Make Mental Health Matter

Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Grief, Hope, and Healing

Grief, Hope, and Healing with Erin Blechman
On this episode of Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli talks Erin Blechman
On June 3, 2020, she lost our eldest son, Max, to suicide after his long battle with mental illness. His death has been the most devastating experience of her life and put her on the path to become an author, speaker, and certified Grief Educator.
She is an author, speaker, and Certified Grief Educator whose mission is to elevate the conversation around grief and loss, mental illness, and suicide. Her book, My Unexpected Journey: Reflections After Losing My Son to Suicide, chronicles the eighteen months following the devastating loss of her own beloved son, Max to suicide after his long battle with mental illness.
She offers grief support to bereaved parents through online groups and community talks that seek to build greater understanding of mental illness, suicide, loss and grief.
Erin lives part-time in both Pennsylvania and Florida with her husband, Bill and Max’s former dog, Emmylou. Their son, Sam, and his wife, Julia, reside in Pa. My Unexpected Journey is her first book. Follow Erin on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @erin.blechman and on her website at https://erinblechman.com/
Find out more about Erin here:
website: https://erinblechman.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erin.blechman/?__pwa=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erin.blechmanauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-blechman-1b45b42b0
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Trauma and Chronic Pain

Trauma and Chronic Pain with DK Ciccone
On this episode of Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli talks with Dana Karen (“DK”) Ciccone. She will share her journey through a decades-long battle with low back pain from a young age tied to undiagnosed anxiety and trauma. The long journey to unraveling her pain flare-ups required that she honor the needs of her nervous system and mental health. She thinks many people are suffering needlessly with pain being the first sign of unresolved emotional distress.
DK is a certified Pilates instructor who helps people in pain improve strength, mobility, and well-being in a weight-neutral environment. DK is a graduate of the MSMS Advanced Movement Studies Program and is also trained in pain reprocessing therapy through the Pain Psychology Center. Having begun her own journey with chronic back pain as a young teen, she has been exploring ways to help herself and others regain joy of movement for decades. After twenty years in the health sector, DK left a corporate career to follow her passion, later launching Movement Remedies, a chronic pain–focused Pilates studio and movement coaching business. Her first book, You’re Meant to Move: A Guide to Conquering Chronic Pain, Increasing Stress Resilience, and Reclaiming an Active Life, was released December 2023. DK is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Find out more about DK here:
https://movementremedies.org
https://www.facebook.com/movement.remedies.llc/
https://www.instagram.com/movement_remedies/
https://www.youtube.com/@movementremediesllc
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Making Youth Mental Health a Priority

Making Youth Mental Health a Priority with Jason Reid
On this episode of Make Mental Health Matter Show Jason Reid comes back to chat with Kelli.
He is a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for making a positive impact. After tragically losing his 14-year old son Ryan in 2018, he dedicated himself to empowering parents with vital conversations about youth mental wellness. Through his nonprofit, Tell My Story, and its subsidiary Mental Wellness Media, he advocates for youth mental health with initiatives like his documentaries "Tell My Story" and "What I Wish My Parents Knew" and engaging talks.
Aside from his philanthropic endeavors, Jason is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of National Services Group, overseeing multiple construction brands and coaching executives worldwide through CEO Coaching International. He's also involved in various ventures like the Mohr Sports Group and The Vocal Gym. Despite his busy schedule, Jason prioritizes family, being married for three decades and cherishing time with his four children. Beyond work, he explores creative outlets, including filmmaking, writing, music, and athletics, embodying his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to making a difference.
Find out more about Jason’s here:
www.tellmystory.org
@tellmystorycommunity - insta
Tellmystory- facebook
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Reju Wellness with Dante’ Wade

Reju Wellness with Dante’ Wade
In this episode of Make Mental Health Matter, Kelli chats with Dante’ Wade.
He is on a mission to inspire community development, promote mental health, and help people live better lives. A New Jersey native from Newark, Dante’ has over seven years of experience in business development and operations. After earning his degree in Business Management from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in 2017, he quickly established himself as a leader with a passion for innovation and community service.
Dante’ has held key roles, including National Director at a large non-profit and Assistant Vice President in higher education. His expertise lies in building corporate partnerships within the workforce development sector. As the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Reju, a mental health and holistic wellness mobile app, Dante’ drives operations, strategic partnerships, and team alignment to empower users to achieve physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Through his work, he remains dedicated to positively impacting lives.
Find out more about Dante’ here:
https://therejuapp.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-wade-963622143/
@_kampaign7 on IG
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Filling Your Own Cup

Filling Your Own Cup with Jen Bee
In this episode of Make Mental Health Matter, Kelli talks with Jen Bee.
As a life coach, she is a strong advocate of the 1%. The small little changes and wins that we can create to reconnect to ourselves and fill our own cup. She works with many women who are in transitions in their life (into parenting, into higher levels of responsibility at work, to becoming empty nesters and caregivers), and how 5 minutes spent on you can create a massive change in our thoughts and feelings - and a ripple effect in our families and communities. She also works with corporations, delivering strategies to the workforce to avoid burnout and create empowering cultures. Jen is a highly engaging results-driven, motivational speaker and life coach, on a quest to help individuals (and organizations) create 1% wins in their wellness through her 5-pillar wellness framework. As a former HR professional for 14 years, she is now on a quest to turn her mess into her message, empowering others and reinforcing self-care and self-worth practices.
Find out more about Jen here:
www.growwithjenbee.com
www.tinyurl.com/connectwithgrow
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Power of Positivity

The Power of Positivity with Chris DT Gordon
On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli brings back Chris DT Gordon.
He is a middle school special education teacher, professional speaker and author, and survivor of a life-threatening disease who uses his story and message to inspire others to increase their gratitude, positivity, and resilience to overcome their challenges and make the world a better place.
Chris DT Gordon is a faithful husband, father of three, online middle school special education teacher, professional speaker, author, runner, martial artist, and pop culture geek.
He is also a survivor of a life-threatening disease who uses his story and message to inspire and motivate others to overcome their challenges with gratitude, positivity, and resilience, and achieve their greatness on their own terms!
Find out more about Chris go to one of these:
www.chrisdtgordon.com
www.instagram/chrisdtgordon
http://linkedin.com/in/christopher-gordon-bb3b53230
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www.makementalhealthmatter.org
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Crisis Cleanup

Crisis Cleanup and Compassion with Cheryl Chiasson
On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli chats with Cheryl Chiasson.
As a biohazard cleanup business owner, she is passionate about mental health advocacy. They work with families dealing with traumatic situations such as suicides, homicides, drug overdoses, hoarding, and more. Her experiences have deepened her compassion for those struggling with mental health challenges.
Cheryl Chiasson, in her eighth year of property restoration, specializes in biohazard remediation, including meth and drug contamination. She holds various certifications and training to handle challenging situations with professionalism. Cheryl is also involved in community organizations, such as the Arapahoe Community College Foundation Board and the Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission. Alongside her husband as owners of Bio-One Denver, they have received numerous awards for their service. Cheryl welcomes the opportunity to educate property owners and organizations about drug contamination. Her recognition through business awards and involvement in community organizations showcase her hard work and commitment.
Find out more about Cheryl go to one of these:
https://www.biooneden.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylchiasson
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www.makementalhealthmatter.org
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: People-Pleaser to Empowered

From People-Pleaser to Empowered: Wendi Zimmer’s Story
On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli chats with Wendi Zimmer.
In this information age, we are inundated with videos, podcasts, websites, social media posts, and many other sources of information that give us strategies and resources to achieve anything we want. From weight loss to learning another language, we don’t have to look far to find people telling us what to do. The problem is that no one tells us HOW to achieve more, and we often are not ready to apply the information we receive. We allow our fears and doubts to get in the way and derail our belief in ourselves. To get what we want and to truly transform our lives, we must start by working on ourselves. We all have a power within us that helps us achieve what we want in life. This power is called FORCE, and when used correctly, it can transform who we are, how we view ourselves, and how we achieve what we want.
Growing up as a people pleaser and “fixer,” Wendi survived by hiding her struggles. On the outside, she appeared to have it all together, but on the inside, she was miserable. She developed a process to use the power she has inside - her force - to believe in herself, and now she teaches others to do the same. Wendi is an expert in mindset development, a professor at Texas A&M University, an educational consultant, and the owner of Learning Engaged and The Mindset Factor. As an educator for over 20 years, she has seen the impact destructive mindsets have on learning, self-esteem, and well-being in herself, her colleagues, and her students.
Find out more about Wendi go to one of these: www.learningengaged.com
You can find my headshots at www.learningengaged.com/wendizimmer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendizimmer/
Twitter: https://x.com/wendikzimmer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendikzimmer/
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Mental Health as a Superpower

Lauren Perna: Mental Health as a Superpower
On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli chats with Lauren Perna.
Her childhood anxiety was extreme and eventually segued into generalized anxiety, major depressive disorder, and other mental health issues. She has spent the majority of her life ashamed of her emotions and her diagnoses, but that all changed when she found her voice in mental health advocacy several years ago.
Her goal is to help people understand that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of—millions of people deal with some form of mental illness, whether for a period in their life or throughout it.
She is here to change the narrative that mental illness is anything but a superpower especially when you're an entrepreneur. Most importantly, she wants people that are suffering to know they are not alone. If she had known how many people were like her when she was younger, maybe she would’ve sought help or shared her story much sooner.
Lauren Perna is the CEO and Lead Writer of Lauren Perna Communications, a New England-based firm that helps clients tell their story through content strategy and copywriting. Clients include life sciences companies, healthcare organizations, and other game-changers, all united by their passion for improving lives.
Lauren is also a fierce advocate for mental health awareness and care. She is an award-winning community leader, recognized for her work as part of the Women’s Business League Neponset Valley Chapter. She is also the Chapter Leader and Founding Member of the Chronic Boss Collective, and she’s an elected Town Meeting Member. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University, and she holds a certificate in Digital Marketing from Columbia University/Emeritus.
Find out more about Lauren go to one of these:
https://www.laurenperna.com
https://www.instagram.com/in/mentallyfitfounder
https://www.facebook.com/laurenpernacomms
https://www.youtube.com/@laurenpernacomms
https://www.linkedin.com/company/laurenpernacomms.com/
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www.makementalhealthmatter.org
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Make Mental Health Matter with Kelli Melissa Reinhardt: Breaking Barriers

Second Chances: Breaking Barriers with Ashley Furst
On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli chats with Ashley Furst.
Ashley is a passionate advocate for the belief that individuals are more than their worst mistakes and that every breakdown has the potential to become a breakthrough. As someone who has personally experienced the challenges of reentry after justice involvement due to mental health and substance misuse issues, she brings a deep understanding of the unique needs of this population and the transformative power of second chances. As the Director of Business Development & Community Engagement at Breakthrough, Ashley is responsible for identifying growth opportunities through funding, building strategic partnerships, and driving the implementation of organizational objectives through development and community engagement initiatives.
Breakthrough is a nonprofit organization that exists to transform the lives of incarcerated individuals here in Colorado and shift the community's perception of the incarcerated population. Their holistic approach includes an in-prison educational program, community engagement initiatives, reentry support, a fair chance hiring program, and criminal justice advocacy initiatives. The success of their participants speaks for itself, with a recidivism rate of only 6% (compared to the state average of 40%), and a 92% employment rate.
Find out more about Ashley go to one of these:
https://timetobreakthrough.org/
https://www.instagram.com/time2breakthrough/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/timetobreakthrough/
https://www.youtube.com/c/TimetoBreakthrough?sub_confirmation=1
Ashley personally: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyfurst/
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