Peer Support and How to Create Safe Spaces with Johnny Crowder| EP. 36

In an increasingly intolerant world, having a safe place to go is critical for maintaining good mental health. A safe space is a physical or virtual location where you can relax and recharge. A safe haven where you can be yourself without fear of being judged. A safe space can exist in the abstract, such as during a sensitive subject conversation, or in physical forms, such as a private meeting room.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family Support Groups are peer-led and allow participants to share their experiences while also receiving support from other attendees.

NAMI provides support and education to families and individuals dealing with mental health issues. NAMI recognizes the importance of the key concepts of recovery, resiliency, and support in improving the wellness and quality of life of all people affected by mental illness.

In this episode, we are joined by Johnny Crowder, the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes. Johnny Crowder is a 29-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, mental health and sobriety advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world.

With 10 years of clinical treatment, a psychology degree from the University of Central Florida, and a decade of peer support and public advocacy through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Johnny’s youthful vigor for mental health has impacted millions of lives across the globe. Johnny has received recognition from hundreds of outlets, including Upworthy, CNN, and Forbes, and today he has decided to spend some time with you and me on this podcast. I think you’re going to enjoy this one!

Show Highlights:

(00:00:00) Disclaimer

(00:00:21) Episode teaser: Peer Support Reciprocity

(00:01:19) Intro to the Podcast 

(00:04:14) Peer Support in your pocket

00:04:32) Message from our sponsor: Speaks2Inspire is the mental health solution for young adults suffering in silence. Learn about how your campus can benefit from partnering with Speaks2Inspire by visiting www.speaks2inspire.com. 

(00:05:14) Welcoming our guest: Johnny Crowder, Founder & CEO of Cope Notes

(00:06:43) Johnny Crowder shares how it was growing up with different mental health conditions 

(00:08:46) How to create safe spaces for honest conversations about mental health. What does the words ‘safe space’ mean to you?

(00:12:20) Understanding what students want and need

(00:15:02) Including student voices in the conversation

(00:17:27) Create non-judgmental environments

(00:21:08) What life was growing up in an unsafe household

(00:26:00) The importance of self-care & self-soothe ability

(00:30:30) Abraham Sculley: growing up not talking about mental health

(00:37:13) Cope Notes: how it started and it came from. 

(00:43:51) Your hardship qualifies you to serve people

(00:47:00) Check out Cope Notes, a tool that can be used by anybody. Speaks2Inspire is excited to be collaborating with Cope Notes in this way, to offer a 10% discount on your Cope Notes subscription.

Key Takeaways:

“Anybody who has experience with some type of hardship, whether you've lost a family member, whether you live with bipolar two, whatever it is, if you have experience with that, don't forget that that could be the thing that qualifies you to serve people who know what you're going through. So please don't lose sight of that.” - Johnny Crowder

“What do we need as human beings? And I think one of the biggest things is CONNECTION. And if we don't have that safe space, if we don't feel like we can open up, if we can’t be honest, then there is no real connection.” - Johnny Crowder

“One of the things that have made me feel comfortable in peer support settings is the feeling of reciprocity. One of the coolest peer support scenarios I was ever in. I wasn't even with like a certified recovery peer specialist. Nobody was certified. It wasn't me sharing and somebody listening and then them trying not to judge me, we were both sharing and the feeling of reciprocity, like both of us being there for the same reason really made it feel nonjudgmental.” - Johnny Crowder

Connect with Johnny via the following: 

Email: [email protected] Website: https://copenotes.com  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/johnnycrowder  Instagram: https://instagram.com/johnnycrowderlovesyou Twitter: https://twitter.com/copenotes 

 

Unlearn The Lies About Mental Health is Hosted by Abraham Sculley

Contact Speaks 2 Inspire to learn about S2I programs: https://speaks2inspire.com/services/. Mental health resources for students: https://speaks2inspire.com/resources/. Connect with Abraham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrahamsculley/. Order a copy of Unlearn The Lies https://amzn.to/32B2jRh. Join the Unlearn The Lies About Mental Health Facebook group: https://bit.ly/UTLcommunity.

This episode is powered by Speaks 2 Inspire, the mental health solution for young adults suffering in silence. Speaks 2 Inspire works with colleges and universities to create and implement safe, comprehensive programs for campuses across the nation.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis please reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting “Home” to 741741 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255.