Mental Health Download: Exploring Mental Illness, Suicide, Homelessness and Incarceration

Elena Joy Thurston is an inspirational LGBTQ+ speaker, trainer, author and founder of the nonprofit Pride and Joy Foundation, which is dedicated to reducing the rate of suicide and homelessness in the LGBTQ+ community. A Mormon mom of four who lost her marriage, her church and her community when she came out as lesbian, her viral TEDx Talk on surviving conversion therapy has been viewed more than...

Karen LaPlante is the director of education at Mental Health Association Oklahoma. She has overseen our Zarrow Mental Health Symposium for 20 years. On today's episode, learn about the event and what you can do to get involved. Learn more at https://www.zarrowsymposium.org

*WARNING* This episode contains a reference to suicide some may find triggering. If you or someone you know is struggling, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Sgt. Aaron Quinonez (Sgt. Q) is a veteran, author and speaker. After serving in the military, he struggled with mental health and nearly ended his own life. Now, he's helping others struggling with mental health and t...

In this episode, Pat Nichols, with the organization Parents Helping Parents, gives advice on how to navigate the difficult arena of helping a loved one struggling with addiction. Speaking from his own experience, he shares what he's learned and how he's now using what he went through to help others. For more information on Parents Helping Parents, click here > https://www.parentshelpingparents....

Psychiatric expert Dr. Murali Krishna talks to MHAOK about mindfulness and the mind-body-spirit connection.  He also takes us through a mindfulness exercise you can do anywhere with just the tools you have within yourself. 

Business owner Eric R. talks to MHAOK about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and his suicide attempt. He shares how he overcame those challenges and how he stays motivated in life today.  This episode contains content that some may find triggering.  If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).&nbsp...

"What we have, because brains wire in response to what happens between us - between me and another person, between me and my community, between me and my place of work - the locus of the dysfunction is not necessarily only in our brain. It may not even be mainly in our brain it's between us. And when we can heal what's sick between us, then the brain actually has a chance to use the biological thi...

"And I think - going back to the community and finding out what their needs are - you just mentioned cultural humility and I'd like to define cultural humility as the practice of not knowing because we're professionals and we know a lot of things and rarely do we focus on what we don't know. But we have to engage in this quest for learning more about the communities that we serve because we get ca...

In this episode of the Mental Health Download, our guest host Fraz Javed interviews Associate Director Greg Shinn as they explore the intertwining of social commentary in musical genres such as jazz and hip-hop. Greg also discusses his early career in music and how it would later influence his later path as the Association’s Chief Housing Officer. In addition to being our guest host for this episo...

Dr. Chandini Sharma, a geriatrician at Geriatric Center of Tulsa, talks with her friend and today's host, Jane Mudgett, about how food and fitness play a role in preventing dementia.

On today's Mental Health Download Podcast from the nonprofit Mental Health Association Oklahoma, our guest is Claire Grace, a college student at the University of Oklahoma. Claire is a Diana Award recipient, an award presented in memory of Princess Diana. Claire’s award was given for her community service and her advocacy for inclusion and compassion through a public speaking initiative she has de...

On today’s episode, our guest hosts, Abigail Lara and Kelly Rojo Reyes, interview former Tulsan, Jose Emmanuel Vega, regarding the intersectionality in the Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. Abby and Kelly both identify within the Latinx community, so they see the prominence of the so-called “machismo” culture as well as other cultural stigmas and how it hinders the advancement of the LGBTQ+ community...

Listen to the live audio from a special media event this morning in Tulsa at Friendship Church featuring Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, and local dignitaries. Together, they fought hard for voter-approved Medicaid expansion. More Oklahomans across the state will finally have health care coverage starting today, July 1. And more than 124,000 Oklahomans have already qua...

On this episode, Matt Dean celebrates Juneteenth with his friend and guest Kenyari’ Bevan Porter. Kenyari’ means “Determined Woman.” She is passionate about body positivity and self-love. Being “teased, bullied, and told no because of her differences” propels her to knock down the man-made rules of what is normal and acceptable. Knowing that God’s banner over her is love and having a supportive fa...

"Don't take it personally when people don't make things accessible for you. It's not that they're trying to do it with any menace. It's just that people don't understand. And, unfortunately, even though it's tiring and it's exhausting, you do have to educate. And, hopefully, by educating, we can make the world a more accessible and better place for everyone." -- Jenna Adair, MHAOK student intern w...

On today's episode, we're spotlighting the Tulsa Ballet Studio's production of "Between US 2 - Rewind." Based on true events, it captures the reality of show creator Nina Madsen Puckett’s struggle with mental illness, and incorporates author Francesco Granieri’s experience as a family member of someone with mental illness (as portrayed in his book, “Pavarotti and Pancakes”.) Get all the...

At the five score anniversary [of the Tulsa Race Massacre,] let us exhale and let us breathe freely, oxygenating our efforts on three fronts. One, healing our history, Two, making an appreciative inquiry into our past. And, three, recommending to diversity, equity and inclusion. If we do this, we will have honored the memory of one of our darkest days by illuminating it with a bright new light. —...

On this episode, special guest host Jane Mudgett talks with Mark Wilson & Alison Anthony about Mark's addiction to alcohol, how their family helped Mark in his recovery, and the power of yoga. 

NEW EPISODE >  Help for the Healer ECHO with Comm'r Slatton-Hodges & Comm'r Frye > mhaok.org/podcast During the pandemic, health care workers have given so much to care for our communities, oftentimes at the expense of their physical and emotional health. So today, we'll explore the Help for the Healer ECHO virtual program aimed at supporting provider resiliency and caring for the c...

As we continue celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month, we're spotlighting Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and Mental Health Association Oklahoma's youth advocacy program, Empowered Voices. Join the pod's host for the day, Greyson Phipps, for an interview with Empowered Voices members Rachael Hollis and Atlas Underhill. Empowered Voices provides a safe environment for youth ages 16-24 wh...

To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, Jacob Beaumont, of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, offers you this gratitude meditation.  In the meditation, Jacob said, "The great news is that gratitude, much like mindfulness, is a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger it gets, and the easier it becomes to see the good things in our lives -- both big and small."  

It's severe weather season and some people may be dealing with severe weather anxiety. Today on the podcast, Jon Haverfield talks to Steve Piltz, who is the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service. Jon and Steve give us ways we can cope and deal with severe weather anxiety and make it through the tornado season that we're currently in.

On today's episode, Cynthia Mooney, the Association's children's behavioral health community coordinator, interviews three experts working in the field of infant and early childhood mental health: Ashleigh Kraft, MA, LPC-S, IMH-E® Infant Mental Health Mentor, Clinical Owner, Balanced Perspectives LLC Autumn Cooper, MBS, LPC-S, RPT-S, IMH-E® (III) Board Member of OK-AIMH Co-Founder/Co-Owner of Nurt...

You’re listening to the Mental Health Download Podcast from the nonprofit Mental Health Association Oklahoma. I’m Whitney Cipolla, the Association’s Advocacy Specialist.  I’m joined by Dr. Rebecca Hubbard with Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences.   In this episode, we’ll interview Senate Minority Leader, Senator Kay Floyd of District 46 and Representative Jeff Boatman re...

On today's Mental Health Download Podcast, Matt Gleason talks with the Association's own youth mental health advocates, Cheryl Delk and  Caroline Pollard, to explore a variety of issues related to youth mental health in Oklahoma.