Alicia Williams’ Post

Living and working in a mountain resort community is paradise. Since you live in a place where others vacation your life must be perfect, and your days filled with joy. But there's a hidden side. There are a lot of unique pressures that add up living in a small, mountain, tourist community. The cost of living is high, the pay is low; the pressure to compete is high, forgiveness for sharing feelings is low. There's a lot of mental exhaustion that adds up and a stigma around admitting or asking for help. The Mountain West has some of the highest suicide rates in the US, and ski towns in particular have significantly higher rates of suicide than the national average. We need to talk about it. Proud to work for Alterra Mountain Company, who has partnered with Podium Pictures, LLC and Executive Producer Bode Miller to shine light on the mental health crisis impacting our mountain communities with the film "The Paradise Paradox". Learn more about the film, where to view it or how to host a screening in your community: https://lnkd.in/gdQGnmdq Help end the stigma by talking about mental health and listening to those who may struggle. If you need mental health support text or call 988. #SuicidePrevention #MentalHealth

Following World Mental Health Day, it’s crucial to acknowledge that our kids are not okay. Not only here in the United States, but globally. Around the world, the number of young people struggling with mental health disorders is increasing, and the majority are not getting the help they need. 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞. That’s why the Child Mind Institute marked World Mental Health Day this past Tuesday by convening a panel featuring members of our Youth Council in conversation with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. These remarkable young people and visionary leaders came together to discuss the mental health challenges facing kids today, the causes of this crisis, and strategies that everyone — from kids themselves to world leaders — can use to help.⁣ ⁣ “𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘰, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢.” – Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff You can view a full recording of their discussion in the link below. Conversations like these go a long way toward sharing crucial knowledge and eradicating stigma, and we hope you’ll take the time to watch. We’re grateful to Mr. Emhoff, Dr. Murthy, and Alexis and Wyatt from our Youth Council for their candor and leadership, and to the United Nations International School for hosting the event. And at this critical moment in the field of children’s mental health, thanks also go to all of you for joining us in our mission to transform the lives of children and families who are struggling.

💭 “Racism doesn’t just occur on an individual level, and healing, hoping for a different future, requires collective action.” Launched by our partners AAPI Equity Alliance, the HOPE (Healing Our People Through Engagement) Program harnesses the power of community building and collective healing to engage AAPI individuals in dialogue regarding the impacts of racism in our communities. Learn more about the HOPE Program, and why the radical healing framework is a powerful tool to address the mental health impacts of racism. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gsSTEPi6

📰 PRA in the press! In June, community leaders in Lexington, Kentucky, participated in a Sequential Intercept Model Mapping Workshop to improve access to mental health resources and treatment. “Putting people and their needs above everything else,” said Mayor Gorton. “We got to make sure everybody gets the services they need and is healthy to the highest degree.” 💡 Learn about the Sequential Intercept Model: http://pra.tw/13LW50PnyWV 🔗 http://pra.tw/gJI350PnyV3

I think this is the most compact and comprehensive 2-min explanation of Modern Warrior LIVE. There are so many layers to this production, intersecting entertainment, mental health, autobiographical accounts, local and national organizations that provide support for mental health, and so much more. Our next series of dates will be in September in Ohio. More on this at modernwarriorlive.org

Watch my interview below on the Uncaged Podcast as I discuss how I became a 7 figure earner. #womeninbusiness #womenentrepreneurs

Another 1:1 session offered under Life Thrive, part of Genesis Life Projects, is our Creative Art 1:1s. We offer blocks of 6 sessions using a variety of art and creative activities. Often our client’s past trauma make it difficult for them to express themselves or talk through issues. Art and creative activities can help open lines of communication and aid clients to communicate their feelings and thoughts. Matt Prescott, who runs these sessions, says “I have found working on an art or craft project helpful to encourage clients to open-up and talk frankly about their struggles.” One client Matt is working with struggles with addiction and has been chatting with Matt during the Creative Art sessions about his participation in our SMART Recovery course. As they work on the creative model, they talk through some of the SMART tools he’s been implementing. You can read more about our SMART Recovery course here: https://buff.ly/4348uLD These sessions allow clients to unburden whilst focusing on a task and by doing so, seem to leave much happier after the session. By consistently working on a project over time, their wellbeing increases as they see their efforts and commitment paying off.

"You may not always need a chaplain, you may not always need a clinician, but you certainly always need someone to talk to." It is not uncommon for firefighters to find themselves in high-stress and potentially traumatic situations that have lasting impact on their mental health. This is where people like Roosevelt Johns, Director of Chaplaincy for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, step in. Learn more about the importance of creating a culture of support in the firehouse, here: https://ow.ly/size50R7vxp

Happy Monday, LinkedIn Family! I hope this message finds you well-rested, revitalized, and prepared to conquer the world. A sobering wake-up call: Nearly 50,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide in 2022, according to a new CDC report. This stark reality demands our attention, reflection, and collective action. These aren't just numbers, they represent individual stories, families shattered, and communities grappling with an unfathomable loss. Every life lost to suicide is a profound tragedy, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support. The report sheds light on a complex issue that touches lives across the nation. It prompts us to ask critical questions about mental health accessibility, the societal stigma surrounding mental health, and the support structures available to those in need. Now, more than ever, we must unite to break the stigma associated with mental health struggles. It's a call for increased awareness, improved mental health education, and enhanced access to mental health services for all. In the face of this staggering statistic, let's commit to fostering a culture where seeking help is met with understanding, not judgment. Let's advocate for policies that prioritize mental health, ensuring that resources are available and accessible to those in crisis. And here's the challenge: let's turn this awareness into action. Reach out to your loved ones, check in on friends and colleagues, and be a beacon of support. Advocate for mental health resources in your communities, and let's work together to prevent further loss. Please visit www.tcpventures.net https://lnkd.in/givqE7PF for a solution to the problem. Who's ready to be a force for change? Let's honor those we've lost by collectively working towards a future where mental health is a priority, resources are abundant, and no one feels alone in their struggles. 🌟💙 #MentalHealthAwareness #BreakTheStigma #SuicidePrevention #CommunitySupport 💙🕊️

Shirley Chan is one of three family members brought together by BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services to share their narratives and wisdom as caregivers and loved ones of people with lived and living experience of mental health complexities, substance use issues, and criminalization. “We need to grab the dragon of stigma by the horns and wrestle it, because it has done so much harm,” says Chan. “People with mental health and substance use issues have an illness. If someone has another brain illness like Alzheimer’s or a physical illness, we don’t blame them or abandon them. As a society, we need to be kinder, and step in and change the system. These are people, and they matter.” Learn more about this new animated video series, co-created alongside family partners, in collaboration with student designers from Emily Carr University: https://ow.ly/mXI750PGvpN