The Connection Project

Emily Olsen

0.0 (0)
Mental Health

A podcast about well-being. Join host Emily Olsen as she interviews inspiring guests about their connection to emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. This podcast is an expansion of The Connection Project annual mental-health storytelling event.

10/11/2023

Self-Awareness & Expression - with Lilian Grace

TW: The conversations in this episode deal with mental health, mention of suicide and descriptions of physical disabilities. Please take care of your beautiful sacred self when taking part. Lilian Grace is a small-town poet from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Her poems have been featured in Darling Magazine, and her book "The Vulnerable Truths Of An Anxious Mind" has been sold worldwide. Lilian was born with cerebral palsy, and at the age of twelve, she was diagnosed with clinical anxiety as well as insomnia. It was later discovered that she was also autistic. Lilian has since used her story to spread awareness of physical and mental disabilities. Lilian expresses her emotions deeply in her poetry in the hopes of inspiring others. She strives to create a "safe space" for her readers to share their experiences with their own mental health struggles. *Please support Lilian's incredible work by purchasing a copy of her book of poetry.
10/07/2023

Youth Advocacy - with Ella Hale

TW: The conversations in this episode deal with mental health, suicide and other issues related to mental illness. Please take care of your beautiful sacred self when taking part. Ella Hale is a student at the University of Victoria studying Child and Youth Care. She graduated from the Camosun College Community, Family and Child Studies diploma program and headed to university to further her understanding of the systemic issues children and youth face. Ella struggled with mental illness for much of her teen years, specifically dealing with depression and anxiety. Through her struggles, she developed a deep connection to advocacy work and has fiercely worked to change the mental health system she stumbled through. Ella spoke at the Connection Project in 2020 and has continued to grow and create a new understanding of herself and the beautifully chaotic society we all live in. Folks can connect with Ella on Instagram
09/07/2023

Kimmapiiyipitssini: “Giving Kindness to Others” - with Theresa Crow Spreading His Wings

TW: The conversations in this episode deal with Residential School, The 60's Scoop, Suicide, Sexual/Physical/Emotional Abuse, Substance Use, & Trauma. Please take care of your beautiful sacred self when taking part. In this episode, Theresa Crow Spreading His Wings shares how mental health issues manifested in both her personal and work life due to trauma from the '60s scoop, the effects of growing up in harmful systems, and the healing process that took place through her participation in various learning and training experiences. Theresa's courage, kindness, and her willingness to uplift others serve as an inspiration to many as she incorporates humour, heart-work, and humanity into her journey. Theresa is a Blackfoot Indigenous Woman from the Blood Tribe (Kainaiwa), Treaty 7 Territory in Standoff, Alberta. She grew up in the Child Welfare System, as part of the 60’s Scoop. The heart-work of her healing journey has been rooted in being a mother and grandmother. Theresa is a Certified Cultivating Safe Space (CSS) Facilitator, Speaker, and Certified Mental Health First Aid for First Nation Co-Facilitator. She is passionate and intentional about how to decolonize in her own healing journey and professional leadership. Growing and being curious is important in decolonizing and implementing the CSS Framework. She values the importance of understanding the history of Indigenous People and building authentic relationships to connect with the heart of a person. With over 19 years of experience in leadership and a passionate advocate for Indigenous People and inner-city communities, her professional development has focused on Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Trauma-Informed, Addictions, and Mental Health. Theresa works with youth who are at the highest risk of sexual exploitation, suicide, and involvement in the criminal justice system, drawing from her familiarity with the Child and Family Welfare System. Personal Mission Statement: “I am a fearless woman, sharing the Love of Creator unconditionally with others.” While walking in the Sweetgrass Teaching of Kindness rooted in the Blackfoot word, Kimmapiiyipitssini meaning: “Giving Kindness to Others”. Theresa values caring for her Spirit to live in an authentic and loving way of integrity and truth with a good dose of humour.
02/04/2022

Surviving Samsara - with Kagan Goh

Originally from Singapore, Kagan Goh is a Vancouver-based multidisciplinary Mad Artist: award-winning filmmaker, published author, spoken word poet, playwright, actor, mental health advocate and activist. He was diagnosed with manic depression at the age of twenty-three in 1993. Kagan is a well-known spoken word artist, essayist and poet, a respected and established voice in Vancouver’s literary community for over two decades. He has been invited to perform at readings, festivals, and radio and has published in numerous anthologies, periodicals, and magazines. In 2012, Select Books in Singapore published his Poetic memoir, focused upon his relationship with his esteemed father, Who Let in the Sky? Kagan is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker with several releases, including the award-winning Mind F**k (1996) and Stolen Memories (2012); his films have been broadcast on national television and gained entry into respected film festivals across Canada. In Kagan Goh’s follow-up memoir, Surviving Samsara, he recounts his struggles with manic depression, breaking the silence around mental illness. From an honest and personal perspective, Surviving Samsara traces Goh’s experiences as he wanders through the highs of mania, the terrors of psychosis, and the lows of depression. From the welfare office to the hospital ward and many places in between, Goh struggles to discern the difference between mental health breakdowns and spiritual breakthroughs. Facing his experiences with courage and authenticity, Goh shares memories of family altercations, pushed to the brink of living on the street, and psychiatrist visits. He explores his diagnosis of bipolar mood disorder not only as a medical condition but as a spiritual emergence—a vehicle for personal growth, healing and transcendence. Kagan Goh - Surviving Samsara by CAITLIN PRESS “Samsara is defined as the ‘round of rebirth’ or ‘perpetual wandering’ … a continuous process of ever again and again being born, growing old, suffering and dying.” —Buddhist Dictionary by Nyanatiloka Mahathera
01/30/2022

Anchoring Love - with William MacPherson

William MacPherson is a mental health advocate and activist who currently works as a peer support worker, and also has a position with the Salt Spring Mental Wellness Initiative, which he co-facilitates and is the coordinator for a series of Summits. He is the president of the Chu’an Society, an Arts Society focused on advocacy for marginalized community members. He built his community-building skillset through affiliation with hip-hop company King of the Dot Entertainment. He managed their Vancouver division, setting up and co-hosting rap battles, and managing their shows. He enjoys rapping and singing for the healing benefits of self-expression, with a focus on freestyle, a practice that helps him enter wu wei (flow states). William MacPherson believes the responsibility for mental illness needs to primarily fall to communities and not allopathic medical systems. While diagnoses have utility, too often people feel reduced to their diagnosis. Do not confuse the map with the territory. The map is the diagnosis, which interprets a person’s experience through the lens of pathology. The territory is the universality of human experience refracted through the unique prism of the individual. Mental wellness is relational. It’s how we relate to ourselves, our family, our community, and our planet. It’s about building equity in our communities. It comes from inclusivity, creating spaces where we can realize our value is intrinsic and does not come from what we can produce or contribute. It is enhanced by human-to-human mutual support, not the hierarchical delineation of helper and helpee. Our mental health crises will begin to improve once we realize that the reductionist and holistic approaches to wellness are not in opposition, but synergistic.
09/27/2021

Support - with Natalie Miller

Natalie Miller is the founder of Positive Relations Media. Originally from Scotland, she now calls beautiful BC, Canada home. Natalie is currently studying for a Professional Certificate in Mental Health & Addictions and works as a Peer Supporter & Group Facilitator. You can find Natalie by the lake or snuggling with 2 chiweenie puppers. Natalie has been challenged by her mental health for almost 20 years and after receiving a diagnosis of Bipolar 1 & PTSD in 2015, has been working hard to maintain a sense of equilibrium, through care strategies and medication. Natalie was later diagnosed with a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis, which is largely impacted by her mental health. Lifestyle tweaks have helped Natalie through her dark days and although recovery has been a journey, she believes human beings are built to overcome these challenges. To connect with Natalie you can find her on Instagram or at her Blog. There are three chapters on the island for Mental Health Recovery Partners (MHRP), growing in its development from BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) which still exists primarily to serve families. MHRP has resources to aid in the recovery journey, from family counselling, weekly support groups, peer support programs and Wellness Recovery Action Plan workshops. To learn more about peer support and the BC movement of hope and wholeness for all, head to peerconnectbc.ca Positive Relations Media Positive Relations Media is a collective of media contributors from around the world promoting Hope, Empowerment and tools for Mental Wellness. We know that as individuals there are many things that go into wellness and recovery, with that in mind, we strive to deliver relatable content that will make you smile, peak your curiosity or help you feel less alone on your journey. For the past year we have been bringing our unique perspectives and storytelling to the blog from 3 continents and 5 cities. It is so important to us that everyone get a place at the table to share their perspectives. We know that we can use those one of a kind experiences to open conversation, break down stigma and support others. This winter we will be launching a brand new interactive wellness hub with space for personal development, psychology research, educational material, stories of lived experience, fitness, nutrition, creativity, mindful engagement and more - everything from yoga to D&D (Dungeons and Dragons)! Future plans also include launching a print magazine and in person activities, allowing for our resources to be accessible both on and offline. Both the magazine and online wellness hub will be primarily peer led. Using our community's lived experience of mental and physical challenges, we can work towards promoting a positive, personalized and self empowered journey of wellness and discovery. We are looking for contributors to join the community and share their stories & passions with the world! Head to www.positiverelationsmedia.com to learn more. ‘The best part of recovery is that you don’t need to do it alone!’
09/20/2021

How It All Began - The Connection Project Live Event 2018

This Episode is audio from the very first Connection Project Event held in Sidney BC on October 6th, 2018. From Emily Olsen, Founder: 2021 marks the fourth year of the Connection Project Mental Health Storytelling event. Since transitioning to a new job and beginning my pursuit of a Fine Arts Degree, I have not recorded any new podcasts. During the winter of 2020/2021, however, I had the idea to share audio from the first inaugural event since we didn't release all the footage on video. What came from the 2018 event was a documentary highlighting inspiration for the project, speaker stories, interviews with cast, crew, and audience members, as well as footage of the wonderful closing song, "Fire Within." When I listened back to the full audio last month, I discovered a renewed desire to release the event in its entirety. The Connection Project 2018, Opening Night: My sister-in-law Joni Olsen welcomed everyone to the W̱SÁNEĆ Territory and opened the floor for the work to be done in a good way. She also uplifted me with her words and gave me the courage I needed to walk out on that stage for the very first time. Thank you to the speakers who shared with vulnerability from their personal lives: Wendy Picken, Jeff Custeau, Ian Bruce, Elizabeth Hall, Ryan Painter, and Ocean Johnston. Special Mention to Ella Baron who gave the Connection Project permission to use her illustrations previously published in the Guardian Magazine on June 27th 2017. Ocean Johnston also performed her original song "Mend" and Karen Lee White and Leslie Gentile performed "Fire Within" which has since become a source of great strength for those connected with the project. This was only the beginning of the Connection Project. I continue to be astounded by the resilience and courage of others and so the Connection Project will continue to be a space where these stories, our stories, can be witnessed. Lastly, I wish to thank Trevor Dineen and Ify Chiwetelu of the CBC Radio Show, Now Or Never, for their inspiration and love.
09/04/2020

The Web of Energy - with Karen Lee White

Karen Lee White brings many blessing in this episode. May her wisdom, kindness, and lighthearted energy uplift and heal you. This podcast explores the gifts in everything, the fire within, and the silence where all things are possible. An Entrepreneur, Karen Lee White has consulted, written, facilitated workshops, taught Aboriginal BEST for 3 years, and regularly appears in writing festivals. Certified in Aboriginal Employment/Business Development by the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, Karen is a self-described ‘Indigenous Human Transformation Specialist’. A proud Tuscarora, Northern Salish, Chippewa and Scots woman, she is a published Author (novel “The Silence” released 2018), with work in chronicles, periodicals, ezines, educational publications, and short-story compilations. Karen received an Indigenous Art Award for Writing by the Hnatyshyn Foundation in 2017. She has been commissioned by the Banff Centre for a special edition, and by theatres in Victoria and Vancouver. Karen Lee White is a well-known singer-songwriter with an album on itunes whose music is in the CBC North archives from her Yukon years. A Jewellery Designer/Silversmith, she is inspired by Indigenous people around the globe spending 9 years in the sub-Arctic and 3 years in Zimbabwe. karenleewhite.com

A podcast about well-being. Join host Emily Olsen as she interviews inspiring guests about their connection to emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. This podcast is an expansion of The Connection Project annual mental-health storytelling event.

Creator

Emily Olsen
Years Active

2020 - 2023
Episodes

26
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Emily Olsen
Show Website

The Connection Project