Alive And Well Stl

Connie Fisher, Director of Mental Health Promotion at Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri, and Riisa Easley, Project Director at St. Louis Regional System of Care, recommend small steps for achieving wellness in all areas of our lives. They share signs that allow us to recognize when we are chronically or intensely stressed and how we can move past it.

Robin Saenger, Founding Director of Peace4Tarpon, a trauma-informed community movement in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Marsha Morgan, Chief Operating Officer of Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health in Kansas City and partner of Trauma Matters KC, a trauma-informed care model, share the changes they have seen in their communities since implementing a trauma-informed approach. They speak about why understanding trauma is so important and how everyone can and should play a part in the movement.

Serena Muhammad, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the St. Louis Mental Health Board, and Toni Jordan, Peer Specialist at Queen of Peace, help trauma survivors recover through empowerment and aid them in living a fulfilling life. They encourage all of us to engage with those who may need to see a friendly face and to look at problems' root causes at the individual and community level.

Sherrill Wayland, Executive Director of SAGE (Service & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) Metro St. Louis and Andrew Shaughnessy, Manager of Public Policy of PROMO, work to eliminate the health disparity gap between GLBT people and the general population. They stress the importance of health and social service organizations adopting GLBT welcoming policies and always showing dignity and respect, even during disagreement.

Nancy Spargo, CEO and Co-founder of the St. Louis Center for Family Development, and Emily Phillips, Mental Health Professional for the St. Louis Center for Family Development, speak about how adults can help children recover from a traumatic experience. They share how asking "What happened?" instead of "What's wrong?" takes the event outside the child's domain and presents it as an external event that affects him or her, but is not the child's fault.

Larry Bastain lost his nephew to a brutal homicide, yet remains hopeful through the hurt and trauma his family is facing. He found that forgiveness can be not only freeing, but also an integral part of healing. Hear why retaliation, though he considered it, was not an option, and how he found a greater response.

Dorothy Burgess attends weekly grief meetings put on by the Demetrius Johnson Charitable Foundation, which help her and other loved ones of homicide victims cope with loss. She expresses the way homicide has changed her life and the daily pain she faces. Burgess shares her hopes for the future and her grandchildren.

Major Ronnie Robinson of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Demetrius Johnson started a weekly grief meeting for loved ones of homicide victims. Robinson encourages law enforcement to use outreach, intervention, and enforcement to reduce violence and to work with people in the community in order to gain their trust. He wants society to admit the stigma of the young black male so that we can cure it.

"Our perceived lack of empowerment may have a negative impact on our health." Dr. Vetta Sanders Thompson, Professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, talks about how class and race matter in St. Louis. She encourages community members to take care of themselves and maintain resilience. Dr. Thompson shares her vision for the future improvements of St. Louis.

We know that those who experience persistent, toxic stress or traumatic, adverse events are less likely to achieve good health. Dr. Terry Jones, Founder’s Professor for Political Science at University of Missouri-St. Louis, discusses how historical discrimination against African-Americans affects current education and wealth disparities. He explains the challenges of our current democracy and how citizens can get involved in their local government and why they should.

When mental health stigma is reduced, more people are able to seek treatment and help those suffering from a mental illness. Andrea Purnell, Director of Communications and the Arts at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, and Jermine Alberty, Mental Health First Aid Training Director, share how art can be used for self-help and healing.

This episode provides a glimpse into the first live community conversation about how we can achieve emotional and physical wellness by understanding the health impact of persistent, toxic stress and adverse events. Leadership from the St. Louis Regional Health Commission explains why stress and trauma is a health care issue, and Bethany Johnson-Javois shares her personal story of trauma, calling all of us to get involved and help develop supportive relationships and communities that can bounce back.

 “Trauma,” experiencing or witnessing an event that compromises an individual’s sense of safety and wellbeing, is a major mental and emotional health issue in our region. Joe Yancey, Executive Director of Places for People, and Suzanne LeLaurin, Senior Vice President for Programs at the International Institute, encourage those in power to talk openly about having a trauma aware society. They hope that medical practioners can look beyond people’s physical symptoms to help with the true problems that lie beneath.

 Joe Yancey, Chair of the Regional Health Commission’s Community Advisory Board and Rosetta Keeton, Patient Advocate for the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, give us an understanding of stress and its impact on our health and lives and invite all of us to become Alive And Well. They encourage us to think about how the health of our community affects our own individual wellbeing.

Robert Fruend Jr, CEO and Rosetta Keeton, Patient Advocate of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, explain what Alive and Well STL means to them and why they work to eliminate the impact of stress and trauma on the St. Louis community. They share a mission of hope and encourage listeners to follow the radio show in order to gain tips for helping others and ourselves.

Dr. Will Ross, Associate Dean for Diversity, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, and Senior Fellow at the Washington University Center for Health Policy, discusses why social determinants of health are dictated largely by the distribution of wealth, power and resources in one’s environment. He says that being conscious of your surroundings and overcoming negative environments with positive thinking are important. Dr. Ross explains how to positively affect your own health by taking advantage of one of St. Louis’ many beautiful parks, eating healthy by shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, and utilizing preventive treatments such as flu shots and other vaccines.

Dr. Will Ross, Associate Dean for Diversity, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, and Senior Fellow at the Washington University Center for Health Policy, discusses why social determinants of health are dictated largely by the distribution of wealth, power and resources in one’s environment. He says that being conscious of your surroundings and overcoming negative environments with positive thinking are important. Dr. Ross explains how to positively affect your own health by taking advantage of one of St. Louis’ many beautiful parks, eating healthy by shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, and utilizing preventive treatments such as flu shots and other vaccines.

"In St. Louis there is a growing crisis with heroin addiction and prescription drug abuse. Substance abuse is usually a symptom of other underlying issues where the harmful behavior serves as a coping mechanism for another problem. Dr. Fred Rottnek, Medical Director of Corrections Medicine for the St. Louis County Department of Health and Associate Professor at St. Louis University, encourages listeners to remember how broad the definition of an addict is so that we do not label somebody as ‘different than me’ because ‘they have a drug problem.’ "

1 in 6 people suffers from hunger in our region. Dr. Robert Hughes, President and CEO of Missouri Foundation for Health; Sunny Schaefer, CEO of Operation Food Search; and Denise West, Director of Social Services at Guardian Angel Settlement Association, discuss why hunger and food insecurity is a critical health issue for our region and what resources are available if you or someone you know is hungry.

Your oral health is a major part of your overall health in ways you may never have imagined. Learn about it in this episode! Bethany is joined by Dr. Ronnie Drake, dentist and longtime member of the Regional Health Commission Provider Services Advisory Board, to talk about the importance of keeping healthy teeth and a healthy smile!