Coping 101

"The CDC reports that queer youth attempt suicide at nearly three times the rate of their straight peers.   About half of all queer youth report recent symptoms of depression… but there's a ray of hope.   You know what stops these numbers cold?   A voice.   Not my voice, not our voice: your voice.   When a queer kid feels threatened, or ashamed, or isolated, one expression of reassurance, kindness...

"Even though we come from different communities we all get to meet here, and the school truly acts as a bridge between all of our communities ."  Wilbur-Creston-Keller is the ultimate cooperative school, bringing three different rural communities together to give all these students a second home. Wilbur-Creston-Keller Cooperative School is so much more than the sum of it's parts.   This small scho...

"One of our team physicians published a study . . . about rates of suicide in student athletes, and it came from a database that was national, not just here at the University of Washington, and looked at a ten year period in what the suicide rate was . . . Not only was suicide the second leading cause of death in student athletes, the rate of suicide . . . doubled from the first ten years to the s...

"We knew in our bones that mental health had to be woven into what was being offered in community life, just as we had done with cancer screenings or diabetes education ... we built on the same everyday tools we had used before: creating safe spaces to talk and breaking down stigma.  When community takes care of each other that's when you can see changes . " Building trusted individual-centric car...

"Harm reduction is a really useful term, but it's a bit of a misnomer. Some people are moving toward the phrase Risk Reduction. Risk is always present, but if you play a good game you can eliminate your risks entirely."   This special episode of Coping 101 is hosted by Madlon, c89.5's host of Color Theory , DJ, mental health advocate, and longtime raver. DanceSafe's Richard Hartnell joined Madlon...

Coping with life's stresses and trauma manifests in the decisions we make. Contrary to some widely held assumptions, 90% of young adults in Washington State  aren't  driving under the influence, and most  aren't  using Marijuana on a regular basis. We need to emphasize the positive decisions these young people are making, and this episode dives into practical ways more of us can follow their lead....

"Just talk about it, normally. Having more open conversations about mental health, bringing it up more, allows people to be more comfortable and open to talking about that topic. Since it can be really hard, the more regular that it is, the easier that it is to talk about." Teens have a lot to teach us, when we're ready to listen.  Every year, Forefront in the Schools welcomes nearly 150 students...

Teen Dating Violence isn't talked about enough, and yet it's all too common. Toxic relationships can happen to any of us at any age, and some cross the line into abuse, manipulation, and violence.  Dylan and Estelle, students at The Bush School in Seattle, sat with Audrey Comber to dismantle stigmas around violence in teen relationships, and discuss ways to recognize warning signs before problems...

Before there were influencers, Donald Byrd was busy influencing art and culture through his countless contributions in Dance. As an established force on both coasts with Seattle now his home, the iconic choreographer shares stories, insights and deep feelings that are the culmination of an artist's life well lived.    In this honest conversation with high school senior Gavin M., the legend articul...

After a "voice of God" moment in 2012, Vee Hua set about making their first film—a process that has taken years.  Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer. They're currently the Editor-in-Chief of  REDEFINE , a Co-Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission, and until recently, the Interim Managing Editor of the  South Seattle Emerald . Prior to that, they were the Executive Direc...

Loving kindness can be one of the most transformational practices for individuals, and for societies at large. As a practice, it sounds like this: May I be loved. May I be cared for. May I be healthy. May my heart know peace. And then for someone you love: May they be loved. May they be cared for.  May they be healthy. May their heart know peace. Damithia Nieves lives a life informed by intentiona...

What does a crisis look like? It's up to youth and their families to define that answer. One thing, however, is for sure: Crisis is never convenient. Crises don't pick the most opportune time and place to strike, and so for any help to be effective, it needs to be flexible - and in many cases, mobile. When your brain goes off the tracks, getting help is much more feasible if someone can come to yo...

Plant Medicine ceremonies... Vision Quests... sensory deprivation float tanks ... sound pretty far out?? For Andrew Ginn - Freelance Producer, Author and co-owner of Float Seattle - these are very real practices that inform a holistic lifestyle centered in healing.    The life of a Freelance concert and events Producer is a physically rigorous one. The life of a business owner can be mentally stre...

The term Hardcore means different things to different people. For Jimni Cricket, Hardcore means obnoxiously happy . For over a decade, Jimni Cricket has been an EDM DJ with a focus on the Happy Hardcore genre, releasing content online, streaming elaborate fan-fueled sets on Twitch, spinning at raves, and is more recently a weekly Radio host on c89.5 fm in Seattle.    Recent High School grad J Cool...

Meeting people where they are, you learn more about what they really need. Stephanie Sarantos and Karina Gasperin have applied this philosophy for the past few years in building   Well Being , a Youth and Family Resource Center   based in Bothell, Washington. Stephanie comes to us from The Clearwater School, an alternative school with an exciting model. Karina is the CEO of Mujeres con Actitud Lat...

Dustin Curtis talks with socks on his hands for a living. He's at once an artist, administrator, performer and  Puppeteer.  As Executive Director of  Socks On My Hands Productions , Dustin leads the nonprofit Puppet Arts organization which focuses on Creative Skill Fluency. He's studied the artform internationally, been President of the Puppeteers of America and founded Trivia Puppet Company out o...

"Very often our youth have experienced some sort of very large schism, either in the family or in the family's stability. There are often expectations that kids cannot meet, or kids who are basically left behind by their families. The best thing a therapist can do is provide validation, and delight in a human's presence. Find something that they just love about that person. Being able to find that...

In the United States, until you become a citizen you're not guaranteed many of the equal and basic rights afforded to the majority of the population. And to become "undocumented" can be a nightmare, affecting and interfering with your physical health, mental health, family, occupation... virtually everything. Navigating these obstacles can seem impossible, unless you can find help. "In a nutshell,...

  They say  'You can't be all things to all people' , but what if there was a place that gave all the people all the things they needed? Student host Gavin recently connected with a few impressive teens who've found this place in their community, and they discuss how getting their needs met has helped them thrive.    The  Community Resource Center  of  Stanwood Camano provides resources for basic...

"If we don't talk about it, and the systems stay in place, we won't get too many changes. We have to change not just the mind of the folx, but we have to change their hearts and their vision. What do you see? How do you feel about what you see? Mental Health is not one thing, it's connected to all of those. Your mental, your spiritual, your physical, your emotional... when those are all in line th...

Taanvi Arekapudi wants you to know that you're not alone , and there is hope and help out there. At only 15 years of age, Taanvi Arekapudi is an accomlished Teen Mental Health Advocate, Speaker & Bestselling Author. At age 13 she wrote the international best-seller, "Uplift Teens Today: Coping Strategies for Mental Health;" and a year later created the "Emotion Cards: Unveiling the Power of Emotio...

"Everyone is our neighbor. Even if they are someone who we may not align ourselves with, who we may not agree with, they are still our neighbors. And we still believe that housing is a human right." Miriam Clithero is a former journalist with a background in psychology and trauma informed care, who currently serves as the Director of Prevention and Stability at Mary's Place. She sat down with a me...

"Music helped me overcome my mental hurdles by teaching me to be a problem solver... and solve problems. Solve equations. Think of things in layers, instead of all at once." Brittany Davis drops the gems as effortlessly as they drop the jams . Originally from Kansas City, Brittany is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, rapper, and sound engineer - now calling Seattle home. Or from their own perspecti...

"Every one of us has a story about a number of things. And our grief is a huge story, because it's our story of love. We grieve because we love."   Charlene Ray is a Grief Guide, Therapist, Writer and Educator who regularly consults with Forefront Suicide Prevention as a trainer and speaker. She runs her own practice on Whidbey Island, WA focusing on a variety of techniques and therapies around gr...

"We want to be driven, but it's about recognizing when you've hit harmonious passion versus obsessive passion. And when it's harmonious, you're still doing things that make you feel joyful. You're still spending time with friends. You're still eating healthy, hanging out with your family. You're balanced.  When it's obsessive, you stop doing all of those extra things... you've lost sight of what r...