The Power of One

     Never underestimate the power of one. You could be only one that a person confides in about suicidal thoughts. You could be one leader who stands up for people’s rights. You could be one, starting with yourself, and spread hope and wisdom you’ve learned over the years.

     NAMI SWI has enabled me to be “one” and flourish. I’ve been able to share my story to hundreds of college students thanks to the non-profit organization. Through “Tuning Out Stigma,” I try to serve as a stigma fighting role model and perform my original music while talking about my Dark Days, Acceptance, Treatment, Coping Skills and Successes Hopes and Dreams modeled after NAMI’s In Our Own Voice public speaking format.

     I hope my presentation reached the hearts and minds of the audience to realize that yes, one can live a productive life with mental illness. I’ve had lived experience with mental illness for more than 20 years, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder with OCD and delusions. To this day, I’m on a maximum amount of psyche medications and raising a family of twins as a pastor’s wife in California. Through NAMI SWI, I presented at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville several times, at Greenville University and Lindenwood University-Belleville.

     I was flanked with support as NAMI SWI board members, volunteers and staff fielded questions from the audience after my presentations. I received a standing ovation in 2017 before an audience of 100 at Greenville University. Certainly, with one person, one dream and a vision, redemption in my story can be “won.”