EP54: RESCUE RUN: Carol Johnson – Program & Event Director w/ SpeakUp ReachOut

In 2017, Carol Johnson learned that one-third of local middle school students experienced suicide ideation and became very passionate about implementing behavioral health education. Carol is motivated by a theory of change: If we can break stigmas, encourage community conversations, and teach prevention skills, then people’s lives will be healthier. She joins Alex to discuss her work as the Program and Event Director for SpeakUp ReachOut and her mission to humanize mental health issues.

In this episode, Alex and Carol talk about…

Carol’s experience in programs and operations
Benefits of dance movement therapy
Men’s outreach program: Guys, Grit & Grub
The why behind Carol’s mission to break down stigmas around mental health
Understanding suicide is preventable and evidence-based programs work
Suicide is everybody’s business and a public health crisis
Difference between sadness and depression
Humanizing and normalizing mental health issues
Speak Up Reach Out programs
ACT: Acknowledge, Care and Tell
You don’t have to be in crisis to seek help for yourself or others
Name drops and professional athletes
Pod Decks Round
Big picture leadership and sticking to your mission in a transformational way

Links to resources:

SpeakUp ReachOut

https://www.speakupreachout.org/

Jeret  "Speedy" Peterson

https://www.thespeedyfoundation.org/project-big-air

Bill Johnson U.S. Olympic Down Hill Skier in 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Johnson_(skier)

Sports Illustrated: “Tess Johnson's Rise to the Olympic Team at 17 Is a Story Her Grandfather Would Have Written”

Moguls skiier Tess Johnson is one of six 17-year-olds on Team USA. That's a story that her grandfather, the late SI writer Bill Johnson, would have loved to cover.

https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/07/tess-johnson-usa-skiing-moguls

Articles by William Johnson - Sports Illustrated Vault https://vault.si.com/author/william-johnson

“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0446310786

U.S. Olympic Snowboarder: Jake Pates - Happy Healthy Brain Foundation

https://www.happyhealthybrainfoundation.org/

"Whatta-Gal" The Babe Didrikson Story by William Oscar Johnson
https://www.amazon.com/Whatta-Gal-Didrikson-William-Oscar-Johnson/dp/0316469432

Pod Decks "Never podcast without them"! Alex Mintling - World Famous Podcaster

National Suicide Prevent-ion Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Colorado Crisis Services 1-844-493-8255

Eagle County Hopeline 970-306-4673

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital