Join us for another special episode of Impact Stigma as we talk with Molly Colley, the Northeast Tennessee Regional Director for the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network. Molly shares her personal experience with us as a person who has lost a loved one to suicide and had someone she cares about survive an attempted suicide and how it felt to be the person on the other end. We discuss myths about suicide as well as how stigma creates a severe disconnect with those in need of help. She also has a very interesting love for opossums that has us all laughing and seeing them in a very different light. She is a well-known face in the world of suicide prevention and prior to becoming part of the TSPN team, she was an adult outpatient therapist for Frontier Health at Watauga Behavioral Health Services in Johnson City, TN, and at Scott County Behavioral Services in Weber City, Virginia. She has also worked as an adjunct professor at East Tennessee State University, teaching undergraduate courses for the Department of Counseling and Human Services. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, both from East Tennessee State University.

TPSN: https://www.tspn.org/

NAMI: https://www.nami.org/Home

Join us for a special episode of Impact Stigma as we visit with our very first guest from outside of Frontier Health, Jason Abernathy, AKA, “The Beard”. We invite you to listen along as he shares his colorful story and takes us on a journey through his life, his recovery from addiction and answers some interesting and unexpected questions. Jason has worked since August 2013 on Insight Alliance’s Lifeline Peer Project of Tennessee here in Johnson City, TN and serves as the Region 1 Lifeline Peer Project Coordinator. Since March of 2014 Jason has served as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and provides direct peer-to-peer support services for those who have mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. Jason served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps before transitioning into a 16-year career in law enforcement. He then made a career change which allowed him to give back by assisting others in finding their way to the road to recovery. Jason is a person in long term recovery from co-occurring disorders and desires to work to help others break the chains of addiction. He is a certified Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) trainer through the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, a Trauma Informed Care (TIC) trainer, a Wellness Recovery Action Plan 1 (WRAP) facilitator, and a Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) trainer. He recently graduated from King University in December 2019, where he received his Bachelor of Social Work Degree, and is currently working toward his Master of Social Work degree through the University of Tennessee.

Suicide is certainly a topic that is considered very taboo even today. We are continuing to honor Suicide Prevention Month during September with our special guest as she shares her experience of losing a loved one to suicide and talks all about suicide prevention. Join us on this episode of Impact Stigma as we talk with Cicely Alvis, Director of Specialty Services, as she shares her story that brings such an important aspect to how suicide affects those that are left behind. When we talk about stigma on this podcast, we want to take a stand and be the voice that says it’s ok to ask for help. Cicely has worked very hard and used her voice to speak up about suicide and suicide prevention for years as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Director of Specialty Services with Frontier Health.

We would like to make sure that our listeners know that if you have someone in your life that maybe dealing with thoughts of suicide or you are inspired at any time during this podcast to reach out for help or feel triggered by this topic, please don’t hesitate to call Frontier Health’s Crisis 24/7 Hotline (877) 928-9062 or the 24 hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (800) -273-8255 and someone will be there to help you. Also, if you have been a past listener you know we are all about candid and sometimes humorous conversations about the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health issues, so please know that this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment for mental and behavioral health issues. If you need assistance, please visit the Frontier Health website www.frontierhealth.org for more information.

We are honoring Suicide Prevention Month and National Recovery Month during September here on Impact Stigma by sharing the moving and miraculous story of our special guest’s journey through recovery and redemption. Join us on this episode of Impact Stigma as we talk with Polly Jessen, a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and Tennessee Recovery Navigator for Frontier Health Crisis Services at our Turning Point facility. Polly’s story will surprise you, warm your heart, and give you a new perspective on the topic of suicide and addiction. She has been a featured speaker for the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network’s Connection Matters 2020 event, the 2019 Stigma Stops Now Gala, and is a favorite speaker throughout Frontier Health. We are all about having candid and humorous conversations about stigma, so please know that this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment for mental and behavioral health issues. If you are inspired anytime during this podcast to reach out for help or feel triggered in any way, please don’t hesitate to call our 24/7 crisis hotline @ (877) 928-9062, and someone will be there to help you.

In this episode of Impact Stigma, we invite you to join us as we discuss a very personal topic. Body image and weight are subjects we can all relate to and whether you see yourself as to thin, to fat or even just right society’s standard of beauty can leave even the most confident person feeling insecure. Join us and our special guest, Krista Johnson, the Director of Employee Wellness for Frontier Health, as we have an interesting conversation about food and superpowers while we learn about how the pain of stigma and weight can be detrimental to our overall health. This podcast is produced and directed by the dedicated folks from the Frontier Health Foundation.