It is no secret that the current mental health treatment model, is, to put nicely, flawed and incomplete.

In this week’s episode I talk with Adam Sholder, mental health advocate and founder of Insight Enrichment Group, a mental health coaching and consulting company, about the missing elements to the standard mental health treatment model.

In this episode we talk about:

• Adam’s personal and family history with mental health struggles
• The power of creative community in recovery (A Gap in the Forest)
• The importance of staying present in life and trusting the process
• The concepts of “social prescribing” and “link workers” as key elements of recovery

Join us for this illuminating discussion that reimagines mental health support as a holistic ecosystem where therapy, medication, creative expression, and community connection work together to nurture lasting recovery. Whether you're on your own recovery journey or supporting someone who is, Adam's insights offer practical wisdom for moving forward with purpose and hope.

Links to Insight Enrichment Group and A Gap in the Forest:

https://www.insightenrichment.com/

https://www.agapintheforest.org/

*suicide was briefly mentioned in the episode

*AI was used to help with the creation of the episode title and description

Disclaimer: Guest views and offerings are their own. Any links, resources, or services mentioned are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. Please use your own judgment when exploring or purchasing anything. We appreciate our guests for sharing their insights and experiences.

For more information about the Five Building Blocks of Recovery and/or to contact Jared, go to Five Building Blocks of Recovery (thefivebuildingblocksofrecovery.com)

Let’s face it; being a college student can be one of the most fulfilling but also the most stressful periods of a young person’s life.

Having to balance both academic and social pressures while being away from home for the first time and working towards a degree comes with its own set of challenges for anyone, not to mention those living with a mental health condition.

In this week’s episode, I interview Ryder Davis, mental health advocate and NAMI Westside Los Angeles “Ending the Silence” presenter, about his experiences as a college student at Boston University while living with bipolar disorder.

Ryder and I discuss the following topics:

(1) strategies for optimum self-care as a college student
(2) building community in college
(3) tips for academic success while being in recovery
(4) what it means to choose “the path of least resistance” as a college student

Whether you're a student in recovery, a parent supporting one, or someone interested in mental health advocacy, this episode offers both practical tools and the reassurance that academic success and recovery can beautifully coexist.

You don’t want to miss it!

*AI was used to help with the creation of the episode title and description

Disclaimer: Guest views and offerings are their own. Any links, resources, or services mentioned are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. Please use your own judgment when exploring or purchasing anything. We appreciate our guests for sharing their insights and experiences.

For more information about the Five Building Blocks of Recovery and/or to contact Jared, go to Five Building Blocks of Recovery (thefivebuildingblocksofrecovery.com)

A surprising dream following tragedy becomes a guiding light for an artist's life mission. After losing his Boy Scout leader to suicide at 16, Oshri Hakak dreamed of a document meant to cure all human illnesses—only to find its pages blank except for one word: "music." This mystical experience launched Oshri's commitment to creative expression as a healing force, a path that gained even deeper meaning when he later lost his brother to heart failure during a period of severe depression.

Today, Oshri channels these profound experiences into children's books addressing mental health and mindfulness, daily art practices that process his emotions, music, and advocacy work with NAMI's Ending the Silence program. In this deeply moving conversation, he reveals how these practices embody essential recovery principles—from maintaining consistent self-care routines (Building Block #2) to trusting the incremental nature of healing (Building Block #3).

What emerges is a philosophy both practical and profound: "These experiences don't define us, they refine us." Oshri's story demonstrates how creativity, persistence, and compassion can transform our deepest wounds into sources of meaning and connection. Whether you're navigating your own recovery journey or supporting someone else's, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on finding purpose through life's most challenging moments (Building Block #5).

You can learn more about Oshri and his children's books at his website below!

https://www.butterflyonbooks.com

*heads up, my mic is a bit loud this time around, but the content is still gold!

*trigger warning we do talk about suicide

*AI was used to help with the episode title and description

Disclaimer: Guest views and offerings are their own. Any links, resources, or services mentioned are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. Please use your own judgment when exploring or purchasing anything. We appreciate our guests for sharing their insights and experiences.

For more information about the Five Building Blocks of Recovery and/or to contact Jared, go to Five Building Blocks of Recovery (thefivebuildingblocksofrecovery.com)