Episode description

Every Wednesday on the Hippie Haven podcast, learn how to live harmoniously with yourself, others & the planet. We talk about all things hippie, including eating vegan, reducing your trash, starting an ethical business, eco-activism, gardening, beekeeping, tiny house living, and so much more.

Our guest today is Michelle Dickinson, a passionate mental health advocate, a Ted speaker and published author of a memoir entitled Breaking Into My Life. After years of playing the role of child care giver, Michelle embarked on her own healing journey of self discovery. Her memoir offers a rare glimpse into a young girl's experience living with and loving her bipolar mother. Michelle then spent years working to eradicate the mental health stigma within her own workplace at a fortune 500 company by elevating compassion, causing more open conversations and leading real change in how mental illness is understood in the corporate setting. She also knows firsthand what it feels like to struggle with a mental illness after experiencing her own depression due to challenging life events of her own. As a past volunteer with court appointed special advocates, the Make a Wish Foundation and serving as big sister with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, elevating the wellbeing of our youth matters to her. Michelle's volunteer work led her to create her own children's program called Perfect Just The Way You Are. This program was designed to help youth better understand how to nourish the body and the mind and has reached over 2000 children and their families in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in the last five years. The program recently evolved into a school-wide and student led mental health wellness fair. Michelle's intentions are to touch as many children's lives as possible with this program so that children proactively develop a healthy relationship to brain health. In today's episode, we're talking about how to reduce the stigma around mental health, how to create more compassion in today's society, how to improve the collective mindset around mental health in your workplace, the economic benefits of investing in mental health resources, and Michelle's advice to those affected by mental illness.

The Hippie Haven Podcast is hosted by Callee - a zero waste activist & business owner. Formerly a translator for the US Navy, Callee was honorably discharged as a conscientious objector in 2017 following an episode of severe depression & alcoholism fueled by not living in alignment with her core values. That same year, at age 23, she started Bestowed Essentials, a handmade line of eco-friendly beauty & home products that are now stocked in over 100 stores around the US & Canada. Callee began hosting this free podcast in August 2018, as well as speaking at events and teaching educational workshops across the country, as part of her life mission to arm you with the knowledge & tools you need to spark positive change in your community. In December 2019, she opened The Hippie Haven in Rapid City, South Dakota - a zero waste retail store & community space with a little free library - the first of its kind in the state. She’ll be opening a second Hippie Haven in Salem, Oregon in Feb 2021.

Follow along on Instagram - @ahippieinavan & @hippiehavenshop & @bestowedessentials
Shop zero waste home goods at www.hippiehavenshop.com
Read podcast transcripts at www.hippiehavenpodcast.com