Don’t miss this inspirational episode with Dr. E, a family practice physician with a specialty in pediatric anxiety and depression. Dr. E has four children. Her second child, Sophie, has Selective Mutism, a mental health condition where a person can’t talk in certain situations because of fear and anxiety. Dr. E says she knew something was off when Sophie was about 3 1/2 years old. Sophie was super talkative at home, but became a different person when she was out of the house. Advocating for her daughter sent Dr. E on a quest to find Sophie the right help. After several different diagnoses and even accusations of child abuse, Dr. E set out to figure out for herself what Sophie was battling. Through her research and work, Dr. E found the diagnosis of Selective Mutism and founded the Selective Mutism Association (https://www.selectivemutism.org/). Dr. E then created the Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT) and the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center (Smart Center) (https://selectivemutismcenter.org/), where thousands of people worldwide overcome Selective Mutism. Dr. E emphasizes the importance of parents trusting their guts, and how critical it is to be your child’s advocate. Dr. E concludes the episode by talking about the book Sophie wrote called Unspoken Words (https://www.amazon.com/Unspoken-Words-Childs-Selective-Mutism/dp/1467982598) at age 13. Sophie went to college and medical school and is now married and expecting her first child. Dr. E also hosts a podcast called Unspoken Words (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unspoken-words-a-selective-mutism-podcast-by-dr/id1621959774?i=1000732656789)
This episode is difficult but a must-listen for everyone. Libby Davis says they were just living the “average” life in 2021 when they received the call that every parent fears. The local police called to tell Libby and her husband that their 16-year-old son, Cooper, was having a medical emergency. Libby chronicles the unimaginable pain of that day and how their son, Cooper, and his friends bought 2 pills they thought were prescription Percocet and split the two pills five ways. Cooper was transported to the hospital, where he died later that day of fentanyl poisoning. The other four boys lived. Libby emphasizes that it was fentanyl poisoning, not an overdose, as the boys received counterfeit pills and Cooper took fentanyl unknowingly.
Libby shares that she knew immediately that she wanted to use Cooper’s story to educate and spread awareness. Even though both Libby and her husband are healthcare providers, Libby says they had no idea about the counterfeit pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl that are being sold on social media to kids all across the country. She wants to use her grief to keep other families from experiencing this tragedy. Three main points Libby emphasizes are:
1. This can happen to any family.
2. We have to talk about it in schools and at home, at any chance we have.
3. The only safe pill is one that is prescribed to you by a physician and filled at a pharmacy. If it comes from social media, you have to assume it’s fake, full of fentanyl, and will kill you.
Having spoken at over 70 schools to date, Libby emphasizes that this is not a one-time conversation and that one bad decision can result in death. Libby brings to light the role of drug cartels in the fentanyl crisis and shares some staggering statistics from the Drug Enforcement Administration (https://www.dea.gov/ (https://www.dea.gov/)). In February of 2023, more than 99% of drugs seized by the DEA were counterfeit, and fifty percent of those seized had a lethal dose of fentanyl in them. Libby also emphasizes that drugs are no longer being sold on street corners but on social media and apps that kids and teens use on a daily basis.
Some of the helpful resources Libby references are:
https://addictionisreal.org/our-story/
https://www.dea.gov/operation-engage
https://www.songforcharlie.org/
Don’t miss this important episode featuring Michael Mackniak, attorney and founder of Care Coalition (https://carecoalition.org/). Mike shares his journey as an attorney with 30 years of experience, much of it in probate courts. Mike emphasizes how it was through this work that he saw so many people in need of help, particularly in the realm of families supporting a loved one with a mental illness. The idea of Care Coalition came about based on Mike’s experience. Mike encourages parents and family members to be part of their loved one’s mental health team, to be educated and indispensable, so that care providers include them in the decision making process. In this episode, we also talk about HIPAA (https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html). Mike encourages family members to learn more about what HIPAA is and the rights family members actually have when a loved one is unable to make decisions because of their mental illness. Mike also shared that he is developing an app called Care Compass, which will help family members keep all of their loved one’s information electronically organized.
*Trigger warning—this episode contains explicit talk about suicide and specific methodology
Jason is an incredible dad who lost his 11-year-old son, Carson, to suicide in 2017. Jason shares openly and candidly about losing his son, and how his closest friends, or “bus family,” came in and helped Jason and his family navigate the days following Carson’s death. Shortly after Carson’s funeral, Jason started thinking about all the people who don’t have a “bus family,” and don’t know what to do or who to call in the immediate aftermath of losing a loved one. When he couldn’t find any resources online, Jason decided to establish Carson’s Village (https://carsonsvillage.org/) to assist families after losing a loved one. Carson’s Village, an official 501(c)3 nonprofit, launched in January of 2018 and helped their first family in the Dallas area, where Jason lives. To date, Carson’s Village has helped almost 9,000 families across the United States in the aftermath of losing a loved one. Jason shares that initially he thought he could help everyone in person, but quickly realized that was not possible, so they pivoted to an online format. Carson’s Village helps with practical things like selecting a funeral home, explaining the funeral process, and creating fundraising pages. Carson’s Village now provides support to families for up to two years after losing a loved one through check-ins, support groups, peer-to-peer programs, counselors, and a partnership with Better Help (https://www.betterhelp.com/ (https://www.betterhelp.com/)). Additionally, Jason and his team have developed Bereavement Village (https://bereavementvillage.com/ (https://bereavementvillage.com/)) to “support the supporters”—those on the front lines. Carson’s Village partners with school districts, hospitals, companies, police departments, and the like to help families in practical ways after the death of a loved one. Feel free to reach out to Jason personally at jason@carsonsvillage.org if you, your organization, or your employer is interested in partnering with Carson’s Village.
Jacqueline (https://jacquelinejanssen.com/) has turned all she has learned about mental illness from her son’s mental health journey into incredible advocacy. Her latest book, Every Homeless Person Has a Mother, chronicles Jacqueline’s experience as a parent of an adult child with schizoaffective disorder. Jacqueline’s son’s battle with mental illness started when he was 19 years old. Jacqueline talks about the myriad of therapies and treatments her son received and how he ultimately ended up homeless as a result of anosognosia (https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/common-with-mental-illness/anosognosia/) or the lack of ability to recognize and treat his mental illness. Jacqueline has been a tireless advocate for families through her own work and with NAMI (https://www.nami.org/) and encourages families to get involved in their local NAMI chapters. Jacqueline emphasizes that when a loved one is incapable of making decisions for his or her own good, HIPAA (https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html) allows mental health providers to talk to families. Jacqueline also discusses strategies for reunification of families if there is estrangement due to mental illness. Jacqueline graciously shares many resources with listeners:
Family Rights and HIPAA Facts: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W6DO-beIMgMww0xH1QTUBECiSXd85W8H/view?usp=drive_link;
HIPAA Decision Tree: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DsI-DpSCFrZLfgCknTqjaMqXTavh0AGu/view?usp=drive_link;
Family Involvement Accelerates Recovery: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IoCvWj7H56K-F4qtSL5hiGHriEn6Nk8U/view?usp=drive_link;
Every Homeless Person Has A Mother: https://everyhomelesspersonhasamother.substack.com;
https://www.nationalshatteringsilencecoalition.org/;
What I Wish I’d Known: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KnkPLJKF7TCNyvTwxgnZIhtAcDOCgoYQ/view?usp=drive_link
In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Adriane shares her extremely difficult journey as a wife who lost her husband to suicide in her late 20s. Adriane talks about her son, Braden, who was only 7 when his dad died by suicide. She also discusses how Braden struggled tremendously with his own suicidal ideation and how he lost his best friend to suicide at the age of 16. Adriane laments the difficulty in finding a good therapy fit for her son, and how she struggled herself to deal with the grief and loss in unhealthy ways along. While she struggled with her own depression, Adriane talks about how she worked to find joy in her life again. In 2018, Braden graduated from high school, and Adriane learned about AFSP (https://afsp.org/). She had felt that she was alone in a boat in the ocean with no one to talk to, and AFSP gave her a place to talk about her experience. Since that time, Adriane has been very involved with AFSP. Adriane strives to be a healing balm for others, which is a critical part of her own healing journey. Adriane now finds joy in helping others in whatever capacity they need. Adriane concludes this episode by emphasizing the importance of talking about mental health, asking questions, and being supportive to someone who is struggling. Adriane encourages listeners to ask the direct question if there are concerns about suicide, and to utilize 988 as a resource for help.
TRIGGER WARNING—this episode contains explicit talk about suicide and methodology
This episode is the continuation and conclusion of my conversation with Joanne. Joanne discusses the myriad of therapies and therapeutic modalities she has incorporated into her own healing work. She talks about her work on her master’s degree in counseling (https://www.agoodlifeworks.com/). Joanne emphasizes how important it is for parents to take care of their own mental health. Joanne says she realized there was a missing piece in her healing, and she has found that by volunteering with ATLAST (joinalast.org). Through ATLAST, Joanne is able to help Latino youth talk about their mental health.
TRIGGER WARNING— this episode contains explicit talk about suicide and methodology.
Listen as Joanne shares her heart-wrenching story of losing her oldest son, Jacob, to suicide in September 2022. Joanne shares that Jacob was a happy, easy child, and that she started noticing changes in his junior year in high school during Covid. Jacob stopped playing baseball, which he had always loved, and became more isolated in his senior year. He had an online relationship but did not want to socialize with others. When he graduated from high school, Joanne shares that Jacob wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life.
After sharing that he had thought seriously about suicide, Jacob agreed to go to counseling. However, when his online girlfriend broke up with him, he was devastated. Jacob died by suicide on September 25, 2022. Joanne was wracked with grief when Jacob’s father died by suicide less than a month after Jacob. Joanne vulnerably and honestly shares the depth of pain and grief she experienced, leading to her own suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalization.
Dr. Curt Thompson (https://curtthompsonmd.com/) is a widely known expert in interpersonal neurobiology, and I could not be more excited for you to hear this episode. Dr. Thompson’s genuine love and care for people shines brightly in this conversation where he highlights his unique insights about how the brain affects and processes relationships. Dr. Thompson focuses on what we all as humans want— to be known— and how shame and trauma keep us in hiding. He shares about the non-profit he founded, The Center for Being Known (https://www.thecbk.org/), and the “confessional communities” that are part of the Center. These communities, Dr. Thompson shares, foster an environment where people feel seen, soothed, safe, and secure, which leads to a deeper relationship with God and others. Dr. Thompson not only shares his expertise and wisdom but also some of his personal story of parenting an adult child who struggled with a mental health issue. Dr. Thompson is also the host of The Being Know Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-known-podcast/id1556261828), which helps people discover and explore what it means to be truly known.
The summer 2025 season concludes with a great conversation with Lynda Gargan. Lynda shares some of her personal story of raising a son with mental health challenges, as well as her professional journey that led her to The National Federation of Families (NFF, https://www.ffcmh.org/).
We discuss the importance of listening to our children, advocating for them, and mental health education. Lynda does a deep dive on all of the ways NFF works for families dealing with mental health issues and the mission of The National Federation of Families, which is a national family-run organization that serves as the national voice for families whose loved ones experience mental health and/or substance use disorders during their lifetime.
Lynda stresses the importance of treating the whole person and how, unfortunately, there is such a division between treating those who struggle with both mental illness and substance use disorder. Lynda encourages listeners to peruse the website and to call the NFF with any questions or for help.
We conclude by discussing the annual NFF Conference (https://www.ffcmh.org/2025-conference), which will be held virtually this year.
Iuri Melo was inspired to look for a solution to a rash of teen suicides in his community in Utah seven years ago. SchoolPulse (https://schoolpulse.org/) is a proactive, text-based student support service available throughout the United States that texts students evidence-based, cognitive behavioral skills and strategies twice a week. This approach provides students with anonymity, confidentiality, convenience, and privacy that results in honest interactions and leads to effective prevention. Students have 24/7 access to adults who partner with both schools and parents. No matter who you are, you will want to learn about SchoolPulse and share it with your friends, neighbors, schools, school boards, and school districts. Iuri has also authored two books, Mind Over Grey Matter (https://a.co/d/iwJnHSI) and Know Thy Selfie (https://a.co/d/flHwGeB).
I heard Cheryl speak at the National Federation of Families Conference (https://www.ffcmh.org/) in November of 2024, where she very vulnerably shared her experience of losing her son, DJ, to suicide seven years ago. On this episode, Cheryl talks about what a gifted athlete and student DJ was, and how she and her husband had no idea that DJ was struggling. Cheryl candidly discusses the hours, days, and weeks following DJ’s suicide and how their friends and community surrounded them and held them up during this time. Cheryl offers advice and tips to parents based on what she has learned since DJ’s death, as well as how her Christian faith has sustained her and led her to the establishment of the DJ Deas Marvelous Light Foundation (https://djdeasmarvelouslightfoundation.com). Cheryl’s life passion is to prevent another family from experiencing death by suicide. Cheryl wants people to know that even on the darkest days, there is still hope, and it’s ok to not be ok.
Kelly Jackson shares more in-depth about her personal journey of parenting a child with mental illness in the second part of my conversation with her. Kelly discusses how she had to adjust her dreams and expectations for her daughter, and how she had to stop trying to make her daughter just like herself. While there have been many ups and downs in their journey, Kelly shares how her daughter is learning resilience. Kelly also shares how her husband’s involvement in NAMI led Kelly to attend a Family to Family class, where she was able to feel seen and heard and not isolated. Kelly became the Executive Director of NAMI Johnson County, Kansas (https://namijoco.org/) two years ago, and encourages people to access the many free resources offered by NAMI nationwide (https://www.nami.org/)
Kelly Jackson is a mom who has vast personal experience with family members experiencing mental illness. In this episode of The Just A Mom Podcast, Kelly candidly shares her journey as a parent with a child with mental illness. Kelly’s daughter started exhibiting symptoms of mental illness after she fell out of a swing and suffered a concussion as a second grader. Kelly chronicles her daughter’s mental health journey, which included in-patient psychiatric hospitalization, an intensive outpatient program and individual therapy. Kelly shares the enormous difficulties her daughter had with school and how making a big change was the best thing for her daughter. While her daughter still struggles with depression, she was diagnosed with Autism as well after a new psychiatric evaluation. Kelly shares how difficult the journey has been, the importance of building a great support network, and how she is teaching her daughter to advocate for herself.
This episode is a don’t-miss for all. Kim is passionate about all kids belonging, particularly in church settings. But Kim’s book and principles apply to all of us, and we ended our time together by saying, “Just be a decent human being.” While this can seem so simple, Kim helps us understand the ways that we don’t do this well and how we can do it better, especially with kids and adults who have “invisible disabilities”. Kim talks about how trauma impacts children and their attachment and how neurodivergence affects the brain. Kim also gives great tips for parents on finding support for themselves as well as finding a good fit with a therapist for their child. Kim encourages us to be curious, to be kind, and to be flexible. Kim’s book, Boundless Hope for Every Child, can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Hope-Every-Child-Misunderstood/dp/B0DY6DD4DY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UN3KTWKHSSGZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BZrM7D3BKQXhFHXk8tIyF6Ofdilp5qNvisH5bNO0xeLGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps._2EKj8LaRoHuja85mrh0Giy8vo7uzQhXnFafG_md4- or on her website: https://kimbotto.com/
Don’t miss this summer kick-off episode of The Just A Mom Podcast featuring Anna McCasland. Anna has an incredible and unique journey as a person with lived experience with PANDAS, which is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. PANDAS is a rare autoimmune condition that can occur in children after a strep throat infection, and is characterized by a sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive (OCD) along with other behavioral and emotional changes. Anna candidly shares how, after a strep throat infection at age 12, her life changed. Anna chronicles her journey and how her parents were incredible advocates for her and how, after a myriad of mental health treatments, including numerous medications and therapy, she was able to lead a fairly typical life in high school and college. However, things changed dramatically when Anna graduated from college and started her first job. Anna tells how she became a shell of a person, experiencing a host of physical and mental health issues. Because of the tenacity of Anna and her parents, Anna was able to locate a researcher in PANDAS, and her life virtually changed within days of a new treatment and understanding of her PANDAS. Anna shares how she cares for herself and her mental health, and encourages parents to listen to their children and not to give up looking for answers.
Don’t miss the final episode this spring featuring Debi Roberts of the OLLIE Foundation (https://theolliefoundation.org/). Ollie is an acronym for One Life Lost Is Enough. The Ollie Foundation was founded in 2016 by three UK parents who had lost their teen sons to suicide. OLLIE is devoted to empowering individuals and organizations to reduce suicide in their communities through education, intervention, and prevention. Debi walks us through the myriad of resources OLLIE provides, all online and free. Debi proudly shares that the OLLIE Foundation has trained 25,000 people since COVID and was one of the first organizations to effectively bring this type or training and education online. Make sure you visit their website to access all of their free courses and resources.
In the final of a three-part series, Holly continues chronicling the unconditional love she and her husband have shown their son. Holly shares that after her son attacked both her and her husband, her son was taken by ambulance to the emergency room. Holly then shares about her injuries from the attack and the permanent problems she has as a result. Holly tells us that while she and her husband did press charges against their son for their own protection and his, she has never given up on him. Since the attack, he has been better but still relapses. He started Job Corps (https://www.jobcorps.gov/) in January and is finishing high school part-time. Holly stresses the importance of therapy and her faith in this journey and how important self-care is for her. Lastly, Holly educates us on NAMI (https://www.nami.org/) and the myriad of resources they provide for free.
*Trigger warning: This episode contains conversations about sex and pornography addiction and sexual abuse.
This is the second of a three-part series with Holly Miles. In this episode, Holly discusses some of the behaviors her adopted son started exhibiting after she and her husband adopted him. Some of these behaviors included inappropriate sexual behaviors and pornography use, sexual abuse, and physical violence. Holly and her husband worked incredibly hard to find the appropriate treatment for her son, which eventually led them to the Capstone Wellness Treatment Center in Arkansas (https://capstonewellness.com/). Holly discusses in-depth their experience with her son’s residential treatment at Capstone, which included extensive parent and family therapy as well. Even though Holly says her son left treatment as a completely changed kid, it was only a matter of weeks before her son violently attacked her and her husband physically.