Faith, God, and Serious Mental Illness: But Deliver Me From Crazy - Guest: Katie R Dale (Ep. 79)
Katie R. Dale is no stranger to the storms of Serious Mental Illness. Blindsided by an intense episode of bipolar disorder at 16, she has come a long way. Katie has written a memoir on her psych hospitalizations and how God helped her heal. Dale has conquered many losses including her sanity and firstborn child. Despite these challenges, she has been an award-winning author and advocate, working toward equity for those with Serious Mental Illnesses through her books, blog, and work with nonprofits including National Shattering Silence Coalition, Delight in Disorder, and Fresh Hope for Mental Health.
Her passion is to share practical answers to living with and advocating for Serious Mental Illnesses.
Questions:
1. Tell us a bit about you and your experiences with Serious Mental Illness.
2. How did you start advocating for those with SMI, and what does that look like in all the various channels you serve?
3. On the outset you are a strong advocate for those with SMI, and a professing Christian. How do you advocate for SMI within the faith-based communities and churches?
4. What do you tell people who are not as faith-oriented about the difference between hearing voices in a psychotic state, and hearing God’s voice in your state of stability now?
5. What are misconceptions of those within the church who believe SMI is spiritually-based?
6. How do you reconcile your faith in a good God with the reality of a chronic mental illness?
7. What are benefits of leading a faith-informed life with a Serious Mental Illness?
Links: But Deliver Me From Crazy (Katie’s memoir) https://a.co/d/cu7DYg6 When she isn’t crafting her next book, you can find Katie playing with her daughter, watching a movie with her husband, or training for a 5k. You can find out more about her at https://katierdale.com/ and social media @KatieRDale.
