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Trigger Warning: Past Suicidal Ideations Discussed

After experiencing the crushing weight of societal expectations, Molly Booker found her path to self-acceptance through embracing her individuality and passions. On this episode of "On the Spectrum with Sonia," Molly, the author of "Magic in the Mess," takes us on her inspiring journey of breaking free from the chains of conformity Her story highlights the difficulties that present when one feels that they don't fit in like everybody else, and the difficulties with learning to embrace one's own uniqueness.

Throughout the episode, Molly and I reflect on our personal battles with "masking" and the intense pressure to fit into societal molds. Both of us recount the emotional toll of feeling like outsiders during our formative years, which led to struggles with self-identity and mental health. As we share our experiences, we shed light on the potentially devastating impact of a lack of self-awareness and the importance of redefining success to align with one's true passions and desires.

Molly's narrative is a powerful testament to the liberation found in pursuing what genuinely brings joy, whether it's writing, public speaking, or creative hobbies like playing guitar and drawing. She passionately invites listeners to reject societal boxes and embrace their unique brilliance, transforming internal suffering into love and acceptance. Join us for this empowering conversation, and connect with Molly at mollybooker.com to continue exploring the beauty of individuality and self-discovery.

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Just imagine you are living your life and going about your day to only have the course of your whole life change in a flash. This is what happened to Brian P. Swift back on December 26, 1979. Brian was just a gregarious 17 year old off school on winter break. He just finished celebrating Christmas with his family, and he was looking forward to spending the rest of the winter break relaxing and having some fun. He called his buddies to go play some football, and there was a group of guys who got together in a nearby field. This was where Brain received a tackle that changed the complete trajectory of his life....it was a tackle where he had issues getting up from the tackle. Brian couldn't move, nor could he feel. Brian suffered from c6 quadriplegia.

As much as Brian was down, he refused to be out. Brian had surgery and went to the Chicago Rehabilitation Center where statistics were grim about the quality of life for those with quadriplegia. It would be easy for anyone to get depressed and feel discouraged seeing the grim outlook that was given for people with quadriplegia. However, Brian used those statistics to motivate him further to achieve a quality of life he could be proud of. Brian went from being a student who didn't consider himself a studious person to going on to law school. Brian left the legal field and went into sales where he won an award his first year for bringing in the most sales. Brian eventually became an author, business executive coach, speaker, and radio host of WJOL. Brian refused to let quadriplegia define him, but rather, he was going to define what quadriplegia was. He defied statistics, and he showed people that life doesn't have to be so grim if you have the mindset to not let it.

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Tom Smith, a retired NYPD officer and current host of the Gold Shield Show, joins me on "On the Spectrum with Sonia" to discuss the often unseen intersection of law enforcement and mental health. Inspired to follow his father's footsteps and seeing the strong camaraderie and "family" formed within the community, Tom aimed to recreate that for his own life and found just that.

The conversation takes a deeper look at the intricacies of mental health in policing, emphasizing the vital role of mental health support within the justice system. We discuss different aspects of mental health within law enforcement, those in the criminal justice system, and education that both law enforcement officers and mental health professionals need to learn of each other.

Towards the end, we tackle the societal pressures on police officers, magnified by public events like the George Floyd incident. Tom and I discuss how tools like body cameras can enhance accountability and serve as training resources. We discuss the necessity of communication skills and effective strategies to manage mental health crises, advocating for ongoing collaboration between law enforcement and mental health professionals. To cap off the episode, I'm excited to announce the upcoming launch of my book, "Dropped in a Maze," at Creative Con in Chicago, and I invite you to join our journey by subscribing to the podcast across major platforms.