Each Step - Big or Small - Makes A Big Difference

In 1996, Dave Mowry had a total breakdown. He was driving down the freeway. under a lot of stress, and his mind was racing. And then, his mind snapped. He heard it like a snapping twig and felt it like a small electric shock in his brain. He was broken. He lost everything and was homeless for 18 months. He was living in hell for 14 months.

Dave Mowry’s story is one that you will want to share with anyone who is struggling with or has a family member battling mental illness. His story is one of inspiration, healing, and hope. He has lived with bipolar disorder and severe anxiety his entire adult life. He was a successful businessman until he lost it all due to mental illness.

After 14 lost years and being homeless with his family for 18 months, Dave took a stand-up comedy class for people with a mental illness. It changed everything. He went from his mental illness having control over him to finding the humor in his experiences and regaining control of his life.

Dave teaches stand-up comedy to people with a mental illness and performs on stage. We find humor in our pain and tell our stories one joke at a time. We let people know that they are not alone and that it is okay to laugh about our challenges, and shatter stigma.

Dave's interview will help you to understand the depths of mental illness and how to rise above the limitations.

                       Winner: Best bipolar disorder books of all time by BookAuthority.

What started out as a couple of blog posts blossomed into a following of over one million people who have read and been touched by Mowry's stories. The most extraordinary thing he found when writing about his experiences is that the most common comment about his work is “OMG, that's me”. You are telling my story. I don't feel so alone now.

Living with mental illness is hard, but it's especially difficult when dealing with more than one condition at the same time. Many books about coping with mental illness focus on one disorder, such as anxiety, panic attacks, or depression. Because Dave Mowry didn't see any that dealt with his situation of living with multiple disorders simultaneously, he decided to write about it himself.

OMG That's Me! It is sometimes funny, often poignant, but always deeply honest, open, and personal. Mowry's stories let others know there is help and there is hope, and that they, too can recover and live a full life. This book is a must-read for family members and friends who will gain true insight into the experiences of loved ones living with a mental illness. This book is a must-read for mental health professionals who will better understand the symptoms faced by their patients. And ordinary people will see the strength, resilience, and beauty of people who will shatter the stigma surrounding mental illness.

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You Have Cancer - What Do I Do to Win the Battle?

When Ray Hartjen was diagnosed with multiple myeloma - cancer, it was the first thing he thought about when he woke up, and pretty much the last thing he thought about before he nodded off to sleep. It occupied his thoughts most of the day.

“I’ve got cancer!”

After his diagnosis in 2019, Ray became a cancer fighter every day of the week that ends in a 'y'. Along with the soundtrack of life continuously playing in his head, Ray also performs and records with his two-piece acoustic band, the Chronic Padres.

To snap out of the trauma, he asked himself what type of role model he wanted to be for his family, friends, and community. What would be his legacy?

Ray Hartjen is a writer and musician whose professional career has spanned parts of five decades. Ray has pivoted on many occasions, from investment banking to pharmaceuticals, from consumer electronics to software. One constant throughout his career path has been storytelling with topics as far-ranging as sports to business.

Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma is a cancer-patient memoir written by Ray Hartjen, a multiple myeloma patient diagnosed in March 2019.

In this intimate and inspiring account, Ray reflects on every step of his relentless battle with cancer, from working toward a final diagnosis, through an initial induction treatment and an autologous stem cell transplant, and on to maintenance and continuing active treatment. Through it all, Ray shares personal insights into his fight, tending to his systemic physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Fighting cancer or any serious health issue, particularly a chronic condition, can be a daunting quest. Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma shows the importance of being mission-forward. Mission, of course, is unique to each individual and based on values, roles, and the accountabilities associated with each that matter most.

Written for cancer patients, their caregivers, and their friends and family, Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma is a personal story of proactive accountability, stubborn perseverance, evolving perceptions, growing maturity, and, ultimately, hope

                      CLICK HERE TO BUY RAY'S BOOK

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Severe Disability and Paralyzed from the Neck Down - Did NOT Stop Ken

Paralyzed from the neck down while playing college football in 1970, Ken Kunken was led to believe the best he could hope for was a career selling magazine subscriptions over the phone. But he battled back from the depths of depression and despair to become an award-winning assistant district attorney.

Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" Ken dreamed of things that never were and said, "Why not?"

But the Ken Kunken story is more than overcoming adversity. There's more -- much more.

After a lengthy hospitalization, Ken returned to Cornell, where he completed his undergraduate degree in engineering. Ken earned a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education, as well as a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology. 

Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor. He worked for more than two years at Abilities, Inc., where he provided vocational and placement counseling to severely disabled individuals. 

Was that enough?  Not for Ken! He enrolled in Hofstra University's School of Law and worked for more than 40 years as a Nassau County assistant district attorney, where he became a Deputy Bureau Chief. 

It’s also a love story that leads Ken to become the biological father of triplets, which was thought to be impossible. Ken's true-life story inspires and motivates others to fight for their dreams against overwhelming odds.

Ken never ever gave up hope. He believed he could lead a useful, productive, and happy life despite his physical disability.

Please share his incredible interview: 

BUY KEN'S BOOK - CLICK HERE

“I Dream of Things That Never Were” describes Ken Kunken’s journey from the lowest point in his life after a serious football injury to the pinnacle of happiness and success.

CONNECT WITH KEN HERE

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