An interview with Rachel Grant about the sexual abuse she suffered as a ten-year-old at the hands of her grandfather, and the work she has done to counteract its lasting impact on her life. Despite her training in psychotherapy Rachel became a coach because she wanted to be able to use her own story as [...]
An interview with Episcopal priest Carl Russell about the childhood sexual abuse he experienced at the hands of the priest of his family’s congregation. Carl tells the story of how both he and his family were groomed for the abuse, as the priest worked to gain his family’s trust and esteem. He also describes how [...]
An interview with child advocate Brie Masselli about her own experience growing up in a home with domestic violence. Brie tells the story of running to school to escape her stepfather’s violent outbursts, and how her childhood struggles in and out of school were missed by those who might have helped. Brie speaks about the [...]
An interview with Sheila Heen, co-author of Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most and member of the Harvard Negotiation Project; about how she manages difficult conversations in her own marriage. Sheila and her husband are on opposite sides of the political spectrum and she and her husband feel passionately about their differences. Despite [...]
An interview with actress Glenn Close about her sister Jessie’s bipolar disorder, and how the stigma of mental illness impacts whole families. Glenn describes the remorse she feels for not being able to be a more protective older sister as her 9 years younger sister Jessie was growing up. She describes the way
An interview with therapist Isa Mattei on her relationship with her brother, Artie, who had schizophrenia. She describes the way her mother’s fierce determination not to have Artie institutionalized may have both protected him, and kept him very integrated with the family, while also
An interview with personal trainer Beth Erlichman about having both a mother and a daughter with mental illness. Beth describes growing up with a mentally ill mother like living in a storm. At 16 she found a boarding school in another country as a way to get out and take care of herself. She grew [...]
An interview with theologian and academic, Rosemary Radford Ruether about her son David’s schizophrenia and the challenges her family has faced in finding help for him to live a meaningful life. Professor Ruether described some of the early signs of David’s illness, along with his intelligence and creativity as demonstrated by his poetry. She describes [...]
An interview with Cheryl Ramsay, about her two sons, one with schizophrenia who is in treatment and one with an undiagnosed mental illness and addiction who avoids the mental health system. Cheryl describes the gradual evolution of two joyous, outgoing, athletic boys into anxiety, abusing marijuana, paranoia, trouble with the law, hearing voices, multiple hospitalizations, [...]
An interview with social worker and trainer, Liz Brenner about some of the challenges of having a Dad with bi-polar disorder. Liz describes the ways that her parents sheltered her from the realities of her father’s illness, and the ways in which not talking about it was both a confusing secret and also quite protective. [...]
