A follow up visit with Tamara Smith-Jones to see where she is at in her mental health journey. She shares more insights and tools that can be helpful to all of us.

From Tamara: For the last decade I have had the honor of leading a non-profit named “Helping Others Maintain Earth (H.O.M.E.)” that connects underserved communities to resources like education, food, and healthcare, which are a right not a privilege. Today my immediate attention is on mental health and substance misuse recovery, self-discovery, psychological safety, whole health, and communal healing. While I genuinely enjoy working with people from all over the world, I place particular emphasis on African Ancestry/Black and faith-based communities. As a person with lived-experience in recovery, who represents both of these communities, I’m determine to dispel myths and debunk stigmas that have historically prevented us from healing our pasts to prepare our futures.

I use trauma-informed healing to help people breakthrough trauma by processing emotions, identifying language to explain them, developing tools to navigate them, and establishing healthy boundaries to maintain peace. My work with those who have lived-experience with mental health and/or substance misuse challenges entails supporting and emboldening them to embrace their stories of recovery so they can inspire hope, resilience, and perseverance in others on their journeys. Because I understand the importance of being proactive, I also work with those who have not been diagnosed to help identify early signs and symptoms leveraging the valuable information to collaborate on next steps.

I’ve partnered with National Alliance on Mental Illness San Mateo County Affiliate (NAMI-SMC) to offer a mental health recovery support group for the African Ancestry/Black community ages 18+ called “We Health Better Together”. Groups takes place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 6-7:30pn PST via zoom and on the 4th Tuesday of every month 6-7:30pm PST in person.

Please join me on a journey where we take care of ourselves so we can be present for others. #HealAsWeGrow #HealingInSolidarity #WeHealBetterTogether
Disclaimer: the definition of “schizoaffective disorder” provided during this episode was as it was explained to by Tam by Provider #6 which may not present the same “signs and symptoms” for others.

When I’m not doing research and development in the behavioral health space you can find me spending time in nature with my emotional companion dog Jax (who rescued me 10 years ago!) or in the kitchen trying new recipes for both of us. I’ve been a faithful 49ers fan since the 80’s and in the last few years have found football to be very therapeutic. It’s a huge part of my wellness recovery plan.

To find out more about me and the work I do please visit:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tsmithjones or contact me at tamara@lineageandlegacy.org

Find out more about Lineage & Legacy (L&L) by visiting www.lineageandlegacy.org

Find out more about NAMI at www.nami.org, NAMI-SMC at www.namisanmateo.org or contact me at tsmithjones@namisanmateo.org

Taylor discusses the importance of creating a space for men to talk about their mental health and the importance of being able to ask about suicide.

Born and raised in the Silver State, Taylor Morgan is the Suicide Prevention Training and Outreach Facilitator for the state of Nevada after having spent 19 years in the non-profit world. A graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno , he is passionate about working to educate others and prevent suicide. A certified instructor in safeTALK, ASIST, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and Adult Mental Health First Aid, he had the distinct honor in 2022 of being selected National Instructor of the Year for Mental Health First Aid. Taylor is active in his community and also works on the side as a professional sports announcer in both NCAA collegiate athletics and professional baseball.
You can connect with Morgan at linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nevadamorgan/
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Tamara Smith-Jones:  “For the last decade I have had the honor of leading a non-profit named “Helping Others Maintain Earth (H.O.M.E.)” that connects underserved communities to resources like education, food, and healthcare, which are a right not a privilege. Today my immediate attention is on mental health and substance misuse recovery, self-discovery, psychological safety, whole health, and communal healing. While I genuinely enjoy working with people from all over the world, I place particular emphasis on African Ancestry/Black and faith-based communities. As a person with lived-experience in recovery, who represents both of these communities, I’m determine to dispel myths and debunk stigmas that have historically prevented us from healing our pasts to prepare our futures.

I use trauma-informed healing to help people breakthrough trauma by processing emotions, identifying language to explain them, developing tools to navigate them, and establishing healthy boundaries to maintain peace. For those who have lived-experience with mental health and/or substance misuse challenges, my work entails supporting and emboldening them to embrace their stories of recovery so they can inspire hope, resilience, and perseverance in others on their journeys. Recognizing that everyone is at different stages in their wellness, I also we work with individuals and groups who desire to leverage their life experiences and increase their emotional intelligence (EQ) to find their purpose, using it as a compass on the path of overall well-being and towards the betterment of society. The ultimate goal, approach each day and every situation with authenticity and intentionality, respectfully.

 When I’m not doing research and development in the behavioral health space you can find me spending time in nature with my emotional companion dog Jax (who rescued me 10 years ago!) or in the kitchen trying new recipes for both of us. I’ve been a faithful 49ers fan since the 80’s and in the last few years have found football to be very therapeutic. It’s a huge part of my wellness recovery plan!

 Please join me on a journey where we take care of ourselves so we can be present for others. #HealAsWeGrow #HealingInSolidarity #WeHealBetterTogether

To find out more about me and the work I do please visit:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tsmithjones or contact me at tamara@lineageandlegacy.org

Find out more about Lineage & Legacy (L&L) by visiting www.lineageandlegacy.org
Find out more about Helping Others Maintain Earth  (H.O.M.E.) by visiting www.maintainearth.org