Welcome to “Compassionate Conversations”
Compassionate Conversations, now in its THIRD season, is a podcast about mental health and mental illness, hosted by NAMI Racine County.
New episodes are being released regularly. Compassionate Conversations can be listened to on five different platforms. Below each podcast are the icons of these five services. Simply click on the icon for your platform of choice to enjoy that episode.
We want to know what you think! Share your impressions with us.
Click on a Season / Year to jump down to those podcasts:
Season 3 - 2025
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In this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we sit down with Mark Flower, a dedicated veteran and peer support specialist for those who have served in the military. Join us as we explore Mark’s personal journey through military service, his transition to civilian life, and the ways Mark continues to support the veteran community.
We discuss the challenges veterans face today, including mental health, access to resources, and building a life after service. Mark shares inspiring stories, actionable advice, and a powerful call to action for listeners to better understand and support those who have or are serving our country.
Whether you're a veteran, a family member of someone who served, or simply someone looking to make a difference, this episode offers insight, hope, and practical ways to serve those who have served.
Call to Action:
If you or someone you know is a veteran in need of support, visit the Captain John D. Mason Peer Outreach Program, which aims to save lives by utilizing Veteran peers that go into the community and locate Veterans in need engaging them in VA health services, and other community resources, to live a healthy, productive life. The program is designed to provide you the best peer services, referrals for case management support and connection to VA benefits. Learn more at www.veteranpeeroutreach.org
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In this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we sit down with two veterans who bravely share their journeys with PTSD, recovery, and the critical role of peer support in the healing process. Through their honest and powerful lived experience, they discuss the realities of military service, the challenges of living with PTSD, and the impact of peer support services for veterans.
We explore the unique struggles veterans face, from navigating mental health resources to breaking the stigma around seeking help. Our guests provide firsthand insight into how peer support specialists—veterans helping veterans—offer hope, connection, and a path toward healing.
Whether you are a veteran, a family member, or someone looking to better support those who have served, this episode delivers invaluable perspectives, practical advice, and a message of resilience.
Call to Action:
If you or someone you know is a veteran in need of support, visit the Captain John D. Mason Peer Outreach Program. This program connects veterans with trained peer specialists who provide guidance, referrals, and access to vital resources. No one should have to navigate PTSD or the challenges of life after service alone—help is available.
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In this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we sit down with Sonja Flinn, a proud veteran and the Director of Program Services at Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin. Her story of resilience, recovery and advocacy is truly remarkable. Listen as we discuss her experiences as a female veteran, her insights on workplace wellness, and how her journey can inspire us all.
Call to Action:
If you or someone you know is a veteran in need of support, visit the Captain John D. Mason Peer Outreach Program. This program connects veterans with trained peer specialists who provide guidance, referrals, and access to vital resources. No one should have to navigate PTSD or the challenges of life after service alone—help is available.
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In this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we sit down with Jelena Jones of Racine County Behavioral Health Services. Listen with us as she shares an overview of the available mental health services in Racine County, as well as the current status of mental health in our communities, including challenges and current trends.
To learn more about what Racine County Behavioral Health Services offers, visit their website at https://www.racinecounty.com/departments/hsd/aging-behavioral-health/behavioral-health-services
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Season 2 - 2024
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS
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Welcome to the first episode of our second season!
We start this season by having a conversation with Melissa (Work Order Day Coordinator) and Marshall (Clubhouse Participant) about the Clubhouse philosophy, their mission, and how this program can empower people living with mental illness to achieve a successful and independent life.
For more information on the Racine Friendship Clubhouse, go here:
https://racineclubhouse.org/
For more information on the Clubhouse International organization and to find a Clubhouse near you, go here: https://clubhouse-intl.org/
https://clubhouse-intl.org/
You can find previous episodes of Compassionate Conversations here:
https://www.namiracinecounty.org/podcastLet us know what you think of this episode!
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March is "Self-Harm Awareness Month"
Our guest, Kevin Wahl, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and NAMI Racine County Board Member
In this episode, we talk about Self-Harm or NSSI (Non-Suicidal Self-Injury), some possible reasons why people engage in this behavior, and what can be done to shift to a healthier coping mechanism.
For more information on this Self-Harm Awareness Month, click here:
https://www.pennfoundation.org/march-is-self-harm-awareness-month/
For more information on Kevin's specialties, click here:
https://lifestance.com/provider/kevin-wah-dsw-ma-lpc-csac/ -
Jelena Jones is the Administrator of Behavioral Health Services for Racine County.
In this episode, Jelena and Carlos have a very informative conversation about the status of mental health services in Racine County and the County's efforts to fight the current opioid epidemic.
More information on the Human Services Department is here: https://www.racinecounty.com/departments/human-services
More information on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline here: https://988lifeline.org/ -
May is Mental Health Awareness Week, and May 5th - 11th is Children's Mental Health Acceptance Week.
To discuss the critical issue of Children's Mental Health, we have invited Julie Hueller, Manager of the Racine Collaborative on Children's Mental Health, to share important information, guide what signs to look for in children, and discuss mental health.
You don't want to miss this important episode!
If you're interested in the "Access for All" Program, don't hesitate to get in touch with Julie Hueller at julie.hueller@rusd.org
To access resources and information on mental health, please go to the Racine County Family Resources page at https://racine.wi.networkofcare.org/family/
We appreciate your support! -
The Inclusive Bean is a new Coffee Shop with an important mission in the Racine, WI area.
A place "...where individuals of all abilities can have a sense of belonging, be challenged appropriately, and be supported in wherever they may be going next in life."
In this episode, we talk to Amelia Fahnrich, Co-owner, and Helena Fahnrich, Manager, about the experience of inclusion of people who live with mental health disabilities and the impact of compassion in the workforce in the development of those living with mental health issues and in the community at large.
For more information about The Inclusive Bean, go to https://www.theinclusivebean.org/
To fill out the application form follow this link:
https://www.theinclusivebean.org/employment -
In this episode, we have a conversation with Keidy Bognar, from WWBIC, about the need to break the stigma on mental health and mental illness.
Keidy shares her experience and that of her family as an immigrant, and DACA recipient, and how therapy has become a family affair.
Keydi is also a TEDx Talk presenter of "More than a DREAMer", you can check her presentation here:
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En éste episodio especial de Compassionate Conversations, hablamos con Keydi Bognar, de WWBIC, sobre la necesidad de romper con el estigma sobre salud mental en la comunidad Hispana.
Keydi comparte con nosotros su experiencia personal y familiar, como inmigrante y recipiente de DACA y de cómo la terapia se ha convertido en una actividad familiar.
Keidy es también la presentadora de "More than a DREAMer", un Tedx Talk que pueden ver aquí:
Season 1 - 2023
Our deepest gratitude for the United Way of Racine County Equity Innovation Fund which enabled the first season of Compassionate Conversations. The goal of this podcast was to help amplify the voices of communities who have historically been unheard in discussions about mental illness and mental health. Thank you to the guests who joined us for Season 1. We look forward to coming back February 2024 to bring you Season 2!
NAMI Racine County’s Compassionate Conversations can be listened to on five different platforms. Next to each podcast description are the icons of these five services. Simply click on the icon for your platform of choice to enjoy that episode.
Click on an icon to listen on that service.
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In the first part, we will be chatting with Bridget Munson, Executive Director of NAMI Racine County, about the organization, its vision, and ways in which we all can help create a more compassionate community.
In the second part of our conversation, we'll chat with Sheri Hess, Outreach Coordinator for NAMI Racine County, about mental illness, how to approach the conversation, and what it means to live with a diagnosis.
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This episode is the first part of a conversation with Maria Bishop, therapist and founder of "Breath of Courage," a non-profit organization that uses education, therapy, and creative arts to promote, guide and walk through deep healing and hope with survivors of trauma, and Scott Kinderman, survivor, advocate and Board Member of BeLEAF Survivors, a non-profit that seeks to provide a safe and compassionate environment to promote hope and healing after sexual assault.
In this section, we introduce Maria and Scott and the work they do to support survivors of sexual assault; we define myth and truth on what sexual assault is, the experience of sexual assault, and the signs of sexual assault in children.
If you want to listen to Scott's experience of sexual abuse, go to this episode in Candance Sanchez's podcast, "Unspoken: Conversations with Candance": "Breaking the Cycle with Scott and Scarlette Kinderman."
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In Part 2 of our conversation with Maria Bishop (Breath of Courage) and Scott Kinderman (BeLEAF Survivors), we talk about the benefits of support groups and therapy, the prevalence, and the main manifestations of trauma on survivors of sexual assault.
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This is the third and final part of our conversation with Maria Bishop (Breath of Courage) and Scott Kinderman (BeLEAF Survivors).
In the final part of this episode, we talk about when the healing process starts, what to do after the “trauma membrane” rips away, the consequences of doing and not doing the healing work, and some recommendations for those supporting survivors of sexual abuse.
Thank you, Maria & Scott, for such an insightful conversation, and thank you to our listeners for your support!
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Season 1 / Episode 11:
How to Stay Mentally Healthy During the Holidays
In this episode, we're having a conversation with Amanda Busack from the Racine County Health Division about resources and strategies to strengthen our mental health during the holidays.
You can access the resources mentioned in this episode here:
988 – call, text, chat (988lifeline.org)
Wisconsin Warmline (Mental Health America) - 534-202-5438
Racine County Crisis Line: 262-638-6741
Veterans Crisis Line: call, text, chat www.veteranscrisisline.net
National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
SAMHSA National Hotline (Substance Use and Mental Health): 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
Simi Botic: https://simibotic.com/
https://www.instagram.com/simibotic/?hl=en
Several crisis and warmline resources are listed here and on the DHS website as well (includes 988 and the new MHA state warmline)
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/crisis/talk.htm
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Season 1 / Episode 10:
9-LINE and Mental Health Resources for Veterans
In today's episode, we're having a conversation with Zack Zdroik, Executive Director of Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin, about what 9-LINE [(262) 456-7059] is and what resources are available for Veterans in our state.
For more information on 9-LINE and to learn more about "Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin," click here: https://vowvillages.com/9-line-2/
If you are in immediate crisis and need to talk to someone now, call the Veterans Crisis Line, available 24/7. Dial 988, then press 1 or text 83825
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Season 1 / Episode 9:
Advocacy: Ending the Stigma Against Mental Illness
In this episode, we have a conversation with Luann Simpson, long-time and now-retired NAMI Racine County staff member and mental health advocate, about how we all can advocate for a more compassionate society that accepts and includes those who live with a mental illness and ends the stigma on mental illness and mental health, and provides the resources needed for a successful recovery.
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Season 1 / Episode 8:
Mental Health in High School
Today, we bring you a special episode recorded on August 29th, 2023 just before school started. This is the second part of a podcast collaboration with the Racine Video Production Workshop, a Racine Unified School District program.
In this episode, I have the pleasure of having Sheri Hess, Outreach Coordinator at NAMI Racine County, as co-host, and we have the pleasure of talking to Pamela and Sawyer, high school seniors and hosts of the Racine Video Production Podcast, about mental health in High School, how to avoid isolation, how to help those who struggle with their mental health, the view of new generations regarding mental health, and more.
The entire conversation is in the Racine Video Production YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/NlITlLzwlOg?si=W_gHwi6hcPkaQNgQ
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Season 1 / Episode 7:
Suicide Prevention in the LGBTQ Community
In this episode, we are having a conversation with the staff members of the LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin about the rates of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth and what we can do, as a community, to prevent it.
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Season 1 / Episode 6:
Reasonable Accommodations for Employees living with a Mental Illness
In this episode, we're having a conversation with Mary Buchacklian, Human Resources Specialist and NAMI Racine County Board member, about what type of accommodations can be made for employees living with mental illness, how to create a "mental health culture" at the workplace and the importance of keeping open communication with employers about mental health issues.
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Season 1 / Episode 5:
Mental Health Challenges in Ethnic Minority Communities
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and in this episode, along with Sha'Boris Mays, we explore the particular challenges faced by ethnic communities in the US, as well as ways to overcome these challenges.
Sha'Boris is a mental health and addiction care therapist working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples with various mental, emotional, behavioral, and addiction disorders, as well as physical and psychological disabilities.
Sha'Boris is also African American, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a new Board Member at NAMI Racine County.
She offers online services and can be reached here: Alma - Sha'Boris Mays.
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Season 1 / Episode 4:
The LGBTQ+ Community and Mental Health
June is #PrideMonth, and on this episode of Compassionate Conversations, we are talking to Barb Farrar, Executive Director of The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, about the intersection of mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community, clarifying some key concepts, exploring the challenges the community faces, and what can we do to better support the members of the community.
#youarenotaloneracine #compassionateconversations #mentalhealthmatters #localpodcastPodcast
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Season 1 / Episode 3:
How to Practice Self-compassion
In this episode, we are having a conversation with Harley Godowski, a Therapist at Mindfulnest Counselling, LLC, specializing in Maternal Mental Health, about how to make the practices of self-compassion and self-forgiving part of our personal process as a way of growth.
If you're interested in the book Harley recommends, you can find it here: "The Self-Compassion Workbook: Practical Exercises to Approach Your Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions with Kindness".
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