I Am Speaking

Evander Beatty Is Speaking

“I am just a little OCD…”

”Stop being so OCD about it!”

“I know what you mean, I can’t stand dirty dishes!!”

Sound familiar? If it does, it’s probably because you have either heard it said or said it yourself, about being particular, or wanting things clean, or needing to be organized. Unfortunately, the problem here is that phrases like those do not nearly capture what living with OCD is like. 

Our guest today is so passionate about helping people understand his life with OCD, he wrote a book about it. Evander Beatty knows that OCD can be debilitating. It can be damaging, physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. It is not about “just needing to be clean” but the internal war that occurs when something is not clean, or done properly, or organized in a certain way. 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder impacts the sufferer, but also the family, friends, colleagues and community of the sufferer. Evander has been through some dark times, but he came out the other side. And he’s sharing his story. Listen to his story. And remember, you never know what someone might be enduring. Those experiences are not a joke. They are real and sometimes painful. The more we understand each other, the more we can help each other navigate the world. 

DangerLife: A Dark Voyage Thru OCD https://a.co/d/j3s2VST

Eric Herrera Is Speaking

Eric Herrera was 19 years old when he entered the military. It was at the height of the war in Iraq, and Eric was deployed to Baghdad where he was a combat engineer trained to detect IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) on the streets among the trash. During his time in Iraq, Eric was faced with some harrowing experiences, some horrifying losses, and trauma that was often too painful to discuss. Until he found his own therapy - writing. 

We hear about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in our service members often, but you don’t find many people who are willing to talk about their own PTSD from combat. Well, we found Eric. And we are so grateful that we did and that he trusted us with his story. 

We offer a lot of lip service to being grateful to those who serve. But we need to actually do more - more resources, more tools. People who literally put their lives on the line for the rest of us deserve more than lip service. And everyone deserves to live a full life, with a plan for the future. 

Eric Herrera has written a book about his experience in the military, and uses podcasts and other appearances to spread awareness of PTSD, and connect with other veterans who often cannot share their trauma with others. After you listen to his story on I Am Speaking, go buy his book (available on Amazon, or ask a local bookseller for it!):

”A Bomb Hunters Story: My Life Clearing the Roads of Iraq” by Eric Herrera

 

Dawn Kezerle Is Speaking

This episode is POWERFUL.

There is so much to say, and hardly the words to describe what is contained in this episode with Dawn. Dawn is an old friend of Kosha. They had a falling out and a separation of ways about halfway through high school, and you hear both Dawn and Kosha talk about what actually happened almost 30 years ago for the first time (turns out, 16 year olds tend not to have the emotional maturity for hard conversations.

But this episode is more than a stroll down memory lane. Dawn's experience with complex trauma, anxiety, depression is only part of her story. Her resilience, taking a stand against her mental health struggles and her self-possession is the powerful part that every person should listen to. She's an incredible woman who has invested and continues to invest in her mental health and mental fortitude. We should all take her advice to heart.

Trigger warnings: child abuse, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation

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. 

 

Shane Thrapp Is Speaking

We were blown away by this conversation with Shane Thrapp, our guest today in the Speaker’s Chair  Shane has Adult ADHD, ASD and Social Anxiety. He shares with us what he knows about ADHD, how he coped with the trauma associated with growing up with ADHD, and what he’s doing to stop the cycle of stigma and compounded trauma for people with ADHD now  

We know you have not met anyone like Shane (unless you’ve actually met this guy). He is larger than life, he is kind, he is self—aware and he is committed to creating order from chaos  

Anyone who has ADHD, lives or just knows someone with ADHD, works with or manages someone with ADHD, or just wants to gain some understanding, and thereby maybe some compassion, for people with ADHD, listen to Shane speak. If we can understand each other better, we can navigate the world together better  

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion of addiction and abuse. 

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 w/ Scott Collins

Not all superheroes wear capes.

Some wear slacks and a collared shirt during the school year, and scuba gear in the summer. So is the case with our guest on today’s episode of I Am Speaking w/ Expert Voices.

Scott Collins is a teacher of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) at a public high school in suburban Chicago. But to listen to Scott is to understand he is inspiring “Citizen Scientists”. He is thoughtful, deliberate and passionate about teaching kids who are thoughtful, deliberate and passionate. He cares about raising kids who are curious and socially aware. He knows the importance of an educated and science literate future. 

Listening to Scott, you’ll wish you had him as a teacher. And if you had someone like him as a teacher, you’ll want to reach out and thank them. 

Amanda Is Speaking

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW): “School social workers are often called on to help students, families, and teachers address problems such as truancy, social withdrawal, overaggressive behaviors, rebelliousness, and the effects of special physical, emotional, or economic problems.” Barker, 2003). 

Meet Amanda Collins, who is going on her 16th year in the field of school social work. Now on top of the basic trials and tribulations of “being a middle school-aged person” (and there are many), add violence in the home, unstable family living situation, poverty, perhaps having to parent siblings, going without meals, covert and overt racism, and substance abuse and clearly, Amanda has many irons in the fire as she helps these young people navigate their social-emotional, behavioral and academic lives. On top of all that, add in a pandemic, losing family members to Covid and to violence, fear, lack of resources and teachers leaving the schools in droves, and one might question how one person can take this all in and all on. 

If you have or have had those questions, listen to Amanda. Her work is deeply important, and often overlooked or undervalued. Listen to Amanda, and hug a school social worker today if you can. 

Jana Is Speaking

Most of us have seen a show meant for entertainment with a hypnotist. He hyponostizes someone from the audience, brings them up on stage and has then cluck like a chicken or bark like a dog. It’s entertaining to some, it’s embarrassing to others, but is it all real?

What is actual hyponosis, and how is it used in a therapeutic, purposeful setting? For that we turned to Certified Hyponotherapist Jana Osta. Her story leading up to how and why she changed careers to becoming a hypnotherapist is as fascinating as the field itself. 

After you’ve listened to this episode, tune in to HER podcast, Tune In With Jana, where Kosha will be a guest in an upcoming episode. 

We promise you won’t cluck like a chicken or bark like a dog (unless you want to!) but you will learn something. 

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. 

Louisa Is Speaking

Going to therapy can be difficult, scary and sometimes feel like one is opening Pandora’s Box. But it can also be liberating, healing and feel like someone is giving you the tools to live your best life  After years of complex trauma, abuse, anxiety and depression, Louisa discovered that therapy is all of those things and more  

Living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) Louisa has had to learn how to prioritize her mental health, advocate for herself and her family, recognize triggers. and establish boundaries. Her story is inspiring. 

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 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or call 911.

Jen Taylor Is Speaking

Every episode of I Am Speaking w/ Shailushi and Kosha is special. We love all of our guests. Without their openness and honesty and willingness to be vulnerable, our show would be two sisters just razzing each other and talking about growing up in the middle of corn fields (that might be an awesome show but it is not *this* show.)

Every so often we get a guest on the show that is amazing for a somewhat different reason. Today is one of those episodes: Jen Taylor is Kosha’s best friend. 

Jen’s daughter Ava lives with ADHD, ODD, social anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Their family has been through the ringer with some of these challenges over the years, but Jen has learned, grown, and changed how she does things to help her daughter grow in a supportive and resourceful environment. 

Jen’s love for her family, her compassion for her daughter, and her frustration at the system at times comes through loud and clear in this conversation. Please also listen to her advice toward the end. Many times we ask “well can we do about it?” She offers one simple way we can help…and it all starts with a bit of introspection and compassion. 

We Are Speaking w/ Dr. Tara C. Smith

Dr. Tara C. Smith is a gem. It’s that simple. She’s a gem. 

Her CV is not so simple. It’s stacked. Tara has a Bachelors in Biology from Yale, a PhD in Microbiology from University of Toledo, post-doc training in molecular epidemiology at University of Michigan. She was an Associate Professor at University of Iowa and the director of its College of Public Health’s Center for Emerging Infectious Disease. For the past 9 years she’s been a Professor in the College of Public Health at Kent State University.

With all of the pedigree and accolades, peer-reviewed journal articles and academic appointments, Tara spends much of her time on science communication, science literacy and overcoming vaccine hesitancy for the masses. She is very active in science communication and outreach. She has maintained a science blog since 2015, and has written books on Group A and B Streptococcus, and Ebola. A second book on Ebola was published by MIT Press in 2016. She also writes about infectious disease for several national sites, pens a column for SELF.com, and serves as a member of the advisory board of the Zombie Research Society.

This woman is incredibly smart, forward thinking and a relentless advocate for science literacy.