Category: blog

Written by Doug Lawrence

What makes a great podcast is the synergies between the host and the guest. I recently appeared as a guest on the Write or Die Show podcast with Host Randi-Lee Bowslaugh. Randi-Lee put me at ease, and we launched into a conversation about mental health and grief effortlessly. We had personal experiences that we were able to feed off of, which made for a great show and some powerful takeaways for the listening audience.

I have found that being on the Write or Die Show is therapeutic for me and part of my healing journey as I get to share my story. What is even more important is that Randi-Lee has a story to share as well, and we complimented each other with our lived experiences.

Sharing my story is by far the best coping skill that I have.

Thank you, Randi-Lee, for this awesome opportunity.

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SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doug.lawrence.1610/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/douglawrence-mentor
Twitter: @DougLawrenceJM
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE4YC1GkfHrQtFYgYrf8baQ
Website: https://www.talentc.ca
Book: “You Are Not Alone” https://amzn.to/3SzIvIt

Written by Marilyn Redmond

Randi-Lee has a wonderfully open mind to the differences in mental illness and solutions. I was able to share a small version of my past that brought on my mental illness and tried to survive with medications and wrong information that only addressed the symptoms and not the root cause of my illness. After years of misery, self-medicating, and a lack of real information, I found a spiritual path in treatment for addictions from the prescriptions. A spiritual path replaced the need for medications. Reading that the lack of self-honesty is the basis for mental illness, I found through releasing the past harms, trauma, and mentally ill family, I could move into a love-based life and thrive.

I am no longer a fear-based person, but a love-based person. I no longer needed to be triggered from the past and could live in the “Now.” Without pills for 25 years, I have clear thinking for making good decisions for loving resolutions. I let go of the past and replaced the space with love and grace. Living in the moment is a gift and why it is called The Present. My psychiatrist declared me sane.

Through my curiosity, I researched how culture has been programmed in fear that perpetuates mental illness and a lack of reality. Investigating the history behind religions, government, education, medicine, and more brought information that was hidden from the public.

 All parts of our culture are infiltrated with lies, deceit, and misinformation. My new book, “A Spark of Truth” has the history up to current times revealing the information from earliest times and through secret societies, evil Elites running the three major powers, banking, education, medicine, media, and entertainment. They have controlled, contaminated, and poisoned our food, air, water supplies, and more. New forms of leadership and government are forming to change the basis of our lives from deceit to honesty. 

Get Marilyn’s book here (affiliate link).

Written by: Katie Marie

It was an amazing experience to appear on Randi-Lee’s show. Such a wonderful opportunity to talk with a compassionate and enthusiastic person about things that mean a great deal to me.

Those being writing, in particular in the horror genre, and the invisible challenges many of us face, like mental health and dementia.

I truly believe that by improving the conversation around dementia (and other mental health issues), we will normalize the condition and make it less frightening, which will increase society’s wider awareness of it and improve services and treatments.

I think one way to improve the conversation around these topics is by having plausible and ‘realistic’ representation in fictional works. Positive representation can help the misunderstood to feel more visible and accepted.

It was a part of the reason I wrote my novella, A Man in Winter.

Arthur, whose life was devastated by the brutal murder of his wife, must come to terms with his diagnosis of dementia. He moves into a new home at a retirement community, and shortly after, has his life turned upside down again when his wife’s ghost visits him and sends him on a quest to find her killer so her spirit can move on.

With his family and his doctor concerned that his dementia is advancing, will he be able to solve the murder before his independence is permanently restricted?

A Man in Winter examines the horrors of isolation, dementia, loss, and the ghosts that come back to haunt us.

In 2014, there were an estimated 5 million adults with dementia, and it is projected to be nearly 14 million by 2060. So, it is essential that we have a better understanding of this disease to increase our ability to interact with compassion and empathy.

Podcasts like this are a key element of the conversation, and it was a joy to be involved.

Get Katie Marie’s book (affiliate link).

Written by: SG Blaise

It was such a pleasure to talk to Randi about my writing journey. So much has changed in the ten
years since I set out to write The Last Lumenian saga.

In the beginning, one of the biggest challenges for me was not knowing how long it would take
to finish the first book. It felt like a never-ending journey with no specific end date. (Little did I
know what it feels like after publishing!) I had to learn to accept the uncertainty that came with
writing a book, become more patient, and enjoy the journey.

The other biggest challenge was not having readers and, as such, not having feedback on the
book. It helped tremendously to be part of an R&C group, and also, having my family read it as
each version was done made the process more bearable.

Lastly, I discovered that the writing journey does not end with getting my book published–that
was only another beginning for a different journey with many more twists and turns. I learned to
enjoy what may come and celebrate every mini-milestones when they come my way. But most of
all, I learned that no matter where I was on my journey, it was vital to be kind to myself as I was
my own biggest critic.

Get SG’s book here (affiliate link)

By Susan Gold

Randi’s Write or Die Show – YouTube is bringing forth open conversation of hope, truth, and light for all of us to share.  The jewel of a podcast program is a forum of discussion centered around mental health issues. Though specifically for writers, Randi is masterfully producing inspirational episodes for our global community. I was grateful for the opportunity to have a conversation with Randi on the show, and though I was nervous, she put me instantly at ease to share my own story as a first-time published author and the trajectory of the journey.  It was during our conversation I realized my main coping strategy is belief. Belief in my journey, belief in all the players and circumstances that have come my way as the conduit of soul evolution. Toxic Family: Transforming Childhood Trauma into Adult Freedom is the finished piece, and I welcome you to join me for more if you feel called at susangold.us