Eric Riddle

#The100DayProject

April 1, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

On the Creative Pep Talk podcast, I was introduced to The 100 Day Project. The founders, Elle Luna and Lindsay Jean Thomson, shared inspiring stories from people who participated in the past. I have decided to join in this 5th annual event.

All are welcome to join. From what I have seen on the website, your daily creation is posted through Instagram. All posts include #the100dayproject and a second hashtag that is unique to your project. Mine is going to be #hundredhaiku!

How does this relate to mental health and faith?

I believe that God has given humankind a unique capacity to create. We are all producers. Unfortunately, many people label people with mental illness as “consumers”.

During my darkest depressions, I reminded myself that even my worst experiences may be opportunities for me to “produce”. It may not happen in the midst of my worst symptoms, but I maintain my faith in being part of God’s creation and in my capacity to create.

Please consider joining me on Tuesday, April 3. Spring has arrived. Easter is a reminder of resurrection and the triumph of eternal life over death.

You are a creator.

Episode 3 – Tony E. Roberts Revealed

March 29, 2018 Eric Riddle 45:43 1 Comment

On this episode, Eric interviews co-host, Tony E. Roberts. As an avid blogger and author, Tony is comfortable revealing his journey with mental illness. In this podcast, we learn how Tony developed the confidence and calling to share the difficult intimate details that are part of his experience.

Tony shares the personal meaning of Psalm 37:4 – “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Some of the questions include:

How was Tony’s pastoral career affected after being diagnosed at age 30?

What is a manic episode like?

What inspired Tony to write Delight in Disorder?

How has stigma impacted Tony’s ministry?

What does healing mean to you?

—

Contact Tony:

Email: tony@delightindisorder.org

Website: www.delightindisorder.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonyeroberts1964

Leanne Sype — What Healing Means

March 17, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Healing means living better within the challenges of mental illness.

So often I want my daughter to be “all better” or I want feel “all better” in my eating disorder. But in reality, we can’t necessarily be “all better” with a mental illness like we can a cold or stomach ache.

Mental illness is ongoing, with days that are really good and feel great and other days that just suck. However, I’ve come to learn that while my daughter and I may not be all better, we can learn how to live better within our illnesses, celebrating good days, understanding our triggers, caring for ourselves on down days, and managing/adjusting treatment as needed.

Accepting and learning how to live WITH our mental illnesses as part of life has created, for us, a general sense of living better. This frame of mind has been healing for our whole family.

— Leanne Sype

Love Eats

Faithful Family

March 1, 2018 Eric Riddle 1 Comment

April Roberts Cohen was born, um, er, well, two years before I was. Her name was going to be Karen, but when she was born April 9, our parents were divinely inspired to name her April. From a human perspective, this helped them remember her birthday.

As mentioned, I came along two years later. From an early age, April assumed the role of surrogate mother. She was exceptionally caring. At three she was found to have taken me off the bed and was cuddling me with her blanket. It can’t be proven, but I think she dropped me on my head in the transition. That would explain a lot, anyway.

Our lives followed distinct paths, but merged when I was diagnosed with a mental illness and she became a psychiatric nurse. Now, in addition to being my sister-friend, she helps me monitor my moods and meds, advocates for me in the often complex world of mental health care, and encourages me in my walk with Christ.

Perhaps the greatest thing I can say about April is I have made her my medical power of attorney. I literally trust her with my life and death.

—

Jen Anne (Johnston) Riddle and I met in April 2009 while I was visiting my sister in Boston. Jen was my sister’s roommate. I was there to see my sister run in the Boston Marathon. They were part of an intentional Christian community and I was the lucky man who had brother privileges. I stayed in an empty room next to Jen’s room. About a year later, we struck up daily phone conversations that led me to two more Boston trips for long weekends of dating around the city. Our first kiss was in a public park in Salem, Massachusetts. You may say I was bewitched.

She had courageously left Boston to live close to me in Columbus, IN in August 2010. She was able to transfer Masters of Divinity credits to Christian Theological Seminary and continue her career working with children with autism.

In 2012, I proposed to Jen in a labyrinth in Bloomington, IN. My youngest sister secretly hid behind bushes about 100 feet away and took pictures. Jen left the labyrinth with a ring on her finger.

The picture above was taken in October 2017 during our 5 year wedding anniversary trip. The labyrinth is carved into a gentle sloping hill at Kent University in Canterbury, England. In the background is the Canterbury Cathedral.

Jen is now an elder at The Living Room church in Columbus, IN. She continues to serve children with autism. She is very good at what she does, including being an incredible wife.

Editing Breathing

February 22, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Saturday was a busy day- easily my second most anxious day in the studio since we started. We were juggling recording the intro/outro on episode 1, as well as completing a few more loops. Earlier that morning, I woke up at 7 AM to begin editing our Marie Henning interview. Editing can be an obsessive activity. I knew it was getting bad when I was analyzing keeping or editing my breathing.

Its a good problem to have…. an engaging interview with many questions asked and intimate responses. The lesson in agonizing over editing to get to the 45 minute goal is…. just breathe. It’s a lesson I’ll remember as I continue on podcast production strategy. Read More

Revealing Progress

February 14, 2018 Eric Riddle 4 Comments

Another Monday night. I take my son to soccer practice and have 90 minutes to drive to Tony’s, get some collaborative work done, and then head back. Tony has had prolonged sickness, like many of our fellow Hoosiers this winter. I played bits from the episode I’m nearly done editing. I have probably put at least 6 hours into the editing process.

After watching the Garageband Podcasting Essentials Lynda.com video, I have become proficient in the editing. I do plan to watch the video again before I dive back into episode 2 editing. My biggest editing frustration is not being able to listen to it at 1.5x speed. Read More

3 weeks away….

February 9, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Precisely three weeks from today we launch our debut. Eric is currently working on the final edits of our pilot episode. He shared with me it is hard to cut anything out of such a quality interview. I agree, but think especially for our first show, we need to establish a reasonably firm time parameter at 45 minutes.

As Eric edits, I am busy with a number of tasks. Composing a “For Further Help” page, drafting an outline of “The Making of Revealing Voices,” proposing some ideal WordPress themes for podcasting, and investigating some Facebook ad campaigns. Finally, I’ve been crafting questions to ask our first three guests: Marie Henning, Katie Dale, and Amy Simpson.

Some of the questions I have come up with so far include:
Read More

0 – Revealing Voices Trailer

February 5, 2018 Eric Riddle 5:31 Comments Off

Episode 1 is less than a month away. In this release, Tony and Eric share a brief story of how they met in 2014 and what led them to the brink of Revealing Voices. There is also a sneak peak of what to look forward to in future episodes.

Behind the scenes blog posts of the podcast creation are at www.revealingvoices.com

All music in the release was produced by Tre Scott. Cover Photo produced by Ruby Reese Photography.

Less Than 1 Month Before Launch!

February 5, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Every other Saturday is my primary work day on the podcast. I probably total around 10 hours per week now. It is enough to keep us on schedule. Lynda.com has been very helpful. With my 1 month free subscription, I am also learning about WordPress, which will expand on the podcast content.

I do have my excited moments when I fantasize about my personal journal, Tony’s writing, and our blog posts being crafted into a book. As with my previous book, it would be partly personal journey, partly a how to manual (about starting a podcast), and partly a journey into mental health advocacy. Read More

Cheers to Amy from Ruby Reese Photography

February 1, 2018 Eric Riddle Comments Off

Tony and I want to thank Amy from Ruby Reese Photography for her time and talent. We really appreciate the images and had a great selection from which to choose our logo. Below are just a few examples.

Indiana friends, click the link to reach out to Amy and schedule a professional photography consultation.