Veteran Podcaster Gabe Howard Interviews My Son and Me
(8-23-21) I’ve been hunkered down this summer – even skipped a beach vacation – because of a fast approaching deadline for my new nonfiction book. But I wish to share a newly released podcast that features my son, Kevin, and me being interviewed about our different perspectives as a parent and adult son with a serious mental illness. Unfortunately, you will need to click on a link below to listen since I have no way of embedding it here.
This is one of a handful of interviews that we have done since release of my book, CRAZY: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, and, as always, I learn something interesting from Kevin each time we speak in public together. This proved especially true in this podcast because we were interviewed by Gabe Howard, author of Mental Illness Is An Asshole, and one of my favorite advocates with lived experience. He is a popular speaker and veteran at conducting podcasts. The podcast is available:
- Accessible at NEXUS Website here: https://www.nexusmentalhealth.com/nexus-insights
- Accessible at Buzzsprout and all streaming platforms here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1324951/episodes/8895199
- Promotion on Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/NEXUSMentalHealth
The podcast was done by NEXUS, which stands for Neuroscience Experts Cross-Sector Unconventional Stakeholders. The group is being funded by Otsuka Pharmacy, a major manufacturer of mental health drugs, and is being implemented by Real Chemistry: A Global Health Innovation Company.
We were not paid to be interviewed, nor do either of us ever endorse drugs or pharmaceutical companies. We are always happy, however, to share our stories of resilience and hope.
Members of NEXUS’s steering committee include representatives from the Scattergood Foundation, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, NAMI, Active Minds and Mental Health America.
Will Hargreaves at Otsuka explained why it launched NEXUS.
“Through in-depth research, stakeholder interviews, and expert insights, Otsuka established a focus for NEXUS on three key areas of unmet need in mental health where Otsuka’s innovative approach could have the greatest impact: women, youth, and the justice system. While the needs of these groups are different, they share many similarities, such as the need for greater awareness, early intervention, a timely diagnosis, continuity of care, and support throughout life transitions.
One of the goals of NEXUS is to work collaboratively to resolve the mental health challenges facing these groups at critical junctures, such as women becoming primary caregivers, youth moving schools, and individuals transitioning out of pre-incarceration community mental health services into the justice system.
According to its press release:
In April 2020, NEXUS launched a six-episode Building Mental Resiliency video series to support conversations and share resources to manage the uncertainness of the COVID-19 pandemic. The videos brought together experts to share information and ideas to build stronger mental health, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. Episodes began with topics relevant to those most adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and expanded to cover issues ranging from COVID-19 support, caregiving challenges, the impact on Alzheimer’s patients, chronic conditions and systemic racism. Otsuka collaborated with the partner organizations and featured guests and used paid media to distribute the videos on a grassroots level. Episodes of the series also were circulated by PhRMA, BioNJ and MM&M.
2020, 47,486 users engaged, watched, or visited NEXUS content. Because a campaign targeted to the communities NEXUS identified has never been done before, the team is using this result as a benchmark to create a year-two program that expands the voices and perspectives of NEXUS champions through added multi-channel content and an expanded NEXUS website, with key metrics in place that enable us to nimbly adjust and evolve our efforts.
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