Mind Your Mind Speaks

Ep 22 - Interview with Lisa King

In this episode, Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, has a conversation with Lisa King. Lisa is a school counselor as well as an author, mom, and national presenter for both faculty and parent groups across the country. She is passionate that we should be innovative in our educational practices so that we can help our students and families.

For additional show notes, including links, please visit our website - cobbcollaborative.org/podcast

Ep 21 - Interview with Ana Murphy

In this episode, you will hear a conversation between Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, and Ana Murphy, Supervisor of School Social Workers for Cobb County School District. We encourage families to become familiar with their school social worker. Can be found on the website of your school or by calling the school. Programs are offered on a regular basis and many school social workers are bilingual. 

 

Please visit our website (cobbcollaborative.org/podcast) for show notes with links. 

Ep 20 - Interview with Gerald Moore

In this episode, Cobb Collaborative Executive Director Irene Barton has a conversation with Gerald Moore who serves a Cobb County as an Assistant District Attorney representing the state in preliminary and bond hearings. 

 

Please visit our website (cobbcollaborative.org) for show notes with links. 

 

 

Ep19- Interview with Jennifer Andersen Smith

A motivational speaker of rare power and an inspiring life coach, Jennifer Andersen Smith is also the author of a compelling memoir entitled So That For Relationships. The book tells her story of childhood trauma, teen motherhood, and a loveless marriage, in order to inspire other women to overcome hurdles as she has.

Born in a Catholic family from rural Illinois, Jennifer grew up on a farm with many siblings. Rooted in her faith from a young age, Jennifer was a strong believer in saving herself for her husband. But one day, this deep-seated value was ripped away from her by a man who sexually abused her as a child. This traumatizing event had ramifications throughout her life.

As a teenager, Jennifer believed that, since she had been deprived of her virginity, she had no impetus to save herself for marriage, which led to her teenage pregnancy. The following year, she became pregnant again with her second child. And the year after that, she made the choice to marry the father of her children even though she didn’t love him, marking the beginning of a difficult twenty-three year marriage marked by emotional abuse.

Now divorced and remarried to a wonderful man, Jennifer was finally able to regain control of her life. After overcoming her trauma, she was able to manifest joy, love, and abundance, in spite of her struggles with depression. Now, she has become a life coach to help other women through their life challenges, and has started a community of women who support each other and themselves.

Living in Georgia, Jennifer and her husband Craig have a blended family of 9 children and 15 grandchildren, who Jennifer calls “her greatest legacy.”

(For show notes with links, please visit our website - cobbcollaborative.org/podcast)

Ep 18 - Interview with Laura Searcy, PNP

Laura Searcy, MSN, PPCNP-BC is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice with a focus on primary care, child and adolescent injury prevention, and government affairs. She is the Past President of the 8,700-member National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), where she formerly served as the Health Policy Chairperson, working closely with Association staff on advocacy at the state and national levels.

Ms. Searcy has held many leadership roles in her profession and within her community. She is a founding member of the Georgia Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and also serves as clinical faculty for nursing within the State University System. In addition, she has over 10 years of non-profit board experience, most recently as a charter member of the board of the Cobb County Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse. She is an experienced public speaker, and has presented on a variety of professional and leadership topics at the local, state and national levels. 

 

For additional show notes with links, please visit Cobb Collaborative's podcast web page at cobbcollaborative.org/podcast

Ep 17 - Interview with Granville Freeman

In this episode, you will hear a conversation between Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, and Granville Freeman. Mr. Freeman has recently joined Metro RESA where he focuses on connecting educators to mental health resources. He also owns N’nspired by Achievement which provides mental health counseling to youth. Additionally, he is certified telehealth counselor. In this podcast episode, Granville and Irene discuss about the increasing awareness of mental health conditions in youth and some of the cautions that should be kept in mind when self-diagnosing.

 

https://www.nspiredbyachievement.com/

 

Ep 16 - Interview with Leroy Tre’ Hutchins

Leroy "Tre" Hutchins - Mr. Hutchins is a Cobb County School Board Member, Post 3. He also serves as a Parent Ambassador. Additionally, he has a long history of community engagement and is a strong advocate of family engagement who encourages everyone to be engaged with their students. Mr. Hutchins has been a supporter of PTA for many years and also serves on the Georgia PTA Board. He sees mental health in the community as a priority.

 

https://www.cobbk12.org/page/1760/leroy-tre-hutchins

Ep 15 - Interview with Alois Johnson, Executive Director, Kennesaw Teen Center

In this episode, Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, speaks with Alois Johnson, Executive Director of the Kennesaw Teen Center. Irene and Alois discuss the upcoming finals of the Cobb County Black History Bowl. Additionally, they discuss other topics including mental health in the Black community. 

To learn more about the Kennesaw Teen Center, visit their website at: https://www.kennesawteencenter.org/

Ep 14 -Youth Mental Health Conversation with Dr. Christy Land & Jenn Vann

In this episode, Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, has a conversation with Dr. Christy Land and Jenn Vann regarding youth mental health. This conversation covers depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. 

Show notes:

• Psychology Today
• School Counselor 
• Group Therapy
• Telehealth
• Emergency Medical Care 

Emergency Services

• National Suicide Prevention Line: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.
  • 1-800-273-8255
  • For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255
• Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL): Georgia offers a statewide toll-free call center for consumers to access services.  The call center operates 24/7 and has the capacity to screen and assess callers for intensity of service response. 
  
  • 1-800-715-4225
  • Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Georgia’s youth can now access GCAL’s services via text and chat through a new app called My GCAL, which became available for download in late January 2019.  Developed by Behavioral Health Link, the app will allow youth to call, text, or chat with GCAL 24/7/365. Help is in your pocket–just a click away. The caring professionals of GCAL are ready to help, and users can choose how they want to reach out.
• Please visit our Mind Your Mind web page for additional information and resources. 

 

EP 13 - Interview with Johanna Ramirez Jordan & Briahnna Villegas with Good Samaritan Health Center Of Cobb

Cobb Collaborative Executive Director, Irene Barton, has a conversation with Johanna Ramirez Jordan, Bilingual Behavioral Health Consultant, and Briahnna Villegas, Behavioral Health Manager, with Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb.