Chante Catt
Chante shares how becoming a new mom flooded her with contradictory emotions – joy, anger and depression – and how she wants women to feel safe to discuss the complex emotions many experience as they become a parent.
Becoming Brave Trainings Empower Shasta County People to Fight Stigma
To help people negotiate the process of deciding to disclose, Stand Against Stigma has offered a series of Becoming Brave trainings that have been attended by more than 40 local residents and have given them a greater sense of empowerment and control of their stories with mental health challenges. The trainings are funded by the Shasta County Mental Health Services Act.
Mike Skondin
Brave Face, Mike Skondin, a U.S. Marine Veteran, talks about his experiences transitioning back to civilian life with PTSD after serving in Colombia and doing drug interdiction.
“I was constantly doing things to match the adrenaline level I experienced in combat,” says Mike. This drive attracted him and jobs with significant risk of physical injury, and led to substance abuse and two suicide attempts.
6 Little Known Truths About Psych Medications from Shasta County Brave Faces Advocates
The Brave Faces and Voices project began in 2012 as a way for Shasta County residents to reduce stigma and shame associated with mental illness and suicide by telling their inspiring stories of recovery. Nearly 30 people have bravely come forward to share their experiences with the goal of debunking pervasive misconceptions that prevent people from seeking help and support.
Matthew Sprenger
Matt Sprenger from Anderson shares his story of surviving a suicide attempt as a young teenager and how he is now on the path of recovery. The National Institute for Mental Health reports there are 11 people who survive a suicide attempt for every person who completes a suicide.
6 Realities about Addiction Shasta County Brave Faces Advocates Want You to Understand
To promote healing and understanding as well as to save lives, here are the top realities about substance abuse the Brave Faces Advocates want you to understand.
Rhonda Ramsey on Preventing Suicide – Stepping out of the Darkness in My Daughter’s Boots
My name is Rhonda Ramsey, and on December 28, 2008, I received a telephone call that no parent ever wants to receive. After two previous suicide attempts, and many years of battling bipolar disorder, my daughter Melissa lost her fight with the illness. Even though I knew bipolar disorder caused my daughter to have dramatic mood swings, and at times interfered with her ability to make good choices, nothing could have ever prepared me for losing my child to suicide.
Two Presentations in One Day Show the Many (Brave) Faces of PTSD
When Neil Shaw was a young man, his older brother, a patrol deputy/corporal, suffered a heart attack while trying to quell an unruly mob at Laguna Seca Raceway. As he lay on the ground in need of medical attention, bystanders chanted “Die, pig, die.” Bobby Shaw, a father of two girls, passed away that day, and he hadn’t yet entered his 40s.
Greg Burgin Jr.
Greg Burgin Jr. “I was born in Redding, and my family’s ancestral village is Turtle Bay. My mother is Mexican and Wintu. My father is mixed European blood. It was tough as a kid because I didn’t fit in with the white people, with the Mexicans or with the Indians. I spent my whole life […]
Poets, Rappers and Musicians Shatter the Bonds of Stigma with Inspiring Performances at Hope Is Alive! 2
Nearly 20 Shasta County poets, rappers and musicians performed at the Hope Is Alive! 2 Open Mic Night event May 9, 2015, shedding light on their struggles and sharing how creativity has helped them deal with hard times and promote understanding.
