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

Esmé Weijun Wang is the author of the New York Times-bestselling essay collection The Collected Schizophrenias and the novel The Border of Paradise, which was one of NPR's Best Books of 2016. Born in the Midwest to Taiwanese parents, Esmé lives in San Francisco. She will be a keynote speaker at our Zarrow Mental Health Symposium in October. We are thrilled that Esmé joined us for our two-part expl...

On this episode, Noe Rodriguez looks back on what inspired his life as a homeless outreach worker in Tulsa, tells some funny and inspirational stories and looks forward to the next big step in his life. Noe is our friend so we will miss him dearly at Mental Health Association Oklahoma, but we're excited for the next chapter in an already remarkable life.

Today we’re talking with award winning journalist Joshua Dulaney. He joined The Oklahoman in November 2016. In both 2018 and 2019 he earned newspaper writer of the year honors from the Great Plains Journalism Awards. We asked Josh to be on the show today because he’s the host of the Oklahomans’ podcast, the United States of Oklahoma, a podcast exploring the people of Oklahoma.  We’ll also tal...

We’re talking with Margy and Hoang Lam. The Oklahoma City couple produce the Defining Moments podcast. Hoang hosts and Margy works behind the scenes.  Together, they have built a great following because they believe in the power of positive people with unique stories. By sharing stories, they hope to inspire a more positive world. It’s an honor they’re on the show because we love their missio...

It’s Monday, August 5, 2019 and we’re still reeling from the mass shootings that claimed 20 lives in El Paso on Saturday and another nine in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday. A Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health found that the contribution of mental health conditions to violence in our society is very small. But  Gallup polling data from January, 2013 showed that 48% of adult Americans blame the...

On this episode, Mark Davis, the Association's chief programs officer, interviews our guest, Dr. Carl Hart. Dr. Hart grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Miami where drug use was prevalent. The truth is that he even used and sold drugs.  However, interesting enough, that life led him to the Air Force and later to the esteemed role of Columbia University professor acclaimed for his research...

On this episode, Mental Health Association Oklahoma's CEO, Mike Brose, interviews his friend and collaborator Kathy Langois. She is based in Canada and represents the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership. It’s  a unique international collaborative of nine countries that focuses on improving mental health and addictions services.  Mike has been working alongside Kathy as...

 On today’s of the Mental Health Download,  we have three interviews all tied to Adverse Childhood Experiences, better known as ACEs. Oklahoma's children have the highest ACE scores in the nation. Basically, the questionaire boils down to three categories: Abuse, Neglect and Household dysfunction, including mental illness, substance use and if a loved one has been incarcerated. To give y...

What happens when someone is evicted from their home? For some the answer is buying a room at a hotel, which is what Shade and Sheryl did until they ran out of money. Then, it was buying a tent. In this episode, we wanted to give listeners a chance to join us, first, as we visited Shade and Sheryl the first day they moved into a new apartment thanks to adopt a home and then, second, after the...

On this episode, Greg Shinn, of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, discusses Tulsa's annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness. It was officially released during the recording of this podcast. This is the second of a two-part series on point-in-time counts in Oklahoma. The first episode featured Greg interviewing Dan Straughan, of the Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma City.

On the new episode of the Mental Health Download podcast, our own Greg Shinn interviews his longtime friend and collaborator Dan Straughan, executive director of the Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma City. Together they discuss the results of the OKC Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness and what that means for the community. This is part one of a two-part series. The second epi...

On this episode of the Mental Health Download,  Mike Brose, the CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, interviews his longtime friend,    and one of the greatest supporters of our organization, Gail Richards. They're going to talk about a number of things, but, primarily, Gail is our guest today because she is courageously sharing her story so that others may understand what it'...

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, we were on location at the University of Tulsa for the Tulsa World's Let's Talk Forum on Mental Health.  The panelists included TU President Gerard Clancy, who is a psychiatrist; Terri White, commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; and Dr. Martin Paulus, scientific director and president of the Laure...

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, Mike Brose, CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, interviews his longtime friend and collaborator Mack Haltom, who is the executive director of the Tulsa Day Center. The homelessness experts talk about a variety of things, including homelessness myths and why collaboration is one of the greatest tools in the fight to end homelessness in Tulsa.&nb...

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, Jake Glantz, Mental Health Association Oklahoma's advocacy specialist, reviews Oklahoma's 2019 legislative session. You'll hear about the state of mental health funding, criminal justice reform and more. 

Jose Vega, of Oklahomans for Equality, explains what it was like to be rejected by his family because he was gay. Then, he explains what it was like surviving homelessness while also trying to balance the pressures of high school. For the second part of the Mental Health Download, we talk with Beth Svetlic, who oversees Mental Health Association Oklahoma's services for young people who have overco...

Michelle Hand, a mother of two,  shares what it was like experiencing postpartum depression after having her second child. Her advice to mothers is to reach out for help if they're experiencing depression even if it is hard. 

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, you'll hear highlights from this year's My Mind Matters rally at the Capitol. You'll hear speeches that will inspire you, break your heart and, most importantly, get you ready to advocate for essential mental health services wherever you live.

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, we take on weather anxiety. First, our host, Matt Gleason, talks with Tulsa meteorologist Jon Haverfield. Jon grew up battling weather anxiety but overcame it to the point he chases tornadoes for a living. Then, Matt interviews Julie Summers, who serves as Mental Health Association Oklahoma's Director of Outreach and Prevention. Julie offers helpful t...

On the latest episode of The Mental Health Download podcast, we’re kicking off Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s See Me campaign with a conversation with our very own Melodie Mills. Each day, Melodie’s helping people in Oklahoma City experiencing homelessness start a new life in recovery. She’s amazing at her job because she truly understands what they are going through and how to overcome the...

On this episode of the Mental Health Download, the CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, Mike Brose, and host Matt Gleason talk with Sophie Pazzo. She's a Tulsa teenager who shares her thoughts on the stigma of mental illness, suicide and the critical role teens like her play in making a difference in the community.

During our Mental Health Download podcast, we usually take on just one of four powerful topics each month. Well, during our latest episode we take on all four -- mental illness, suicide, incarceration, and homelessness. The reason we're taking on all four topics is because we're talking about New Year's resolutions that won't make you lose weight or help you start exercising, but they will give yo...

Welcome to the Mental Health Download from Mental Health Association Oklahoma. Each month on our program, we take on one of four themes that are too big to ignore: mental illness, suicide, incarceration and homelessness. During this episode, Mike Brose, CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, and our host, Matt Gleason, will explore what happened in the small Oklahoma town of Wilburton, Oklahom...

 What role can video games play in treating mental health and addiction? In this episode of Mental Health Association Oklahoma's podcast, The Mental Health Download, nationally-known professor in neurology, physiology and psychiatry, Dr. Adam Gazzaley, shares a global look at how technology is influencing and changing how we treat PTSD, ADHD, autism, depression, and more. Learn more about Mental H...

You're listening to the Mental Health Download from the nonprofit Mental Health Association Oklahoma. Each week on the download we explore mental illness, suicide, homelessness and incarceration. We hope you listen and subscribe.