MOVIE

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Crazywise

2016

What can we learn from those who have turned their psychological crisis into a positive transformative experience? During a quarter-century documenting indigenous cultures, human-rights photographer and filmmaker Phil Borges often saw these cultures identify "psychotic" symptoms as an indicator of shamanic potential. He was intrigued by how differently psychosis is defined and treated in the West. Through interviews with renowned mental health professionals including Gabor Mate, MD, Robert Whitaker, and Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD, Phil explores the growing severity of the mental health crisis in America dominated by biomedical psychiatry. He discovers a growing movement of professionals and psychiatric survivors who demand alternative treatments that focus on recovery, nurturing social connections, and finding meaning. CRAZYWISE follows two young Americans diagnosed with "mental illness." Adam, 27, suffers devastating side effects from medications before embracing meditation in hopes of recovery. Ekhaya, 32, survives childhood molestation and several suicide attempts before spiritual training to become a traditional South African healer gives her suffering meaning and brings a deeper purpose to her life. CRAZYWISE doesn't aim to over-romanticize indigenous wisdom, or completely condemn Western treatment. Not every indigenous person who has a crisis becomes a shaman. And many individuals benefit from Western medications. However, indigenous peoples' acceptance of non-ordinary states of consciousness, along with rituals and metaphors that form deep connections to nature, to each other, and to ancestors, is something we can learn from. CRAZYWISE adds a voice to the growing conversation that believes a psychological crisis can be an opportunity for growth and potentially transformational, not a disease without a cure.

82 min

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18:33

Trained Not to Cry: The Challenge of Being a Soldier | Richard Doss | TEDxNaperville

Members and Veterans of the US Armed Forces have unacceptably high suicide rates. Why? It’s not the combat experience like one would suggest, but a much more complex issue that needs to be talked about.

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15:06

How Telling Our Silenced Stories Can Change the World | Anne Hallward | TEDxDirigo

Shame is at the intersection of individual psychology healing and social change. Clinically, when we follow the path of our shame, we experience the greatest healing, and culturally, when we move past the power of shame we can act together to improve civil rights for all.

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03:29

Mental Health within the Black Community | Davonte Sanders-Funches | TEDxNorthCentralCollege

Spoken word meet social critique in this power piece exploring the cyclical nature of mental health challenges within the black community.

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15:17

Mental Health Is Declining and Black Women Are Hit the Hardest | Keita Joy | TEDxBeaconStreet

Did you know that in the United States, over 10.3 million adults have serious thoughts of suicide and/or battle with mental health struggles privately while continuing to produce and perform publicly? Imagine living with a constant, lingering private struggle, while performing in front of the world.

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Naomi Osaka: ‘It’s O.K. Not to Be O.K.’

In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons.

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Redefined - Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox joins host Zainab Salbi on the debut episode of Redefined to talk about the personal moments that have shaped her identity as a citizen, activist, artist, daughter, and mother. Formative and transformative stories of hope, loss, struggle, and awakening fill this heartfelt conversation.

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Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

It is the rise from falling that Brown takes as her subject in Rising Strong.

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EXPLORE TOPIC

Depression