The Just A Mom Podcast

Shana Burgess serves as the Director of Prevention and Community Relations for Johnson County Mental Health ( https://www.jocogov.org/department/mental-health ) in Johnson County, Kansas, which is a suburb of Kansas City and the largest county in the state of Kansas. Shana shares several valuable nuggets in this episode, my favorite of which is “You don’t have to wait until it’s crisis enough” to...

Jamie and I were connected by a mutual friend five years ago when Jamie’s son entered an inpatient mental health hospital. Jamie was quickly trying to figure out next steps after his release. I’ve kept in touch with Jamie over the years and am glad to report her son is doing well and managing his mental illness successfully. In this episode, Jamie references her son’s call to the National Suicide...

Once again, #Zeroreasonswhy(www.zeroreasonswhy.org) is part of this podcast and this episode. They connected Carrie and me, and Carrie was excited to share her insights as an about-to-be therapist (now a fully licensed practicing therapist—https://www.theporchswingkc.com/). Carrie shares her own journey and how it propelled her to become a therapist. She also gives valuable insight and information...

I met Melanie five years ago at the first You Matter Festival. She was there representing her son’s organization as part of the resource fair. There is always an immediate bond when two moms who have fought similar battles meet. And that was Melanie and me. Melanie was one of the first people I reached out to interview when I started the Just A Mom podcast. And she was more than willing to share t...

I’ve known Denise for several years. But we were typical women who would be social with each other, neither revealing anything other than “everyone is doing well” about our kids. A little over a year ago Denise and I were on a trip together. We started talking more deeply about our kids, and I learned for the first time that, like me, Denise had a child who struggles with clinical depression. Plea...

When my mother passed away recently, an acquaintance asked my husband if her name was Alice. That’s because Alice is my surrogate mom. I’ve known, loved, and been loved by Alice for 15 years. Ironically, I met Alice when 4-year-old Will went to her house (next door to ours) when we were moving in because he was bored. I knew some of her story as a mom of a struggling child but I learned a lot more...

I’ve known Kari for many years. She is the wife of my oldest son’s high school football coach. My son was very close to him, and his tragic and early death in 2017 rocked our community. Kari is one of the many parents who have called me over the past few years because her daughter was suicidal. Kari was also an early encourager of the Just A Mom podcast. Kari has chosen to use her pain and experie...

I first encountered Dr. Shayla Sullivant, child and adolescent psychiatrist, four years ago. My husband and I attended a mental health event in our area, and Dr. Sullivant was there presenting her research on safe storage as well as the prepped and ready program. And then COVID happened. But like it was for some things, COVID was a blessing in disguise for Prepped and Ready. Dr. Sullivant took thi...

I first met Stacy in august of 2021 when her daughter, Isabel, sang and spoke at the You Matter Festival ( https://youmatterfestival.net/ ). We immediately bonded over the common experience of parenting a child with mental health issues. Stacy and Isabel have been wonderfully candid about Isabel’s battle with Anorexia and Bulimia. They shared Isabel’s struggle on a Kansas City new station ( https:...

I felt like this episode was important to tell our story from my husband and my perspective. We talk about feeling like failures as parents, the isolation, challenges to our marriage and lots of other hard things.  We share things we’ve learned along the way and how we managed the hardest, darkest days.  This is the first of two episodes with Dan. During those hardest, darkest days I felt very alo...

This episode is a continuation of Episode 2 with my husband, Dan.  We talk about the You Matter Festival ( www.youmatterfestival.net )  that our son, Will, started, and how a little video I did for #ZeroReasonsWhy ( www.zeroreasonswhy.org ) was the impetus to the Just A Mom podcast. And, to be clear, our journey as parents of a child with mental illness isn’t over.  Will has a chronic disease that...

The first show is the whole reason I became a mental health advocate and, ultimately, started the Just A Mom Podcast.  Will is my youngest son, and he struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.  When Will was in the worst of his battle, I felt alone and hopeless.  There were basically no resources that I could find other than one book to help support me as a parent of a child with...

My name is Susie.  I have three children, the youngest of whom struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. I never thought this could happen to me, and I missed the signs.  Being a parent is really hard, and I'm here to help! I'm talking to parents and experts to help you with the issues your kids may face.  I want you to know that you are not alone and there is hope. Check out more...