Episode 79: Back to the Beginning: Will (reair)
The Just A Mom podcast will be re-airing some of the earliest episodes of the podcast the next few weeks. The first re-air is the very first episode of The Just A Mom podcast with my son, Will. This show is the whole reason I became a mental health advocate and, ultimately, started the Just A Mom Podcast. Will is my youngest son, and he struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. When Will was in the worst of his battle, I felt alone and hopeless. There were basically no resources that I could find other than one book to help support me as a parent of a child with mental illness. And then Will started the You Matter Festival, which reached over 10,000 people in its five-year lifespan. Will became a local teen spokesperson and advocate for mental health. Will is a musician, actor, director, writer, singer, and overall creative with many talents (www.WIlliamGurley.org). I am so thankful that he is my son and he asked for help when he was struggling.