The Lion's Pen

Samantha Simons, c-rprs / eryt

The Lion's Pen is the official podcast of the AIRS project. AIRS stands for Art In Revival Speaks, an artistic and educational platform for peers and by peers. We focus on co-creating a community that amplifies the self-expression of people in recovery, and use art as a vehicle for advocacy. This podcast highlights honored guests who speak on all topics related to expressive arts as a tool for healing and growth.

Episodes

  1. 08/02/2021

    Hope and Victrolas with Dr. Stephanie Wright, social psychologist, author, and activist

    Season 1 : Episode 7 CW: Podcast includes sensitive topics - eating disorders, substance use/addiction, grief, social justice. Join AIRS founder, Samantha Simons and Dr. Stephanie Wright, psychologist and author for a discussion on a spectrum of topics from the importance of the humanities in education to access, to programs across the United States that are worth emulating when it comes to recovery support. More about Stephanie: a mother of daughters; an associate professor of psychology; an institutional and organizational consultant; a poet, short story, and novel writer; a textbook author; a dreamer; a sister; a mitigation specialist and women’s advocate; a daughter; a graduate of High Point University’s undergraduate program in psychology; a master’s and doctoral graduate of NCSU’s program in psychology; a coffee addict; a red wine enthusiast; an education technology innovator Some highlights from this episode: Hope is the belief that things can change No one is immune to being affected by mental illness, addiction, or trauma but access to recovery resources IS discriminatory “STEM teaches you how to do wonderful things like put rockets in space, but the humanities teach you why you want to do that.” -Dr. Stephanie Wright Resources Mentioned: Care Center Holyoke Georgia Gwinnett College What are core beliefs? Pennebaker - Healing through writing Manchester Bidwell Make the Impossible Possible on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and this far-flung corner of the internet. Music by: JSimons Music Logo by: Fin First

    Hope and Victrolas with Dr. Stephanie Wright, social psychologist, author, and activist
  2. 07/05/2021

    To Create Is To Be Human with Ellie Loehner of Alive with Purpose, mental health professional

    Some highlights from this episode: Recovery is PERSONAL and INDIVIDUAL SAMHSA's 8 Dimensions of Wellness Hope and resiliency have a way to help you focus on what really matters Find hope without placing qualifiers and limitations on it The work and skill of Self-Efficacy Mental illness does not discriminate but external factors and access to resources are disproportionate Get involved in local, community art classes Kindness and Empathy make the world a better place Art is a priority Preventative support and resources help to mitigate crisis People and Resources mentioned: Alive With Purpose Craft: Hand-Dyed Yarn AWP Craft on Instagram SAMHSA's 8 Dimensions of Wellness DSM-5 AWP Care Packages Art: A Voice virtual exhibit. Staunton-Augusta Art Center Music by: JSimons Music Logo by: Fin First More about this episode's guest, Ellie Loehner : Ellie Leohner fell in love with the fiber arts after a near-fatal car crash in January of 2018. What began with crocheting simple scarves and blankets soon turned into a yarn dyeing business that was called, Alive with Purpose Yarns. Alive with Purpose was born out of a desire to both offer specialty yarns and to financially support mental health causes in the state of Minnesota. In 2020, the annual yarn Care Package Program kicked off, which provides free yarn care packages to individuals who use the fiber arts to cope with their mental health symptoms. Personally, Ellie holds a professional background in the psychology field. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota. For the last seven years, her focus has been serving individuals with significant mental health needs. She has worked as a case manager, a coordinator of in-home services for individuals both on the autism spectrum and with mental retardation. Most recently, she has worked in crisis facilities in the Minneapolis area. Both her professional and personal experience with depression and anxiety has informed her extensive knowledge of what is working and what really isn’t when it comes to meeting the needs of individuals with mental health diagnoses. Ellie is passionate about advocating for and meeting the needs of the underserved, as well as promoting creativity and the arts as a necessary part of care planning.

    To Create Is To Be Human with Ellie Loehner of Alive with Purpose, mental health professional
  3. 04/05/2021

    Creativity for Emotional Growth and Healing with Dibisha Koirala-Adhikary, QMHP

    Samantha Simons, c-rprs /eryt / yacep, talks with Dibisha Koirala-Adhikary, Licensed Qualified Mental Health Professional and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Supervisee about the role creative expression plays for individuals in recovery from Substance Use Disorder. Dibisha weaves together evidence-based practices with personal commentary to help us better understand expressive arts as a healing modality. Highlights include: It’s not about the end product or outcome, it’s about being immersed in the process. Hope has the ability to help people heal. Any creativity promotes emotional growth and healing. Philosophy: An individual without a goal is an individual walking in circles. Myth Debunking: the idea that addiction or substance use is a lack of willpower. Recovery is dependent on devleoping strategies to sustain that willpower. One tip for making the world a better place: do your best and let them do the rest - change begins with me and I cannot expect to change other people. In substanc use recovery, art provides a way to externalize feelings through non-destructive means. Daily self-love and self-care and important for our overall wellness. People and Resources mentioned: Dibisha Koirala-Adhikary, QMHP on LinkedIn Dibisha Koirala-Adhikary, QMHP on Instagram Fairfax County - Falls Church CSB (Northern Virginia) Upcycle Creative Reuse Center (Alexandria, VA) the AIRS project Music by: JSimons Music Logo by: Fin First

    Creativity for Emotional Growth and Healing with Dibisha Koirala-Adhikary, QMHP

About

The Lion's Pen is the official podcast of the AIRS project. AIRS stands for Art In Revival Speaks, an artistic and educational platform for peers and by peers. We focus on co-creating a community that amplifies the self-expression of people in recovery, and use art as a vehicle for advocacy. This podcast highlights honored guests who speak on all topics related to expressive arts as a tool for healing and growth.