposing Grief.

Trigger warning: death, grief, loss.

DISCLAIMER: I Am Speaking is for information, education and entertainment purposes only. In no way is I Am Speaking intended to provide medical advice or substitute for mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are feeling suicidal, thinking about hurting yourself or concerned that someone you know may be in danger of hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Hotline at 988, or call 911.

Casey Is Speaking (More) - Part 2

“I literally put everything out there…

My hope is for those that listen may hear it and not just feel sadness for this kid…but maybe you might hear yourself at times in it and feel a bit more connected…a bit more seen.

And be sure to check out part 2…not to give spoilers, but things get better!

Thanks for listening…and if there’s anything you hear that you connect with and you feel any kind of way and need to talk about it. I’m here.” - Casey Gustafson

That is Casey describing Part 1 of his story (if you haven’t listened to it yet, stop here and go listen to it - you cannot see Return of the Jedi before A New Hope or Empire Strikes Back!) And as he spoiled for us, it does get better.

His advice at the end is something we all want, we all need, and we all long for. It is simple to hear or say, but it’s not easy to believe. But we can work on it together  

Casey is a work in progress, just as we all are. He is learning to love the scared little kid who just needed to be seen. In fact, that’s the reason he shared his story on I Am Speaking in the first place, so if someone out there feels connected or needs to connect, he might be able to be of service  

 

Casey Is Speaking - Part 1

To meet Casey now, you’d think this man has got it made - a great job, recently finished his college degree, living in Chicago, engaged to be married, has an awesome dog. And you would be right - things look pretty good for Casey. 

That assumption would do an injustice to Casey’s story. His life has been anything but ideal and picturesque, his struggles have been real, and he came very close to throwing it all away, several times. When you listen to Casey talk of how his life unfolded, and how he had to pick himself at some of the worst moments you can imagine for a person, it sheds new light on the idea of renewed hope, and owning one’s worth. 

Casey is our first 2 part episode. One interview session was not enough to adequately do justice to his experiences. Religious indoctrination, being a gay man in a conservative space, untreated mental illness, substance abuse and addiction. No one lives in a vacuum, and neither do our experiences. Casey is a prime example of that, and a testament to what we are capable of if we don’t give up on ourselves.