Mequell Buck: Thriving with Mental Illness

Mequell went waaaaay outside of her comfort zone and entered the Ms Health and Fitness Competition as a Mental Illness Warrior and Suicide Survivor. She made it through to the online voting rounds and now explains the reason why she entered and how you can help spread even more awareness and education around the topic of mental illness. Give it a listen and vote here! Much love warriors xoxo Meque...

Mequell and Adam are joined by Officer Tyler Service to discuss his take on the mental illness crisis. Tyler has specific insights as he has responded to crisis calls and worked as a resource officer with teens. He also shares the impact traumas have on officers and his own experience dealing with trauma and getting help himself.

Mequell and Adam are joined by author and educator Dawn Day as they discuss her own experience parenting her three girls through periods of suicidality. She is very open and real about the challenges and hardships experienced and the differences between her professional training in the psychology world and having it in her own family. No one likes to eat humble pie. Along with her own experience t...

Mequell and Adam discuss hearing from two beloved listeners. Big takeaways: Everyone needs connection (even us!) How to help a critic become a cheerleader https://mentalillnesswarrior.com/ Instagram: Bipolar_2_Life

Mequell and Adam share some research and funny real-life examples about the effects medication (specifically SSRIs and beta-blockers which are most anti-depressants and anxiety meds currently prescribed) have on both the quality of the dreaming and your ability to recollect them in the morning. Bad news: these types of meds usually cause nightmares AND make you to remember them in detail. Good new...

Mequell and Adam talk about the #1 factor in preventing suicide: Flexibility. There has to be flexibility in thinking and when approaching the very real need of lifting the heavy weight when living with mental illness. Warriors need to be surrounded by awesome cheerleaders who love them but the way to truly help isn't giving a pep talk in how to be mentally stronger because those living with menta...

Mequell and Adam talk through some listener comments she's gotten recently that seem to indicate people may not really think she lives with this anymore ... or that she has it all figured out ... or that she has such MAD skills she's totally cured (none of which are true). Mental Illness does not go away, it must be managed. Forever. Until you die. Sounds dire yes, but with aforementioned mad skil...

Mequell and Adam are SO excited to announce the launching of their website Mental Illness Warrior. We hope to bring hope, humor and resources to those in the trenches. https://www.mentalillnesswarrior.com/

Mequell and Adam are joined by Jen Hilderbrand, President of the non-profit HOPE Mental Health Foundation. HOPE believes therapy is for everyone and seeks to provide financial assistance to those in a time of crisis. Jen got started in this incredible work because of her own personal experience and the change she saw in her own life when she was able to do the hard work of therapy guided by a grea...

Mequell and Adam discuss the stressors, realities and benefits of setting goals in a way that will work when living with mental illness. They also talk about how to best support as a cheerleader and encourage the setting of healthy, realistic goals for your mental illness warrior.  

Mequell and Adam are joined by a listener (and self proclaimed Fan Girl ;) Kelsey Williams. She shares her story being diagnosed with bipolar and her experience through college, as a newlywed, pregnancies and being a young mom while working with medications, psychiatrists and counseling. She has put in a tremendous amount of work and has some brilliant advice for others in her stage of life. I esp...

Mequell and Adam are joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Crystal Bowman for a discussion about the importance of evolving as a parent and allowing room for growth. Parenting is always a challenge but even more so when our children are working through their own mental health and mental illness issues. They address some listener questions about the rise in popularity of labeling common...

Mequell and Adam respond to a listener question of how to manage obligations (and sometimes guilt) that comes from extended family. Saying no to events and things that will overspend us is always tricky but even more so when it's with people we love (hopefully ;)  Listen in for ideas on how to avoid 'stepping in it' and yes, it's from stories and experiences that we did in fact step in over t...

Mequell and Adam are joined by Clinical Psychologist Quentin Brown for a fascinating discussion on specific issues LGBTQ+ individuals face and why suicide statistics are four times higher in this demographic. He shares his own experience of coming out as a gay man and experiencing suicidal ideation and thoughts for the first time. Most importantly he shares how we can help, support and hopefully p...

Mequell and Adam are joined by Sam (resident young adult and brains behind the scenes) for a discussion about why peer support is vital to help our teens and why peers provide a support role that can't be filled by parents. He shares his own experiences and offers ideas on how to be the best freakin friend ever and what to do if going to your parents is not a realistic option.  And yeah, you'...

Mequell and Adam are back for Season 4. Trigger warning ** this is an angry episode** Mequell talks about how loud and frustrating and screamy it feels inside her head when meds are not on point. Mequell and Adam share some research and ideas to cope when ruminating thoughts truly don't have a solution and your brain will. not. shut. up. about. it.

Mequell and Adam talk about the newly rolled out 988 Suicide Crisis Hotline and how to be a good help yourself as you're responding to a crisis. They also send a huge shout out to ALL of the cheerleaders and warriors in the mental health world working to make it a safer and more supportive space. <3

Mequell and Adam are joined by Katie Clark, founder of Peak Behavioral Consulting and Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA). Katie has years of experience in studying what she calls "the science that backs all the other sciences" which is essentially gathering, tracking and analyzing behaviors and why we do them. Mequell was geeking out the entire episode because tracking and analyzing data wa...

Mequell and Adam are joined by Crystal Partney, CEO of Scattering Hope which is an organization to help support after losing someone to suicide. Crystal started this organization after losing her own sister Gina and talks about the heart and soul behind her work. She is hosting a virtual summit July 11 - 24 featuring so many speakers addressing so many aspects of healing! Y'all go listen cuz it's...

www.kateymcpherson.com @kateyaz1 Mequell and Adam are joined by youth mental health advocate Katey McPherson. Katey has over 25 years experience as a teacher, guidance counselor and school administrator. She joins us for a discussion around helping our youth with coping, connectivity and ultimately keeping them safe with the rash of suicides and violence we are seeing. She offers real solutions in...

Mequell and Adam are joined by LMFT Jessica Westover to address legitimate issues within families living with mental illness. She offers very practical tips and ideas on how to improve relationships including taking breaks or "giving it a minute" as Mequell always likes to say :)

Mequell and Adam answer a listener question of how to recognize the different stages of mania and what you can do to help.

Mequell and Adam have a discussion around personality changes that can occur with medications answering a listener question. Sometimes those changes cause a swing a personality that lands in a spot (just like the depression) that is not your warriors true self. This doesn't mean that medication doesn't work or isn't worth taking. All this means is there is still a little more work to do to get the...

Mequell and Adam are joined by Clinical Mental Health Counselor Jeni Gessel MCMH - LAC for an enlightening (and complicated) discussion surrounding boundaries. Whether you are the warrior or cheerleader in dealing with mental illness keeping relationships healthy is the most important thing we can do. 

Mequell and Adam are joined by Fitness and Wellness Management expert Cheri Johnson of the Six Pack Dad Tribe who also happens to live with OCD. Along with an excellent discussion around OCD and her experience Cheri also shares principles of good habits, nutrition and exercise that have helped her cope.