I met Jill on a Facebook group and appreciated her vulnerability and honesty in our conversation. I consider her a friend and a disability warrior. She discusses her battles with mental health, the chronic pain that comes with it, and also how it constantly fluctuates. She talks about some of her biggest fears, like losing her sight and having to use a wheelchair to get around. Jill is somebody I have a lot of respect for, and even if she can't see it yet, she is a really strong person.

Dr. Bruce Chalmer is a psychologist in Vermont who has been working with couples for over thirty years. Through his teaching, consulting, writing, podcast, and videos about relationships, his ideas have helped thousands of couples and their therapists. Dr. Chalmer is the author of three books: "Betrayal and Forgiveness: How to Navigate the Turmoil and Learn to Trust Again", published in 2024; "It's Not About Communication! Why Everything You Know About Couples Therapy is Wrong", published in 2022; and "Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back", published in 2020. With his wife, educator Judy Alexander, Dr. Chalmer co-hosts the "Couples Therapy in Seven Words" podcast at https://ctin7.com. His other notable interests include musical composition (especially on Jewish themes), choral singing, and directing. His composition "Berakhot: A Midrash Cantata" was recorded in 2005. He has served in leadership positions in several Jewish communities in Vermont.

His website https://brucechalmer.com

Matthew Garcia has been in jail for 26 years for second-degree felony murder. He didn't even have a gun, yet he has a life sentence. As an adopted child from North Philadelphia, Matthew has turned his life around in remarkable ways. He is a published author with a book called "Raw Reflections" and graduated with college courses from Villanova, St. Joseph's, Bryn Mawr, and Widener University. Matthew also created his own mentoring program called the Real Rap Program and has scholarships for at-risk youth with Councilman Kenyatta Johnson. Despite these achievements, he remains behind bars due to Pennsylvania's harsh felony murder law. This petition seeks to change the felony murder law in Pennsylvania to make lifers like Matthew eligible for parole. His case shares similarities with Derek Lee’s case that the PA Supreme Court is ready to rule on, including 17 amicus briefs filed on behalf of individuals like him. Please support Matthew Garcia by signing this petition and advocating for fairer sentencing laws in Pennsylvania!

If you would like to help Matthew out, the petition is below

https://www.change.org/p/change-pennsylvania-s-felony-murder-law-to-allow-parole-for-lifers?recruiter=1338786924&recruited_by_id=1f98e0d0-13f6-11ef-8e42-110cd3ef6ae3&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink#FREEMATTHEWGARCIA

This episode is with my good friend Jacqueline. She is somebody I met on TikTok one day, just perusing through my feed. She's somebody that I can absolutely relate to, and she's very kind and generous to have very in-depth personal conversations with. She talks about having multiple sclerosis and mental health, and all the struggles that come with both. She also discusses her inner struggles and battles that she has within herself every day.

Dale Walsh is a coach for the families of those diagnosed with schizophrenia. He has been coaching these families for several years and is the creator of the LIVELOVE method to help his clients. He is guided by the mantra “Recovery is Always an Option.” Following a thirteen-week hospitalization after being “extracted” from Dartmouth College in 1975, he was in a private psychiatric program where he was hospitalized nine times over five years. He then moved into his own unsupervised apartment and returned to college at Fairleigh Dickinson University, from where he graduated magna cum laude in English Literature. Diagnosed 50 years ago, Dale has been episode-free for the past 32. His mental health journey has evolved from total psychosis to a miraculous recovery. He has lived independently for forty years.

His website http://www.dewlivelove.net/

Andy Y. West is the author of Dopamine Mountain and Anhedonia Wastelands, books designed to hack the dopamine reward system for energy, motivation and happiness. Andy suffered severe chronic fatigue, cognitive decline and anhedonic depression for almost 4 years, however after experimenting with various hacks for rewiring the dopamine reward system, Andy made a full recovery, even learning to overcome migraine, chronic pain and overhaul the parasympathetic nervous system. Her productivity and drive ended up much greater than it had ever been.

Her website https://dopaminemountain.com/

This episode is with Whitney Bailey. I met her a while, looking through my feed on TikTok, and I found this wonderful woman who has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and she was sharing her journey, very openly and honest. She talks about her struggles and her triumphs. Along with her social media, she also is a podcastor who has open conversations and interviews to spread awareness on what people with CP go through.

Her podcast https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNvT5RjStoEXvgvn-xHwj_o8AqknLIiAd

And her TikTok is https://www.tiktok.com/@wheelchairwhit?_t=ZT-8vMZ9xVAo1b&_r=1

This episode is with Ryan Deachman. I met him on TikTok while scrolling through my feed. I came across this guy who struggles with mental health and his disabilities, yet he stands tall and advocates through his words and music. One of his disabilities, he survived a traumatic brain injury. He also works with people with disabilities and mental health challenges.

You can follow him on TikTok/d3achy