The Leap of Faith
I’m super excited to chat with Aymee Raymond Callister for this episode of the She Be Red podcast. Aymee is well-known on Instagram where she shares the ups and downs of life as a mom with a mental health diagnosis. As well as talking about her own experiences, Aymee also reveals what it’s like to face mental health challenges as a family unit. She and her husband have three children, some of whom have mental health diagnoses of their own.
In sharing her stories and struggles online, Aymee has taken a huge leap of faith. She’s spoken about everything, from difficulties obtaining necessary medications that aren’t covered by health insurance to experiences of panic attacks that have landed her in the emergency room. Without a doubt, Aymee’s openness has been influential in tackling mental health stigma.
In this episode, Aymee tells me about her story and why she’s chosen to be so vulnerable in her narration of it. Beyond her own mental health journey alongside those of her children, she shares the advantages and difficulties that she and her family have faced in putting their stories out there for the world to see.
At a time when Aymee has found herself having to reevaluate her use of social media, one of her motivations for being so honest really stands out and struck a chord with me. By letting others see what’s happening behind closed doors, she wants to reach those people who are facing similar struggles in their daily lives. She wants to make sure that they don’t feel as alone as she did and that they know they’re not going through this by themselves.
Aymee has done so much for our community, and I, for one, love the fact that she has chosen to talk about all aspects of mental health. I hope that wherever you are and whatever you’re going through, you know that you are not alone.
What You’ll Hear Us Talk About in This Episode
What it’s like to be a mom and tackle mental health as a family
Discrimination and mental health stigma
Shifting perceptions of mental health
Pros and cons of sharing your story on social media
Defining boundaries
The importance of putting yourself first
Self-care practices
Connecting with others and keeping relationships alive
Managing expectations when it comes to medication
Grieving and acceptance
Celebrating successes
The importance of having a strong support system
Trusting your mother's intuition
Productive relationships between patients and mental health professionals
Main Takeaways from Aymee’s Experience
Dark moments do not define you as a person; they are not who you are.
You’ll be able to look after others so much better once you’ve taken care of yourself.
When it comes to mental health, medication is not a cure; it does not “fix” what’s going on but is solely used as a support.
Create your own support network to help you through the difficult times.
Be the expert on your own child; listen to health professionals but trust your intuition as a mother too.
Ask a lot of questions and find out what support is available to you.
Resources
“Every setback is a setup for a comeback.” - inspirational quote
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” - inspirational quote
Thank you so much to Aymee for coming on the podcast and being so honest and open. As a listener, I really hope you took something from this interview, whether it’s comfort in knowing you’re not alone, hope for positive change, or advice on how to deal with mental health as a family. If you’d like to share anything about this episode, you can send me a DM on Instagram @maddie_shebered, email me at connect@shebered.com, or leave a comment below.
