tag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:/blogs/newsNews2020-09-13T12:04:48-04:00Alexandra Georgasfalsetag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/64325212020-09-13T12:04:48-04:002023-12-10T12:28:52-05:00How a Parent's Mental Illness Affects Their Children Podcast Episode<p>I published another episode of my podcast "Loving Susan". This one covers how a parent's mental illness affects their children. I cover this subject using both data from studies, and information gathered from life experiences and great books. Hope it helps people! You can get it from any podcast provider, at the link below, or via the link: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/2vu6b8/Episode_6_-_How_Does_a_Parent_s_Mental_Illness_Affect_Their_Childrenb8w6m.mp3</p>36:26Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/63929842020-07-25T12:21:40-04:002022-08-13T06:41:31-04:00Enjoying your loved one with who has a mental illness<p>This episode covers celebrating what is special about our loved one as they are with their illness. This is something I learned to do over the years which helped me enjoy my mom as she was. </p>
<p>You can listen by clicking on the link below or search for "Loving Susan" from any podcast app. </p>
<p>Download URL: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jx4uf4/episode_4_enjoying_your_loved_one_with_musicbkwkd.mp3 </p>
<p>Epsiode URL: https://lovingsusan.podbean.com/e/enjoying-your-loved-one-who-has-a-mental-illness/</p>19:16Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/63929832020-07-25T12:19:38-04:002022-05-17T04:30:55-04:00How to communicate with a loved one with a mental illness<p>This episode covers ways to best communicate with a loved one who is either symptomatic or in crisis from a mental illness. I also cover best practices for communicating to anyone better. </p>
<p>You can listen by clicking on the link below or search for "Loving Susan" from any podcast app. </p>
<p>https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-ufp4f-e2cd26</p>23:41Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/63929822020-07-25T12:18:22-04:002022-03-14T01:13:37-04:00What if they won't take medication?<p>This is a very common challenge for people who have a mental illness and those who love them. Sometimes it's because of one of the symptoms of mental illness, anosognosia, which is that the brain actually blocks the person from knowing they are sick. And other times it is from a number of issues - the diagnosis is not correct, the meds are not a good fit due to side effects or they have not significantly reduced symptoms, etc. In this podcast I cover all of these issues and how to address them. </p>
<p>Check it out at: https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-33teq-e166e9</p>36:35Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/63929812020-07-25T12:17:01-04:002022-05-04T09:20:41-04:00What Causes Mental Illness?<p>Episode 2 of my podcast - What Causes Mental Illness?</p>
<p>Covers the prenatal, genetical, and environmental factors that increase a persons likelihood of developing mental illness. I also share some helps to how to best support our loved ones based on this material.</p>
<p>https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-85w3g-dfa1e3</p>31:47Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/63441152020-06-05T21:35:52-04:002022-08-02T08:45:45-04:00New Podcast!<p>I am excited to announce that I have created a new Podcast series called Loving Susan: Support for those who love someone with a mental illness. The goal of this series is to provide helpful ideas and inspiration for people who love someone who has a mental illness such as depression, bipolar, anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder, ptsd, obsessive compulsive disorder, or schizophrenia. Below are the first few episode topics which will be released once a week. If you love someone with a mental illness and would like some inspiration and support, check it out. Search for “Loving Susan” on apple podcasts to subscribe. Check out the link below.</p>
<p>Good blessings to you. </p>
<p>Alexandra (aka Sandy) Georgas </p>
<p>Loving Susan – first 4 episode topics </p>
<p>Week 1 – My journey with my mom who had schizophrenia </p>
<p>Week 2 – What causes mental illness? </p>
<p>Week 3 – What if my loved one won’t take medication? </p>
<p>Week 4 - How to best communicate with your loved one</p>
<p>Week 5 - Enjoying my loved one as they are</p>
<p> </p>28:48Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974292019-11-30T19:00:00-05:002021-11-24T04:46:14-05:00New Book!
<p>I'm happy to share that I have published my second book, A Computer Geek Speaks, Unusual and interesting stories from my career as a woman in technology. It tells of humorous and surprising escapades of my life, including tales of mistakes I have made, interesting people I have encountered, unexpected adventures, love interests, and all I have learned through my journey.
To purchase a copy, email georgas@comcast.net. It should be available on Amazon.com in about 4 weeks.</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974282018-05-21T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T15:56:16-05:00Radio Interview 5/23 10 am
<p>Wednesday, May 23 from 10-11 you can hear me being interviewed on the NAMI Radio Hour, hosted by NAMI Tennessee at: NAMI Radio Hour on WRFN-LP 103.7 & 107.1 FM in Nashville and online at: www.radiofreenashville.org . Check out the info on the NAMI Tennessee web site: http://namitn.org/</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974272017-07-06T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T12:06:58-05:00Praise from Readers
<p>I received several hand-written notes of thanks from some readers recently. Here's what they had to say:
“Thank you for sharing your journey with your dear mother in the form of your book. I cannot tell you how blessed I was. I hated to see it come to an end. The love showed through so brightly. What an encouragement to each of us readers to always love.” – Marge VanderKlok
“This was a wonderfully written book! Such love and compassion in spite of the challenges she faced because of her mom.” - a fan</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974262017-03-25T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T12:14:59-05:00Father's Fan Mail
<p>I just received this wonderful email from Father Malamis of the Ascension of our Lord Greek Orthodox Church in Lincolshire. He beautifully officiated my father's funeral in 2014. Here's his kind letter:
Dear Alexandra,
I wish to thank you for gifting me your book Mom & Me: My Journey with Mom's Schizophrenia. I just finished reading it and I felt compelled to write you to express how I was inspired by your story in dealing with your Mom's illness. Your faith and hopeful outlook is something that I love to share in a lot of my pastoral encounters with people.
For this, I am thankful that you were brave and at the same time humble to pen your reflections. I pray that this book will help others bear their cross in life with God who suffered for us first.
May God bless you always.
In Christ,
Rev. Fr. Sotirios P. Malamis
Ascension of our Lord Greek Orthodox Church
1207 Riverwoods Road
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
www.ascensiongoc.com</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974252016-06-24T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T15:56:15-05:00Wow, More Endorsements
<p>More book endorsements came in. Feeling pretty amazed and happy to be part of this movement to reduce stigma and increase aid to those who are sick with mental illnesses and their loved ones. Here we go....
Endorsements -
“The author has embraced the healing power of personal narrative to frame and integrate her experiences living with a mother with schizophrenia. She describes the good times and the bad, underscores the importance of advocacy, and provides evidence of the positive impact of spirituality in her life. Through her journey, she learned a great deal about her mother and even more about herself.”
Joanne Nicholson, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry
The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Lebanon, New Hampshire
“At Thresholds we know how invaluable a family member support system can be in creating recovery for persons experiencing mental illnesses. It’s difficult to share the story of how mental illness has touched your family, so I applaud each person like Alexandra who bravely does so."
Mark Ishaug, CEO, Thresholds
"Mom and Me" is a treasure of a book for so many reasons. In chronicling life with her mentally ill mother, Alexandra Georgas provides a vivid portrait, rich in everyday details, of the devastating impact of schizophrenia on families and society. The author also illustrates the role of a vibrant faith in dealing with personal tragedy. Further, she provides hope for individuals and families who struggle with serious mental illness. I read this captivating story in one sitting. I highly recommend this gem of a book to anyone affected by serious mental illness, which is pretty much all of us.
Robert J. Gregory
Professor Emeritus of Psychology
Wheaton College, Illinois
“This book will surely help others with their struggle to have a healthy relationship with a loved one who is incapable of having a healthy relationship.”
Steve Eisenberg, MS, LCPC
With care, candor, and humor, Sandy tells the extraordinary story of growing up with her mom, a beautiful woman who struggles with the illness of schizophrenia. Sandy interweaves poems, songs, and diary entries from her younger years with insights gained as an adult to create a deeply meaningful story. Her book has the power to foster empathy among those unfamiliar with schizophrenia and strength in those who have a loved one with mental illness. It raises awareness not only of the needs of the mentally ill, and our shared social responsibility to care for them well, but also of the needs of their families. Superbly intelligent, Alexandra writes in a simple style that most readers will understand easily, in tones rich with generosity, humility, faith, and forgiveness, but most of all, with a clear emphasis on the transformative power of love to bring healing. Her life-story is a gift.
~ Jane Beal, PhD
Associate Researcher in English
University of California, Davis
sanctuarypoet.net
"Oftentimes individuals with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia alienate family members leading them to living a lonely life with minimal to no family involvement. This is a story of the unconditional love a daughter has for her mother who is dealing with the debilitating symptoms of schizophrenia.
Alexandra Georgas shares her inspiring journey on the road to acceptance and a happy relationship with her mom".
Catherine Cox MSW LCSW</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974242016-06-15T20:00:00-04:002022-03-14T01:15:06-04:00More Book Endorsements
<p>Got another endorsement for my book. This one is from Dr. David J. Castle, Chair of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia:
"It is a mark against us as a society that schizophrenia remains such a stigmatised malady. Many countries around the world have closed down large mental hospitals and people with schizophrenia are now largely living in the community. Yet many remain with a feeling of lack of engagement with society and much of that feeling mirrors stigmatised views about schizophrenia. Sadly, it is also the case that family members, whilst having to deal with what can be a difficult journey and illness in their loved one, also feel that lack of societal inclusion. Thus, anyone brave enough to tell their story as a family member of someone with schizophrenia, is to be commended. I hope this book, a true life story, will be a rich and rewarding read and will help people understand the person apart from the illness and also appreciate the way it touches family members."</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974232016-05-01T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T15:56:15-05:00Book Endorsement
<p>I am working on getting endorsements for my book. Got one from Dr. Mary V. Seeman OC MDCM Professor Emerita Dept. of Psychiatry University of Toronto.
She wrote, "This is a story of a girl growing up with a mother who gradually develops a serious mental illness, schizophrenia, and who becomes impossible to live with. First impossible, and then a heavy emotional burden. In the end, it is a story of hope. Alexandra Georgas is witness to the possibilities that human beings have of healing the persons they love."
Good summary of my book. Publication date is August 15. I can't wait!
- Alexandra</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974222016-03-11T19:00:00-05:002022-05-25T07:30:56-04:00I'm back!
<p>Lots has happened since I last wrote. My dear husband passed away in June of 2012. He had colon cancer and fought hard and bravely for nearly 7 years.
Two years ago this month I met a new beautiful man and last June we married. I went through the depths of sadness to the heights of joy.
I did stop doing gigs but started a new creative endeavor - I wrote a book and it will be published in August of this year. It's called "Mom and Me: My Journey with Mom's Schizophrenia". It is a biography of what I learned to be healthy while having a mom with a severe mental illness. More to come on that later.
I am working on getting out there and singing again. so, more on that too to come. So, I'm back!</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974212009-10-16T20:00:00-04:002019-12-14T15:56:15-05:00Update on Me
<p>This has been a very different year for me. For the first time in 14 years of performing in coffeehouses and restaurants, I have not had a strong urge to do these gigs. Really weird. So, I haven't been! But I have taken up photography, and right now you can see my stuff at Great American Bagel on Ogden Avenue in Westmont. It will be there until the end of October. Next month I am doing one little gig for my church on November 21, but that's it.
My husband has had cancer for nearly 5 years now, and he is still battling. I guess I just need a long rest.
Hope you all are doing great.
- Alexandra</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974202009-01-28T19:00:00-05:002023-12-10T11:32:24-05:00Where I Am
<p>Hello friend,
Well, I am taking another one of my breaks from performing. My husbands cancer showed up again in October and he's on chemo now. Seems I don't have a lot of energy for performing right now, and just want a break. But, I'm writing a lot of new stuff, so once I get back out, it should be a pretty fresh performance.
Hope you are staying warm and loving much.
-Alexandra</p>
Alexandra Georgastag:alexandrageorgas.com,2005:Post/60974192008-08-08T20:00:00-04:002023-12-10T11:32:18-05:00Stores Where you can buy my CD
<p>Hi there,
My new CD, "The Real Deal" is now in two stores (OK, for me that is exciting!). You can purchase it at:
You're Invited, Too, on Route 53 in Woodridge
Funky Things in Algonquin
Check out their web sites - see my links page.</p>
Alexandra Georgas