Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World

Ashante Taylorcox, the founder and executive director of You Are More Than (YMT), a nonprofit organization supporting survivors of domestic trafficking and exploitation.

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2025

Sydney Curtin shares her inspiring journey from a traumatic past marked by her mother's addiction and mental health issues to becoming a successful entrepreneur, life coach, and multi-business owner.

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2025

In this episode of Why Not Me,: we highlight the journey of Keshawn Williams, a passionate advocate for mental health and trauma-informed care. Keshawn emphasizes the importance of creating safe, healing environments and advancing mental health care, as well as the critical need for advocacy and education in the field.

Transcribed - Published: 13 August 2025

Cynthia Ray recounts the emotional and challenging journey of her autistic brother, Philip Ray. Diagnosed later in life, Philip was implicated in a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by a career con artist. Despite his kind and trusting nature, Philip was convinced to funnel fraudulent investments through his account, leading to his incarceration.

Transcribed - Published: 6 August 2025

Dianne Greeley shares her personal and heartfelt story about a loved one's struggle with severe mental illness. Dianne recounts her transformative journey from noticing early signs of her loved one's illness to becoming a passionate advocate for mental health reform

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2025

In this inspiring episode, the founder of a nonprofit organization shares her journey of creating a supportive community for adults with special needs. Starting with a single program, the organization now offers over 30 different programs, serving individuals from 87 cities across nine counties. The founder, leveraging her experience as a special education teacher, developed a variety of vocational and social programs to foster independence and community. Discover the challenges, triumphs, and the heartfelt mission behind this impactful organization.

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2025

We explore the mission and approach of MA Therapy with founder Amira Martin, whose practice focuses on providing bias-free psychotherapy to women of color while also mentoring therapists to establish their own practices.

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2025

Victoria Lenormand shares her transformative journey from police officer to autism advocate after her son's diagnosis, revealing how unconventional choices led to unexpected healing and growth for her entire family.

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

Janet Hayes shares her journey as a severe mental illness advocate reshaping New Orleans through innovative care systems for those with serious mental health challenges.

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2025

Danielle Terrell shares her journey as the US Healthcare Development Director at the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and her passion for improving healthcare accessibility for autistic individuals around the world.

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2025

Maria shares her journey advocating for mental healthcare, from working in a medical facility helping patients navigate services to struggling with the complex systems while trying to help her brother with severe mental illness. Her powerful story reveals critical gaps in our mental health and legal systems that prevent timely intervention for those most in need.

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2025

Melody Guy shares her extraordinary journey as an autistic singer-songwriter who has traveled over two million miles despite the challenges of sensory issues and PTSD

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2025

Leanna May Franklin shares her journey as a mental health advocate after her son experienced a psychotic break at age 19, revealing the challenges of navigating care even with resources and professional expertise.

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

Send us a text "Why Not Me?" podcast expands its mission to embrace both autism and mental health worldwide, creating a platform for raw, authentic storytelling that inspires and connects. Host Tony Mantor welcomes listeners to join a global movement fostering awareness, acceptance, and understanding through powerful personal narratives. • Broadcasting from Nashville, Tennessee with a mission to share powerful stories • Expanding focus to include both autism and mental health following...

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2025

Send us a text Cindy Murphy shares the heartbreaking story of her son Tristan, who struggled with schizophrenia and died by suicide while incarcerated after being handed a chainsaw during a prison work detail. Through her grief, Cindy has become a powerful advocate for mental health reform in the criminal justice system, working to pass the Tristan Murphy Act in Florida. • Tristan developed schizophrenia in his 30s, unusually late compared to typical onset in teens or early 20s • After...

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2025

Send us a text Anne Corcoran, Executive Director of the National Shattering Silence Coalition, discusses the broken systems that fail those with serious mental illness and their families through discriminatory practices and neglect. She shares powerful stories of families desperately seeking help for loved ones in psychosis, highlighting how outdated laws and policies create barriers to treatment until tragedy strikes. • Explaining the difference between stigma and the true barriers to...

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

Send us a text Ann Corcoran, Executive Director of the National Shattering Silence Coalition, discusses the broken systems that fail those with serious mental illness and their families through discriminatory practices and neglect. She shares powerful stories of families desperately seeking help for loved ones in psychosis, highlighting how outdated laws and policies create barriers to treatment until tragedy strikes. • Explaining the difference between stigma and the true barriers to ...

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

Send us a text Laura Craciun shares her son's harrowing journey with serious mental illness and the systemic failures that criminalize mental health conditions instead of treating them. Her story highlights the urgent need for better policies to support individuals with psychosis and their families. • Laura's son was misdiagnosed with ADHD before eventually being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at age 20 • Cannabis use potentially triggered or worsened his psychotic symptoms • ...

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

Send us a text Lynn Nanos, a mobile psychiatric emergency social worker with 15+ years experience, shares insights on evaluating and helping people with serious mental illness in crisis situations. Her work bridges the gap between law enforcement and mental healthcare, providing crucial interventions for individuals experiencing psychosis and other mental health emergencies. • Conducts psychiatric evaluations in various settings including homes, police stations, nursing homes, and even...

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

Send us a text Geri Clark, Resource and Advocacy Manager at Treatment Advocacy Center, shares her devastating journey of losing her son to severe mental illness while navigating a broken treatment system that wouldn't help until it was too late. She reveals critical gaps in our mental health system and explains how legal barriers, misunderstood medical conditions, and insufficient family support create deadly consequences for those with severe psychiatric disorders. • Son experienced his fir...

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

Send us a text Sheriff Donna Buckley shares her journey from attorney to becoming the first female sheriff in Barnstable County's 333-year history, along with her innovative approach to transforming incarceration through mental health support, comprehensive case management, and post-release services. • Buckley's background as legal counsel representing public employees, including police officers and educators • How the prevalence of mental health issues and addiction in jails inspired her to...

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

Send us a text Jason McKenzie shares his heart-wrenching journey through grief after losing his wife to suicide and his daughter to trauma-induced mental health struggles. His story reveals how childhood trauma ripples through generations and how he found healing through sobriety, purposeful grief work, and helping others. • Lost his police officer wife to suicide after years battling mental health issues stemming from childhood trauma • Daughters were just six and five when their mother die...

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2025

Send us a text Eric Diaz shares his journey of living with schizoaffective disorder and becoming an advocate for those with serious mental illness. Through finding the right medication, supportive communities, and creative outlets, Eric transformed from someone who couldn't leave his house to a published author helping others navigate similar challenges. • Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder as a teenager but initially lacked insight into his condition • Participated in a clinical ...

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2025

Send us a text Crystal Fox shares her heartbreaking journey as the mother of a son with schizophrenia and co-founder of Arizona Mad Moms, an organization supporting families of loved ones with degenerative brain illnesses causing psychosis. Through her dual perspective as both a parent and a psychiatric nurse with 30 years of experience, Crystal illuminates the critical gaps in our mental healthcare system. • Anosognosia is a symptom of serious mental illness where individuals cannot recogni...

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

Send us a text Cohen Miles-Rath shares his powerful journey from psychosis and incarceration to becoming a mental health advocate and author. His story reveals how proper support systems and personal determination transformed a life-altering crisis into a mission of education and advocacy that's changing how we approach mental health treatment. • Surviving untreated schizoaffective disorder that led to a psychotic episode and incarceration • Using the four dimensions of recovery—purpos...

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

Send us a text Sherry Witwer, board president for CIT Utah, shares her insights on improving crisis response systems for people experiencing mental health emergencies and creating alternatives to incarceration through specialized training and community partnerships. • CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training provides law enforcement with tools to effectively respond to mental health crises and connect individuals with appropriate treatment • Mobile crisis outreach teams staffed by behavioral ...

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2025

Send us a text Darrell Herrmann, a retired US Army captain and former computer programmer, shares his remarkable journey of living with schizophrenia since 1984 and his mission to help others with severe mental illness live better lives. • Former US Army captain specializing in field artillery and nuclear weapons before developing schizophrenia • Earned a computer science degree and worked as a programmer for 18 years after his military discharge • Spoke to over 30,000 people in hospital gro...

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

Send us a text Pete Early shares his journey from Washington Post journalist to mental health advocate after his son developed bipolar disorder, revealing how a broken system forces families into crisis before providing help. • Diagnosis came during his son Kevin's college years with warning signs like "food doesn't taste good" and confusion about reality • Psychiatrist delivered a devastating prognosis: "incurable disease" with lifetime medication, weight gain, likely unemployment • Kevin s...

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

Send us a text A mother shares her 18-year journey supporting a son with schizophrenia through mental health system failures, incarceration, and experimental brain surgery. • Colleen Scott's son started showing signs of schizophrenia at age 17, withdrawing socially and exhibiting erratic behavior • A prosecutor advised having her son arrested "to get him in the system" for mental health help, resulting in traumatic incarceration • Laws preventing family commitment, alongside HIPAA restrictio...

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2025

Send us a text A mother and clinical social worker shares her heartbreaking journey navigating the legal system after her high-achieving son developed serious mental illness, revealing how our justice system criminalizes rather than treats mental health conditions. • Licensed independent clinical social worker with 40+ years experience working with vulnerable populations • Her academically successful son began experiencing internal racing thoughts and anxiety despite outward success • ...

Transcribed - Published: 17 May 2025

Send us a text Justin Volpe shares his journey from being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and incarcerated to becoming a certified recovery peer specialist who has trained over 3,500 police officers in crisis intervention. His story demonstrates how individuals with lived experience can transform systems and save lives by bridging gaps between law enforcement, courts, and treatment providers. • Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in his early 20s after struggling with subst...

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

Send us a text Jessica Ferguson shares the deeply personal story of her brother's struggle with serious mental illness and how systemic failures led to his incarceration after being accused of a triple homicide when he should have been in psychiatric care. • Her brother had been stable with his mental illness for a decade before showing concerning behavior changes in early 2023 • Despite three psychiatric hospitalizations within months, he was repeatedly discharged after 72-hour holds with n...

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

Send us a text Dr. Jhilam Biswas, a board-certified adult and forensic psychiatrist, discusses how mental health issues intersect with the criminal justice system and the urgent need for reform. She shares insights from her research and clinical experience working with incarcerated individuals with mental illness, explaining why mental health care in America's prisons is a humanitarian crisis. • Director of Psychiatry Law and Society program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and co-direc...

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

Send us a text Eric Smith shares his remarkable journey from child piano prodigy to mental health advocate after battling psychosis and addiction. His story reveals how finding the right medication after a decade of failed treatments transformed his life from hospitalization and FBI involvement to becoming a Texas Judicial Commissioner on Mental Health. • Displayed extraordinary musical talent from age three, studying under world-renowned pianists and performing with Grammy winners • E...

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

Send us a text Seth Kahn shares his journey from personal tragedy to leading a national movement against mental health stigma after his mother developed schizophrenia when he was 10 years old. His experience pioneering frameworks for grand challenges led him to launch Stop Stigma Together, a collaborative initiative uniting major mental health organizations to eliminate stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. • Seth's mother developed schizophrenia when he was 10, dest...

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

Send us a text Seth Kahan shares his journey from personal tragedy to leading a national movement against mental health stigma after his mother developed schizophrenia when he was 10 years old. His experience pioneering frameworks for grand challenges led him to launch Stop Stigma Together, a collaborative initiative uniting major mental health organizations to eliminate stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. • Seth's mother developed schizophrenia when he was 10, des...

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

Send us a text Sylvia Mignon, licensed clinical social worker and professor of criminal justice, shares her heartbreaking journey navigating the mental health system while trying to secure proper care for her son with schizoaffective disorder. Despite her professional expertise, she's experienced nine years of struggling against bureaucracies that prioritize themselves over the needs of individuals with severe mental illness. • Mental health systems and criminal justice bureaucracies often w...

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2025

Send us a text Jack Wood shares his son Jonathan's journey through Florida's mental health system, revealing how management failure rather than lack of resources creates catastrophic outcomes for those with severe mental illnesses. • Jonathan's early life included kidney disorder requiring powerful medications including cancer drugs • At 18, Jonathan developed schizophrenia with fixed delusions about having $10 billion from his blood plasma • Community treatment teams refused hospitalization...

Transcribed - Published: 10 May 2025

Send us a text Justyna Rzewinski shares her experience as a whistleblower after working at Rikers Island and her ongoing advocacy for criminal justice reform focusing on mental health treatment. • Working with different organizations to close Rikers Island and advocating for better treatment of mentally ill inmates • Fighting for smaller borough-based jails to replace Rikers, potentially saving $1 billion annually from DOC's $2.8 billion budget • Advocating for mental health courts and progr...

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

Send us a text Leslie Carpenter, co-founder of Iowa Mental Health Advocacy and Legislative Advocacy Manager at the Treatment Advocacy Center, shares her journey from concerned mother to dedicated mental health advocate after her son was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder 19 years ago. She discusses the barriers families face when seeking help for loved ones with severe mental illness and her multi-level approach to creating systemic change. • Leslie advocates at both state and nat...

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

Send us a text Clubhouse International is transforming lives through intentional communities where people with mental illness rebuild their lives after disruption and isolation. Joel Cochoran joins us to tell the Clubhouse story. • Clubhouse International operates 377 clubhouses across 32 countries using a specific 37-standard model • Members voluntarily participate in work-ordered days that provide structure, purpose, and skill development • Employment program achieves 40% employment rate c...

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2025

Send us a text Clubhouse International is transforming lives through intentional communities where people with mental illness rebuild their lives after disruption and isolation. Joel Corcoran joins us to tell the Clubhouse story. • Clubhouse International operates 377 clubhouses across 32 countries using a specific 37-standard model • Members voluntarily participate in work-ordered days that provide structure, purpose, and skill development • Employment program achieves 40% employment rate c...

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2025

Send us a text Denise Paley shares the harrowing story of her son's sudden onset schizophrenia at age 18 and his subsequent five-year imprisonment without sentencing, revealing critical failures in how our justice system handles mental illness. • Son Ellis was an honor roll student with a bright future before experiencing first-episode psychosis • Police dismissed parents' concerns when Ellis disappeared, missing critical intervention opportunity • Ellis has been incarcerated for nearly five...

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

Send us a text Judge Milton Mack shares his mission to reform the mental health system by moving from crisis intervention to early treatment and prevention. His groundbreaking work in Michigan demonstrates how changing laws and procedures can dramatically improve outcomes while reducing costs. • Moving from an inpatient model to an outpatient world where over 90% of mental health care now occurs • Changing intervention standards to help people before they reach crisis, not waiting for ...

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

Send us a text Carly, a licensed clinical social worker and mother, shares her 30-year journey navigating her son's schizophrenia diagnosis and the healthcare system's failures that led to his year-long incarceration. • Son diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17, now 47 years old • Early signs included not wanting to get out of bed, not going to school, and "odd" behavior • Initially had periods of stability while on medication but struggled with consistent treatment • COVID isolation ...

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2025

Send us a text Ashley Smith, an advocate, author, and speaker, shares her powerful journey of recovery from schizophrenia and how she transformed a legal crisis into a platform for mental health advocacy. Through her blog "Overcoming Schizophrenia," seven self-published books, and work with organizations like NAMI and the Curious Foundation, Ashley demonstrates that recovery is possible and helps others find their path forward. • Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at age 20 after a ...

Transcribed - Published: 3 May 2025

Send us a text Katie R. Dale shares her journey from hospital patient to mental health author and advocate, offering insights into living with bipolar disorder type 1 with psychotic features and how writing became her path to healing and helping others. • Started blogging in 2014 after hospitalization as self-therapy before expanding into professional advocacy • Wrote memoir "But Deliver Me From Crazy" chronicling her experiences from teen years through mid-twenties • Found writing helped pr...

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

Send us a text Tim Murphy, former congressman and psychologist, shares his journey advocating for mental health reform through the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act and highlights the systemic failures in America's approach to serious mental illness. • Serious mental illness requires different treatment approaches than general mental health concerns • Current Medicaid restrictions only allow 15-day hospital stays with a 190-day lifetime limit • HIPAA laws often prevent necessary c...

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

Send us a text Psychotherapist Haley Graham shares her journey from pharmacist to mental health advocate after her son's struggle with school led her to found the Bounce Brighter Futures Foundation. Her personal experience with neurodivergence drives her passion for supporting children, parents, and teachers through therapeutic storytelling and compassionate understanding. • Founded Bounce Brighter Futures Foundation in 2019, now supporting 90 families weekly with 12 therapists • Appro...

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025

Send us a text Patrick Kennedy shares his journey from Congressman to mental health advocate, revealing how his family history and personal struggles with addiction shaped his mission to transform America's approach to mental health care. • Passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act by attaching it to the 2008 bank bailout bill • Advocates for unifying mental health, addiction, and intellectual disability communities around shared needs • Explains how our healthcare system focu...

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025