The first in a long line of podcasts from Chad's Legacy Project, a Washington State-based mental health advocacy non-profit. CLP is dedicated to the advancement of mental health education, access to care and innovations in the evaluation and treatment of mental illness.
Our inaugural episode takes on the anxiety triggers related to the current COVID-19 crisis and offers resources for those that need extra help in this extra stressful time. Episode I also lays out the path forward in future episodes and what to look forward to.
The first in a long line of podcasts from Chad's Legacy Project, a Washington State-based mental health advocacy non-profit. CLP is dedicated to the advancement of mental health education, access to care and innovations in the evaluation and treatment of mental illness.
Our inaugural episode takes on the anxiety triggers related to the current COVID-19 crisis and offers resources for those that need extra help in this extra stressful time. Episode I also lays out the path forward in future episodes and what to look forward to.
Greetings and welcome to Episode One of a mental health podcast series we call chat chats. My name is Chad crooks. I'm your host and what is intended to be a long running informative look at the mental health landscape in Washington State and beyond. I'm the executive director of Chad's Legacy Project as well as co founder with my wife, Laura crooks, who by day is CEO of Central Washington's pediatric center. Yeah, come on children's village. Ideally, Episode One was to begin as a preface, if you will, kind of an introductory episode. We plan to launch chat chats when we had all the fancy audio gear we needed to put on a nice sparkly presentation. But like so many in the midst of the current Corona virus outbreak we've had to kind of decide to adapt for now. Instead, it's a cell phone and some rudimentary software for episode one, because this particular topic just can't wait. Now, sure, there's the CLP origin story and all the podcast themes coming and all that. But first, I want to speak directly to those that are struggling right now with mental health issues, especially with the addition of the triggers. COVID-19 brings to the table. First and foremost, if you're an immediate crisis in Washington, I want you to call crisis connections at 866-427-4747, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Okay, so if you're struggling, especially if you're in Washington State, let's talk about these new triggers. And let's talk about why you can feel hopeful today. Right now you're being bombarded with the terms "pandemic", "recession" and all of this creating a "new normal", all these terms are distressing to everybody. And a sense of fear and loss of control is a pretty natural reaction. For most the terms pandemic, and recession and all of that stuff. They're the overriding triggers, but it's quite possible that for some, maybe even you, the real struggle is feeling as though you're expected to embrace and create a new normal as they say. Okay, so I think we can acknowledge that things are really different and pretty scary. I want you to know that your anxiety about that, in particular, are valid and in fact, really natural. But also, you're not alone in this many of the crisis calls being fielded have noted a lot of anxiety over needing to find a new normal, and in a sense, this Coronavirus crisis has turned the Entire world into a community of peers who are pre recovery, at least on the surface. And the world of mental health, it takes a whole lot more than having stressed about a paycheck to really be considered a peer, as our mental health community defines it. And there's a brand new resource that's just been rolled out in our state that I'll share with you in just a moment. But first, let's talk about those trigger terms, especially that last one new normal implies that all that preceded this moment is perhaps permanently different than what we're comfortable with is gone. And to survive. We have to accept change the likes of which we've never seen. Well, let's take a step back from all that and look at the fuller picture. There's a term that's been overlooked in the news and social media and it's another term temporary. Are things going to get worse before it gets better. Uh, yeah, probably things gonna get better. Absolutely. When that depends kind of on us and how we respond. But even if it's a year, which is about the timespan most experts might project can you think back to last March? Or April? Like me? I bet there are things from last spring you can remember like it was last week. So instead of a new normal, think of it as a temporary normal. Understand, it's okay to be scared heck everyone else is. But also understand this is not permanent. Hard. Yeah. Permanent? Absolutely not. So Breathe deep. Exhale, those fears of new permanency and trust your world is not gone. It's just doing stuff you don't really care for right now. But don't worry, it'll come to it senses Turn home soon enough. I also understand everything I shared might not be quite enough to move the needle profoundly for you. And that's where we come to the good part. Because there is some really exciting help out there, some of it brand new that I want to share so that you can take advantage of the resources that are out there, including stuff that has just dropped. So there's a webinar series that just got off the ground that I'm really excited about just started the beginning of April, and it's the first of its kind runs daily, including weekends and is hosted by some great partners of ours the peer workforce Alliance attached to Washington State University. The topics include Monday, motivations, trauma informed Tuesday's wellness, Wednesdays and recovery in isolation. It's also got topics like family hacks, inspirational stories, and even comedy and meditation and it's All led by volunteer peer counselors, recovery coaches and mental health professionals. So go to peer workforce alliance.org and click on the community connections, webinars link, learn all about it, then join them for a webinar any day of the week. Maybe you're a mental health leader in a state outside Washington, and are in a capacity to duplicate it in your own area. Again, go to peer workforce Alliance. org and navigate to the contact page via the about tab. Ask for Stephanie and tell her you'd like help in creating this resource for your area to second, you might actually want to talk to a peer who really gets what you're going through and has the training to make a difference for you in ways parents, friends, maybe even professionals can't. The warm line is a peer support helpline for people living with emotional and mental health. challenges in calls are answered by specially trained volunteers who have lived experience with mental health challenges. From there, they can even connect you with services you might need but don't even know existed. This line is hosted by our friends at crisis connections here in King County of Washington State, but serves all of Washington. You can find the number at their main website crisis connections.org or you can call them directly at 877 500 warm or it's 877-500-9276. I really hope this information is something you feel you can use. It might even be something you decide to share with someone you know, that could use a few resources right now, in the midst of this temporary change and all the stress that comes with it. We want you to be hopeful, healthy, and to know there's a helping hand out there for you. You just have to take it. Okay. With that little about Chad's Legacy Project, you can find us at Chad's legacy.org. And there you'll be able to familiarize yourself with our story, our vision and mission, our initiatives and where we see things going in the future. Our story began with the loss of Laura and my oldest son when he died by suicide at the start of 2016. Not long after a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Chad's Legacy Project was born as a 501 c three in 2017. And since then, has helped lead the way in stigma reduction, and in some of the improvements to our mental health system in Washington State. We're honored to have a voice. Finally, here's what to look forward to regarding Chad chats. Going forward. Each episode will feature a different guest, who will join me for a dialogue discussing the mental health landscape as it pertains to their area of expertise. I'll be speaking with national experts in the field of psychiatry, psychology, public and private insurance, peer services, legislative and more. It's going to be engaging and will provide an insight we don't really get to see right now. It's exciting to think about all that we can bring out in the open through discussions with the right people. It's the right time. So here we go. I want to acknowledge my co founder Chad's Legacy Project, my wife Laura for her strength, brilliance, and compassionate leadership and what she does in the advancement of mental health, what she does every day it Yakima children's village, thank you to all of our CLP partners in your tireless efforts to make things better out there you are heroes. And thank you so much for listening to Chad chats, episode one. I look forward to you joining me and our numerous guests. on future episodes of chat chats, we'll talk again Transcribed by https://otter.ai