“Courage is not the absence of despair. It is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.”
Rollo May
Courage is the choice to act even when we feel afraid. It forces us to confront fear, shame, and stigma—and to feel our own strength. This hour-long show is about how accessing our own courage also supports our mental health and well-being, exploring the experience of living with mental illness—such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder—as a kind of “courage boot camp.” We also discuss how culturally-imposed silence can enforce shame and make accessing our courage much more difficult. Safe Space Radio combines compelling storytelling with practical expert guidance to give you the tools you need to start finding your own courage.
Tips & Strategies for Accessing Your Courage (PDF)
Listen to Stories From the Episode
Resources
From Our Guests
- The Inside Story
- Neil Mckenty
- Thinking in Pictures: My life with Autism
- Temple Grandin
- Black Bear Support Services
Laura Catevenis - A Tale of Mental Illness—From the Inside
Elyn Saks—TED Talk - The Center Cannot Hold
Elyn Saks - The Power of Vulnerability
Brene Brown—TED Talk - Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
Jeff Dill - Black Mental Health Advocacy & Research Lab at The University of Massachusetts
Dr. Tahirah Abdullah - The Color of My Mind
Dior Vargas
Further Reading & Listening
Books
- Trauma and Recovery
Judith Herman - The Unspeakable Mind: Stories of Trauma and Healing from the Frontlines of PTSD Science
Shaili Jain - An Unquiet Mind
Kay Redfield Jamison - Outside the Wire: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned in Everyday Courage
Jason Kander - Building a Life Worth Living: a Memoir
Marsha Linehan - A Shining Affliction
Annie G. Rogers - The Unsayable: the Hidden Language of Trauma
Annie G. Rogers - Darkness Visible: a Memoir of Madness
William Styron
Stigma Reduction
- Addressing Stigma
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Canada (CAMH) - Attitudes Toward Mental Illness
2012 Report from Centers for Disease Control - Suicide and Stigma
Centre for Suicide Prevention - The Impact of Mental Health Stigma on on Seeking and Participating in Mental Health Care
Patrick Corrigan—Psychological Science in the Public Interest - Understanding Stigma as a Mental Healthcare Barrier
Sarah Heath—xTelligent Healthcare Media - 9 Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Healing the Nation: Where to Begin?
Well Being Trust - Racism in Psychiatry and the impact on Stigma in the black community NAMI newsletter
Helpful Organizations
We’d love to hear from you! If you have a story about mental health or mental illness—or a comment for one of our guests—please leave us a voicemail at 617-600-8419.
