The Just A Mom Podcast: Recent Episodes
Susie Gurley
My name is Susie. I have three children, the youngest of whom struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. I never thought this could happen to me, and I missed the signs. Being a parent is really hard, and I'm here to help! I'm talking to parents and experts to help you with the issues your kids may face. I want you to know that you are not alone and there is hope.
I first learned about The Grant Halliburton Foundation when a college friend emailed me about it. After researching and learning about all of the work they do in North Texas in mental health education, collaboration, encouragement, and information, I knew I wanted to be part of their annual conference, “When Life Hands You Teenagers” (
https://www.granthalliburton.org/calendar/wlhyt-att7a-dpbpm) on September 28, 2023. In this episode, Sonya Parker Goode talks about the work of the Foundation as well as “When Life Hands You Teenagers.” Early bird registration ends August 31, so register today and come see me at the resource tables!
Make sure you visit the Grant Halliburton Foundation website (
https://www.granthalliburton.org/) to learn about their programs, donate or volunteer.
This episode is a continuation of Jennifer’s story. Jennifer has done extensive research and been an incredible advocate for her son. Here are some links/definitions to things we talked about:
TheraPlay
PCIT - Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
What is CBT Therapy?
What is EMDR?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Problematic Sexual Behavior Therapy
ABA Therapy
Neurofeedback Therapy
"safe room" - sometimes called a seclusion room
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neuro-psych testing
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Thompson Center (Columbia, MO)
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"Alternative School" - this is a school within a public school district, which is still considered free and public schooling, but has increased levels of services for students with specific accommodations and high levels of need.
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pharmacogenetic testing
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FosterAdopt Connect
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CASA
This incredible episode is about a young couple who fostered and eventually adopted a boy who was a student in Jennifer’s kindergarten classroom. He was in seven foster homes in five years (some were shelters). Jennifer and her husband became foster parents in their first year of marriage. This young boy had been abused sexually and physically and neglected and had his first suicide attempt at eight years of age, and has a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). Jennifer and her husband have worked non-stop to get their son the help and services their son needs, and Jennifer has compiled an incredible database of resources.
TheraPlay
PCIT - Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
What is CBT Therapy?
What is EMDR?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy
Problematic Sexual Behavior Therapy
ABA Therapy
Neurofeedback Therapy
"safe room" - sometimes called a seclusion room
-
neuro-psych testing
-
Thompson Center (Columbia, MO)
-
"Alternative School" - this is a school within a public school district, which is still considered free and public schooling but has increased levels of services for students with specific accommodations and high levels of need.
-
pharmacogenetic testing
-
FosterAdopt Connect
-
CASA
This is a unique episode in that Stephanie, a mom with a special needs child who also has anxiety and depression, requested that her son’s psychologist also be part of our conversation. Stephanie’s son had a stroke in utero that they discovered when he was 3 months old. He has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability. At age 6, he had surgery where the right half of his brain was removed because of severe epilepsy. Stephanie’s son is also autistic and has anxiety and panic attacks.
Dr. Caroline Danda (http://www.carolinedanda.com/) is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialized training in children and adolescents and health conditions. Stephanie credits Dr. Danda and her work with Stephanie’s family in the transformation of their household.
This episode is chock full of challenges and hope and reminds us that people with special needs have feelings, too. Dr. Danda developed The Invisible Riptide with Carron Montgomery to create resources to help fill in the gaps because so many parents don’t know what to do (www.theinvisibleriptide.org).
Renee and Jessica are responsible for some of the crucial Johnson County, Kansas mental health services: the open access walk-in clinic, 988, the mobile crisis response team, and mental health co-responders. My conversation with Renee and Jessica solidified what I already knew—the country in which I live is incredibly fortunate to have the county mental health resources that we have. This episode highlights those resources, their functions, and how the country is continuing to expand and improve the mental health services offered to the community. This county’s mental health co-responder program is the model for other counties across the country and is responsible for founding the National Co-Responder Conference.
No matter where you live, I promise you will find this episode informative and encouraging. These two women are passionate about helping people, and their enthusiasm for doing so is contagious. If you do not have such robust county mental health services in your area, or you are unaware of what your county offers, I encourage you to listen to this episode and use it as a springboard for action in your own community.
Jason Reid knows the pain of losing a child to suicide. His youngest son, Ryan, died by suicide in 2018. Jason has since dedicated his life to preventing other parents from experiencing the devastating loss of a child to suicide. Jason feels like by not being vulnerable with his kids he didn’t invite them to talk to him. He thinks we need to show kids we are normal and human, that we all have had bad days. Jason founded Tellmystory.org and made a movie by that same name that explores the potential reasons adolescent suicide is on the rise and is available on amazon prime (https://www.amazon.com/Tell-My-Story-Jason-Reid/dp/B09QFZ3PQG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=12RCPCTM2MRF6&keywords=tell+my+story+movie&qid=1686511554&sprefix=tell+my+story+movie%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-5). Jason has also developed What I Wish My Parents Knew; this is a school program and a talk back that incorporates local resources. If you are interested in getting What I Wish My Parents Knew at your school, go to
https://tellmystory.org/our-programs/for-schools/.
This episode is a continuation of my conversation with Courtney. Courtney’s daughter’s mental health journey didn’t end in high school. Courtney recounts her daughter’s time at The Renfrew Center ( https://renfrewcenter.com/) well as her young, toxic marriage and subsequent inpatient hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment at Hopeway (https://hopeway.org/) in Charlotte, NC. Courtney also talks about how she has learned from her daughter how to manage her own mental health.
Courtney’s story of parenting a child who has battled mental illness most of her life starts with the first of a two-part series. Courtney says her daughter has always been “the most”. Courtney’s daughter started struggling with anxiety around four years of age, survived a brain aneurism, and developed anorexia, all before graduating from high school. Listen as Courtney shares the challenges of their journey and parenting a “fiercely independent, wildly intelligent” daughter.
Dr. Brian Barash (www.cpa-kc.com) shares a wealth of mental health and substance abuse information on this episode of The Just A Mom podcast. Dr. Barash refers to several mental health facilities in the Kansas City area, including Marillac (https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/locations/Marillac-Campus-Overland-Park-KS), Crittenton ( https://www.saintlukeskc.org/locations/crittenton-childrens-center?utm_source=crittentonkc.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=redirects) and the Menninger Clinic (https://www.menningerclinic.org/). Dr. Barash also discusses the distinction between mental illness and mental health problems, the different levels of care for mental illness, and pharmacogenomic testing (https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/pharma.htm).
As a certified addiction specialist, Dr. Barash gives a strong warning to parents. He is staunchly against the legalization of marijuana and warns parents about the dangers of kids mixing alcohol and antidepressants and the potential disastrous outcomes that could bring.
Josh is a husband, father, triathlete, coach, and suicide survivor. As a teenager, he deliberately drove his car into a tree—and walked away. Josh recounts his long-time battle with depression, trauma, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and his complex relationship with an abusive father. Josh talks about his significant distrust of mental health professionals based on his experience as a teenager and young adult, and how his mental illness is an ongoing battle still today.
Josh has used his experience to help others and frequently speaks to groups and organizations about mental health. Here is a video Josh recorded with NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) called It’s OK to not be OK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9z0Yi7Rhaw&ab_channel=NAMI.
This is the second time I’ve interviewed Shana. Yes, this is the same Shana from episode 12, but in this episode, she shares from a personal perspective as the mom of a child with Tourette Syndrome.
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder (https://tourette.org/), but often those with Tourette also battle mental illness. Shana talks about the challenges of raising her son with Tourette syndrome and his accompanying mental health struggles.
Shana Burgess serves as the Director of Prevention and Community Relations for Johnson County Mental Health (https://www.jocogov.org/department/mental-health) in Johnson County, Kansas, which is a suburb of Kansas City and the largest county in the state of Kansas.
Shana shares several valuable nuggets in this episode, my favorite of which is “You don’t have to wait until it’s crisis enough” to call 988. 988 is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and wants people to know that if you are concerned about someone, please call them.
Jamie and I were connected by a mutual friend five years ago when Jamie’s son entered an inpatient mental health hospital. Jamie was quickly trying to figure out next steps after his release. I’ve kept in touch with Jamie over the years and am glad to report her son is doing well and managing his mental illness successfully.
In this episode, Jamie references her son’s call to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) and how it saved his life. If you or anyone you know needs help, please call 988. Remember, you don’t have to wait until it’s “crisis enough” to call.
Once again, #Zeroreasonswhy(www.zeroreasonswhy.org) is part of this podcast and this episode. They connected Carrie and me, and Carrie was excited to share her insights as an about-to-be therapist (now a fully licensed practicing therapist—https://www.theporchswingkc.com/).
Carrie shares her own journey and how it propelled her to become a therapist. She also gives valuable insight and information for parents and caregivers on tween and teen mental health. You don’t want to miss this episodes and all of the valuable insights Carrie has to offer.
Make sure you check out the Just A Mom podcast website at www.thejustamompodcast.com.
I met Melanie five years ago at the first You Matter Festival. She was there representing her son’s organization as part of the resource fair. There is always an immediate bond when two moms who have fought similar battles meet. And that was Melanie and me.
Melanie was one of the first people I reached out to interview when I started the Just A Mom podcast. And she was more than willing to share their ongoing parenting journey. I know you will find this episode poignant, raw, real and helpful as you listen to Melanie’s story.
Make sure you check out the Just A Mom podcast website at www.thejustamompodcast.com.
I’ve known Denise for several years. But we were typical women who would be social with each other, neither revealing anything other than “everyone is doing well” about our kids.
A little over a year ago Denise and I were on a trip together. We started talking more deeply about our kids, and I learned for the first time that, like me, Denise had a child who struggles with clinical depression.
Please listen as Denise shares some amazing insights and vulnerabilities on parenting a child with mental illness.
Make sure you check out the Just A Mom podcast website at www.thejustamompodcast.com.
When my mother passed away recently, an acquaintance asked my husband if her name was Alice. That’s because Alice is my surrogate mom. I’ve known, loved, and been loved by Alice for 15 years. Ironically, I met Alice when 4-year-old Will went to her house (next door to ours) when we were moving in because he was bored. I knew some of her story as a mom of a struggling child but I learned a lot more when we sat down to talk about it.
I’ve known Kari for many years. She is the wife of my oldest son’s high school football coach. My son was very close to him, and his tragic and early death in 2017 rocked our community.
Kari is one of the many parents who have called me over the past few years because her daughter was suicidal. Kari was also an early encourager of the Just A Mom podcast. Kari has chosen to use her pain and experience as a young widow to help others as a professional grief coach (https://karidriskell.com/). In our conversation Kari shares her daughter’s mental health journey and some of the ways losing her dad at such a young age impacted that.
I first encountered Dr. Shayla Sullivant, child and adolescent psychiatrist, four years ago. My husband and I attended a mental health event in our area, and Dr. Sullivant was there presenting her research on safe storage as well as the prepped and ready program. And then COVID happened. But like it was for some things, COVID was a blessing in disguise for Prepped and Ready. Dr. Sullivant took this opportunity to tap into many experts to create an amazing video series for parents. You can find them here (https://www.childrensmercy.org/departments-and-clinics/developmental-and-behavioral-health/learning-opportunities/prepped-and-ready/).
Dr. Sullivant shares her insights and expertise with parents who have a child struggling. She also helps parents know what to do if they ever face issues, even if they aren’t presently.
Make sure you visit the Just A Mom website at https://www.thejustamompodcast.com/.
I first met Stacy in august of 2021 when her daughter, Isabel, sang and spoke at the You Matter Festival (https://youmatterfestival.net/). We immediately bonded over the common experience of parenting a child with mental health issues.
Stacy and Isabel have been wonderfully candid about Isabel’s battle with Anorexia and Bulimia. They shared Isabel’s struggle on a Kansas City new station (https://www.kmbc.com/amp/article/kc-teen-who-struggled-with-anorexia-for-years-talks-about-moment-she-finally-got-help/36467872).
My conversation with Stacy was real and raw and can no doubt help someone.
Eating disorders are on the rise due to the COVID pandemic (https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/eating-disorders-pandemic). Parents, please listen to Stacy share her unfiltered account of parenting a beautiful young woman with an eating disorder.
The first show is the whole reason I became a mental health advocate and, ultimately, started the Just A Mom Podcast. Will is my youngest son, and he struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. When Will was in the worst of his battle, I felt alone and hopeless. There were basically no resources that I could find other than one book to help support me as a parent of a child with mental illness. And then Will started the You Matter Festival (www.youmatterfestial.net) and became a local teen spokesperson and advocate for mental health. Will is a musician, actor, writer, singer, and overall creative with many talents (www.WIlliamGurley.net). I am so thankful that he is my son and he asked for help when he was struggling.
Will and I not only talk about his mental health struggles, but Will shares some solid insights from his perspective that I think all parents would benefit from hearing. I wish I had heard a lot of these things when my kids were little!
Check out more about the Just A Mom Podcast at www.thejustamompodcast.com and make sure you follow @thejustamompodcast on Instagram and Facebook.
I felt like this episode was important to tell our story from my husband and my perspective. We talk about feeling like failures as parents, the isolation, challenges to our marriage and lots of other hard things. We share things we’ve learned along the way and how we managed the hardest, darkest days. This is the first of two episodes with Dan.
During those hardest, darkest days I felt very alone. That is one of the reasons I started the Just A Mom podcast. I want you to know that you are not alone and there is hope. Make sure you check out my website at www.thejustamompodcast.com.
This episode is a continuation of Episode 2 with my husband, Dan. We talk about the You Matter Festival (www.youmatterfestival.net) that our son, Will, started, and how a little video I did for #ZeroReasonsWhy (www.zeroreasonswhy.org) was the impetus to the Just A Mom podcast. And, to be clear, our journey as parents of a child with mental illness isn’t over. Will has a chronic disease that needs continual monitoring and treatment.
Make sure you check out the Just A Mom podcast website at www.thejustamompodcast.com.
My name is Susie. I have three children, the youngest of whom struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. I never thought this could happen to me, and I missed the signs. Being a parent is really hard, and I'm here to help! I'm talking to parents and experts to help you with the issues your kids may face. I want you to know that you are not alone and there is hope.
Check out more about the Just A Mom Podcast at www.thejustamompodcast.com and make sure you follow @thejustamompodcast on Instagram and Facebook.