Hi! I'm Elise Dolinar a former broadcast professional, holistic health junky and mental health advocate and this is Our Secret Self: Living with a Mental Illness. As someone who has dealt with depression for more than half my life, I’ve really struggled to find people to confide in because most of them just don’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and friends and I’ve talked with therapists, but I feel like they truly don’t understand what’s going on.

This podcast is about living and thriving with a mental illness.

It will also be about finding people who understand what you’re living with, discovering different things that might help with symptoms and seeing a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

You can expect mental health stories, shared experiences, inspirational and informational tidbits as well as interviews with individuals living with a mental illness and those in the mental health profession each week on this podcast.

I started this podcast because I’ve felt like I don’t fit in, that people misunderstand me, that I’m not good enough and that life will always be hard and I know there are others who feel the same. With everything going on in the world, people have never felt more isolated. We all need someone who understands what we are feeling and why.

I’m not a doctor, I don’t have a cure, my life is messy and I don’t have an answer for everything, but I hope I make you feel seen, accepted and validated after listening to this podcast. Will you come on this journey with me? Be sure to subscribe to Our Secret Self: Living with a Mental Illness so you never miss an episode and join our group on Facebook for more conversation.

In the meantime, I want you to take a deep breath, give yourself grace and believe in the possibility of tomorrow.