Our Stigma

Episode 6: Roundtable Discussion

In Episode 6, Seth Perry, Farhia Budul, and Yeng Moua engage in dialogue about how they envision fighting mental health and addiction stigma in their communities moving forward. They reflect on the challenges posed by current funding cuts and freezes, share their hopes and strategies for leading meaningful change, and discuss what they see as the biggest threat to vulnerable and marginalized communities. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. More resources are below in the show notes. Special thanks to the roundtable participants in this episode: Farhia Budul, founder of Niyyah Recovery Initiative; Yeng Moua, co-founder of Koom Recovery. About the podcast: We're finally talking about mental health and addiction in faith communities. But have we really listened? Lutheran Pastor Seth Perry hosts this six-part podcast exploring mental health and addiction in spiritual communities. For the past year, Perry has looked beyond the statistics to the real stories: rural towns with no treatment options, African American communities facing rising opioid overdoses, Indigenous populations with a 10-fold disparity in statistics, and third-generation immigrant families watching their encampments disappear overnight. Meanwhile, Muslim brothers and sisters seek recovery that honors both faith and culture. The crisis is deep, the conversations are overdue, and the time to listen is now. "Our Stigma" is a six-part podcast exploring faith, culture and recovery. It's hosted by Seth Perry, pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, Minnesota, and himself a recovering addict living with bipolar disorder. Episodes start dropping weekly on Thursday, May 1, 2025. They will be accompanied by a study resource for small groups focused on developing grassroots mental health outreach. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Other resources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline National Alliance on Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/ Find Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Here: https://findtreatment.gov/ The Trevor Project-Crisis Counseling for LGBTQ+ Youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "Our Stigma" is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Washington County Opioid Settlement. Writer / creator / host: Seth Perry. Producer: Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. Additional support: Mitch Randall and Cally Chisholm of Good Faith Media. Special thanks: Sean and Rolando from Washington County, and Diane from M Health Fairview. Music: Pond5. Episode release date: June 5, 2025. Links: "Our Stigma" Podcast Page: https://goodfaithmedia.org/ourstigma/ "Our Stigma" Project: https://www.ourstigma.com/ Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/

Episode 5: Recovery in the Hmong Community

In Episode 5, podcast host Seth Perry explores addiction and recovery in the Hmong population, including its unique culture and the role of encampments. This episode mentions overdose death and violence. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. More resources are below in the show notes. Here are the questions to ponder throughout the episode: Have you ever stopped to consider what drives people to live in housing encampments? What steps has your community taken to understand the root causes behind these encampments? Have you heard people in your church or community refer to them as "eyesores" or something similar? Special thanks to this episode's interviewees: Representative Liz Lee; Representative Dave Baker; Pastor Danny Yang; Dr. Steve Delisi; Jeremy Drucker; and Y. Moua. About the podcast: We're finally talking about mental health and addiction in faith communities. But have we really listened? Lutheran Pastor Seth Perry hosts this six-part podcast exploring mental health and addiction in spiritual communities. For the past year, Perry has looked beyond the statistics to the real stories: rural towns with no treatment options, African American communities facing rising opioid overdoses, Indigenous populations with a 10-fold disparity in statistics, and third-generation immigrant families watching their encampments disappear overnight. Meanwhile, Muslim brothers and sisters seek recovery that honors both faith and culture. The crisis is deep, the conversations are overdue, and the time to listen is now. "Our Stigma" is a six-part podcast exploring faith, culture and recovery. It's hosted by Seth Perry, pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, Minnesota, and himself a recovering addict living with bipolar disorder. Episodes start dropping weekly on Thursday, May 1, 2025. They will be accompanied by a study resource for small groups focused on developing grassroots mental health outreach. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Other resources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline National Alliance on Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/ Find Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Here: https://findtreatment.gov/ The Trevor Project-Crisis Counseling for LGBTQ+ Youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "Our Stigma" is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Washington County Opioid Settlement. Writer / creator / host: Seth Perry. Producer: Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. Additional support: Mitch Randall and Cally Chisholm of Good Faith Media. Special thanks: Sean and Rolando from Washington County, and Diane from M Health Fairview. Music: Pond5. Episode release date: May 29, 2025. Links: "Our Stigma" Podcast Page: https://goodfaithmedia.org/ourstigma/ "Our Stigma" Project: https://www.ourstigma.com/ Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/

Episode 4: Recovery in the East African Community

In Episode 4, podcast host Seth Perry explores culturally specific treatment in recovery. This episode mentions overdose death. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. More resources are below in the show notes. Here are the questions to ponder throughout the episode: How welcoming is your community? What faiths and ethnic identities would feel unwelcome in your community? How uncomfortable does this question make you feel? Special thanks to this episode's interviewees: Dr. Steve Delisi; Hodan Hassan; Jeremy Drucker; Kaleab Woldegiorgis; and Farhia Budul. About the podcast: We're finally talking about mental health and addiction in faith communities. But have we really listened? Lutheran Pastor Seth Perry hosts this six-part podcast exploring mental health and addiction in spiritual communities. For the past year, Perry has looked beyond the statistics to the real stories: rural towns with no treatment options, African American communities facing rising opioid overdoses, Indigenous populations with a 10-fold disparity in statistics, and third-generation immigrant families watching their encampments disappear overnight. Meanwhile, Muslim brothers and sisters seek recovery that honors both faith and culture. The crisis is deep, the conversations are overdue, and the time to listen is now. "Our Stigma" is a six-part podcast exploring faith, culture and recovery. It's hosted by Seth Perry, pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, Minnesota, and himself a recovering addict living with bipolar disorder. Episodes start dropping weekly on Thursday, May 1, 2025. They will be accompanied by a study resource for small groups focused on developing grassroots mental health outreach. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Other resources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline National Alliance on Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/ Find Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Here: https://findtreatment.gov/ The Trevor Project-Crisis Counseling for LGBTQ+ Youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "Our Stigma" is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Washington County Opioid Settlement. Writer / creator / host: Seth Perry. Producer: Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. Additional support: Mitch Randall and Cally Chisholm of Good Faith Media. Special thanks: Sean and Rolando from Washington County, and Diane from M Health Fairview. Music: Pond5. Episode release date: May 22, 2025. Links: "Our Stigma" Podcast Page: https://goodfaithmedia.org/ourstigma/ "Our Stigma" Project: https://www.ourstigma.com/ Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/

Episode 3: Recovery Among Indigenous Americans

In Episode 3, podcast host Seth Perry explores the countless public health barriers faced by Indigenous peoples. This episode mentions overdose death, violence, trauma and sexual assault. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. More resources are below in the show notes. Here's the question to ponder throughout the episode: What would it be like if your community came together to explore the deeper roots of mental health and addiction challenges in Indigenous communities today? How would that conversation go? When, if ever, has your community had a conversation about this issue? Special thanks to this episode's interviewees: Lynne Moratzka; Richard Wright; Tanya; Dr. Steve Delisi; Representative Dave Baker; and Jeremy Drucker. About the podcast: We're finally talking about mental health and addiction in faith communities. But have we really listened? Lutheran Pastor Seth Perry hosts this six-part podcast exploring mental health and addiction in spiritual communities. For the past year, Perry has looked beyond the statistics to the real stories: rural towns with no treatment options, African American communities facing rising opioid overdoses, Indigenous populations with a 10-fold disparity in statistics, and third-generation immigrant families watching their encampments disappear overnight. Meanwhile, Muslim brothers and sisters seek recovery that honors both faith and culture. The crisis is deep, the conversations are overdue, and the time to listen is now. "Our Stigma" is a six-part podcast exploring faith, culture and recovery. It's hosted by Seth Perry, pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, Minnesota, and himself a recovering addict living with bipolar disorder. Episodes start dropping weekly on Thursday, May 1, 2025. They will be accompanied by a study resource for small groups focused on developing grassroots mental health outreach. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Other resources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline National Alliance on Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/ Find Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Here: https://findtreatment.gov/ The Trevor Project-Crisis Counseling for LGBTQ+ Youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "Our Stigma" is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Washington County Opioid Settlement. Writer / creator / host: Seth Perry. Producer: Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. Additional support: Mitch Randall and Cally Chisholm of Good Faith Media. Special thanks: Sean and Rolando from Washington County, and Diane from M Health Fairview. Music: Pond5. Episode release date: May 15, 2025. Links: "Our Stigma" Podcast Page: https://goodfaithmedia.org/ourstigma/ "Our Stigma" Project: https://www.ourstigma.com/ Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/

Episode 2: Recovery in a Divided Nation

In Episode 2, podcast host Seth Perry takes a closer look at the troubling rise in overdose deaths among Black Minnesotans. This episode mentions overdose death, sexual assault and descriptions of violence. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. More resources are below in the show notes. Here's the question to ponder throughout the episode: Opioid overdoses happen in rural, urban and suburban settings. What biases exist in your thinking when you consider where an overdose death occurs? What assumptions are attached to rural, suburban and urban settings? Special thanks to this episode's interviewees: Emmanuel Lewis; Michele Hein; Ivan Nelson and Maurice Brown; Dr. Steve Delisi; Representative Dave Baker; Jeremy Drucker; and Keni Richardson Pittman. About the podcast: We're finally talking about mental health and addiction in faith communities. But have we really listened? Lutheran Pastor Seth Perry hosts this six-part podcast exploring mental health and addiction in spiritual communities. For the past year, Perry has looked beyond the statistics to the real stories: rural towns with no treatment options, African American communities facing rising opioid overdoses, Indigenous populations with a 10-fold disparity in statistics, and third-generation immigrant families watching their encampments disappear overnight. Meanwhile, Muslim brothers and sisters seek recovery that honors both faith and culture. The crisis is deep, the conversations are overdue, and the time to listen is now. "Our Stigma" is a six-part podcast exploring faith, culture and recovery. It's hosted by Seth Perry, pastor of Elim Lutheran Church in Scandia, Minnesota, and himself a recovering addict living with bipolar disorder. Episodes start dropping weekly on Thursday, May 1, 2025. They will be accompanied by a study resource for small groups focused on developing grassroots mental health outreach. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Other resources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline National Alliance on Mental Health: https://www.nami.org/ National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: https://www.nami.org/support-education/nami-helpline/ Find Both Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Here: https://findtreatment.gov/ The Trevor Project-Crisis Counseling for LGBTQ+ Youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "Our Stigma" is sponsored by M Health Fairview and the Washington County Opioid Settlement. Writer / creator / host: Seth Perry. Producer: Cliff Vaughn of Good Faith Media. Additional support: Mitch Randall and Cally Chisholm of Good Faith Media. Special thanks: Sean and Rolando from Washington County, and Diane from M Health Fairview. Music: Pond5. Episode release date: May 8, 2025. Links: "Our Stigma" Podcast Page: https://goodfaithmedia.org/ourstigma/ "Our Stigma" Project: https://www.ourstigma.com/ Good Faith Media: https://goodfaithmedia.org/