We are so excited to bring you the next live #IfYouCouldSeeMe event on January 11th here in Richmond!
You can get your tickets HERE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ifyoucouldseeme-the-women-speak-tickets-52670531979
We have another group of INCREDIBLE women bravely sharing their stories of triumph, strength, and truth. We laugh, we cry, we hug, and you will leave feeling wrapped in love and highly entertained.
“‘The goal is to normalize conversations around mental health. And to acknowledge that every person can be impacted by a mental health diagnosis or by a disability.“ In a day and age with a strong stigma around mental health, #IfYouCouldSeeMe provides people dealing with mental health diagnoses the safe, loving arena to share their stories in a healthy manner.
#IfYouCouldSeeMe simultaneously incorporates individuals who do not experience mental health diagnosis with those who do by developing an intimate relationship between storytellers and the audience.
‘Our message is that mental health is health,’ Mahone said. “Mental health is relevant to everyone. And being a person with a mental health diagnosis doesn’t mean you are without value, or without worth.”
Excerpt from an article published in RVA Magazine in September 2018 https://rvamag.com/tags/erin-mahone
Meet our AMAZING participants:
Traci Jones
Traci Jones was a co-founder of Trillium Drop-In Center in Woodbridge, VA and the founder and Executive Director of Rise Phoenix Rise, an animal-assisted wellness program for mental health peers. Traci has served on many various boards, including the Regional Recovery Work Group in Northern Virginia and currently with VOCAL., a statewide peer mental health group. She is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a certified Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) facilitator, certified in Mental Health First Aid, certified in REVIVE (naloxone administration for opioid overdose), is SMART Recovery certified and has earned a BS in Psychology and a MA in Human Services. She is currently a PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership. She has previous work experiences at ChildHelp, USA, a residential treatment facility for children, ACTS/Turning Points, a domestic violence program in Prince William County, VA, and at Friends 4 Recovery, a peer-run center in Chesterfield, VA.
Traci has many struggles, both mentally and physically. She is legally blind and has some hearing loss. She has a mitochondrial mutation which affects her nerves and causes chronic problems and pain, she finds herself hospitalized frequently. This does not stop her. Her resilience drives her to help others. Her motto is “it is what it is, everyday is an adventure.” She strives to help everyone be their best.
Sarah McFarland
Sarah is the Founder of The Learning and Integrating New Knowledge and Skills Center, Inc. (The LINKS Center, Inc.). a nonprofit organization that provides support services to families caring for children diagnosed with mental illness. Sarah uses her lived experience to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to move from hopelessness to wholeness. Her work includes, Certified Parent Support Provider, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, Youth Counselor, CASA Guardian Ad Liten volunteer. She is a dedicated and committed Sexual Trauma, Domestic Violence and Mental Health Advocate. Sarah is a member, facilitator and Board member for NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Megan Lee
Megan Lee is a fierce advocate for individuals with disabilities and a voice against injustice in the world. She is in the process of obtaining her degree in human services so that she can continue the work of supporting those in need and fighting for what is just and good.
Kaira Boston
Outside of her technology project management work, Kaira gets creative in her art studio/office doing mixed media art! The layers of color, texture and words that Kaira puts into her art mirrors the layers of life we go through on a daily basis. Putting these marks onto canvas helps her to process the experiences, express herself and understand what’s next. Kaira loves supporting others to do the same in her Mindful Canvas Workshops.
For family fun this summer, Kaira enjoyed the family’s first ever paddle board trip. Kaira’s immediate family consists of her husband Bill, 11 year old daughter Delaney and two dogs, Luther and Elvis!
Andi Chrisman
Andi was diagnosed in 2011 with Borderline Personality Disorder and now publicly shares her story of mental illness recovery. She is the founder of the BPDWarrior blog and a trained presenter for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Andi is educated in digital media and offers her expertise to support the needs of organizations spreading message of recovery and inclusion.
Tara Culton
Tara is a mental health advocate, speaker, and educator. She is Creator of Talks with T. Through her work Tara shares aspects of her journey through the silence, the stigma, the struggle, and the triumph of experiencing mental health illness while serving in ministry.
Because of her personal journey, she is intimately acquainted with the issue of silence around mental health illness in the church. Her heart is to help us all understand the need for transparency in this area. She is sharing her journey so that others may be set free. Tara states, “To become the ‘face’ of mental health illness in the church was a frightening thought. However, I’m sure dying on the cross was just as frightening for Jesus (in his humanity).”
Christina Tinker
Christina Tinker is a gatherer of people, a truth teller, and a hope spreader. She is passionate about sharing stories that transform our lives personally and professionally. Christina's leadership and business experience ranges from being an executive in a niche training and development organization, to being a key sales and marketing leader in big Fortune 500 tech companies, to founding and operating multiple entrepreneurial businesses, the most recent of which she grew and sold earlier this year.
Christina's passion to inspire people, and to bring them together in a way that is authentic and brave, drive her to create a community that will change the world for the better one story at a time, all while creating dramatic business results.
We are raising funds to cover the expenses involved in the production of this event. Please consider contributing through PayPal - or contact Erin at erinlmahone@gmail.com 804-869-9804 about becoming a sponsor.
We would like to thank our amazing community partners partners for their support of our event!
Chrysalis Institute
McShin Foundation
Partnership for People with Disabilities
RVA Creative Wellness
Virginia Repertory Theatre
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities
VOCAL Virginia
Weinstein JCC