mental health

Amy Simpson: Author, Advocate, Life & Leadership Coach

Eric and I are very enthusiastic about Episode 2 with Amy Simpson (to be released March 15). I first became aware of Amy’s work when I was writing my spiritual memoir, Delight in Disorder. She had recently written Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission. This book opened the doors of the sanctuary for conversations, prayers, and outreach with those who have mental illness. It still inspires individual believers and bodies of Christ to be more engaged in mental health ministry, to see the image of God even in those whom many would judge to have unsound minds.

Amy is deeply committed to seeing purposeful people make the most of their gifts and opportunities. As an author, speaker, and life & leadership coach, she helps influencers get clear on their calling and thrive in times of transition.  She inspires others to see clearly, lead boldly, live true, and fully engage in life with guiding purpose.

A creative professional and a former publishing executive, Amy has a heart for leaders who are ready to thrive through change and come out stronger. As a member of a family affected by serious mental illness, she holds strong convictions that each person’s life has purpose and that points of crisis are opportunities for transformation. As an experienced leader, filling roles from executive to entrepreneur, she knows how to help others turn challenges into resources.

Whether speaking into a microphone or through the written word, Amy is a gifted communicator with a prophetic voice. She is author of the award-winning books Blessed Are the Unsatisfied: Finding Spiritual Freedom in an Imperfect World, Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission, and Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry (all InterVarsity Press). She serves as an editor-at-large for Christianity Today’s CTPastors.com and a regular contributor for various publications. She also serves as a member of the board for Minds Renewed, a national consortium of Christians who serve those impacted by mental health concerns and addictive disorders.

As a life & leadership coach, Amy helps influencers thrive through change so they can see clearly, lead boldly, and live true. A firm believer that life is too short to waste time living out of sync with God’s purposes, she challenges clients throughout the United States to step into their calling with authenticity and excellence. She specializes in working with people who find themselves on the edge of something new, whether a new role, organization, approach, project, or career.

Amy holds an English degree from Trinity International University, an MBA from the University of Colorado, and CPCC certification from Coaches Training Institute. She loves to travel with her husband, Trevor, their two teenage girls, and their lovable dog, Rosie. She lives with these wonderful folks in the suburbs of Chicago, where she is committed to perfecting her dry sense of humor and reading nearly everything she can.

You can find Amy at…

email: contact@amysimpson.com

Website: www.amysimpson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.simpson.author

Twitter: @aresimpson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aresimpson/

Instagram: amy.r.simpson

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aresimpson/

 

Our episode with Amy will be available on iTunes and this website March 15. We hope you will join us as we discuss with Amy such things as what inspired her to write about faith and mental illness, how we can be blessed to live an unsatisfied life, and h0w loving the church and loving persons with mental illness can make a difference in our lives and ministry.

Episode 1 – Faithful Family

Our guests today are Jen Riddle (Eric’s wife) and April Cohen (Tony’s sister).

April graduated with a B.A. in Nursing from University of Indianapolis in 1997. She has worked 21 years in the field of psychiatric nursing, both in-patient and out-patient. In addition to being Tony’s sister and principal caregiver, she is married to Dan Cohen. The two of them have 5 children and 5 grandchildren. Her favorite form of therapy is bargain shopping.
Jen is a recent graduate of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN.  For nearly 15 years, she has worked with children with autism and their families.  She is an elder at The Living Room non-denominational church in Columbus, IN.  A native of Buffalo, she enjoyed watching the Bills NFL playoff run this year!
On this episode, Jen and April discuss what drew them into their spiritual and healing professions. April shares what it is like to care for an adult brother who has bipolar disorder, and Jen reveals how she and Eric navigate a relationship with a mental health diagnosis.

Less Than 1 Month Before Launch!

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

The Fruits of Labor

Over 5 months ago, Eric and I took a walk down a gravel road past my church. We talked of life, God, psych hospitals, Faithful Friends, smoothies. Somewhere between the dust of our steps and the breeze around us, the Spirit stirred us and an idea was conceived. A podcast.

5 months later. Last night. January 25, 2018. We birthed a 5 minute 30 second trailer for Revealing Voices. It goes something like this:

Read More

Out of the Silence, Like Prayers

Today we recorded our first interview! April (Tony’s sister) and Jen (my wife) joined Tony and me in our new studio- made official with the addition of a new IKEA conference table. The recording sounds excellent.  We had a scare after taking an intermission, but thanks to power of the “Undo”, recovered the recording.

Earlier in the week, Tony and I decided that the standard question we will ask all guests is “What does healing mean to you?”  The question worked really well today and generated great discussion that rippled throughout the interview.  I’m really satisfied with that question because it is a strong connecting point between faith and mental healthcare communities.  From my perspective, the faith and mental healthcare communities are the primary healing elements of society.  A goal of the podcast is to help bridge the conflict and misunderstanding that exists between these two areas. Read More