Season 2 Episode 4 of “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined” is special for the entire BCSS team, as it tells the family story of someone really close to us—our CEO, Faydra.

Serious mental illness does not just happen to other families out there; rather, it touches all of us in different, but very real, ways. In this episode, listeners will be treated to a very real and candid conversation between Faydra and her mother, Linda, where they talk about their own family member who lived with schizophrenia… Faydra’s younger sister Carissa Lynn.

Carissa received her diagnosis at the age of 28, but never accepted that she was ill. And over the next sixteen years, Carissa and her family struggled with the illness and the outcomes of its many symptoms. Faydra and Linda open up and share their own perspectives of what happened and what they needed to do to be able to come to terms with this mental illness as a mother and as a sister.

“It is very important for people to know they have somebody advocating for them.”

Linda, S2E4, “Look Again”

Carissa was and still is very much loved by her family, and Faydra and Linda are sharing their journey to help other families better understand their own path towards understanding and managing serious mental illness. We all understand that schizophrenia is nobody’s fault, and that it affects the people who love them just as much as it affects the individual themselves.

This episode serves as a reminder that just as schizophrenia is felt by families and individuals, individuals are not alone in their journey. By sharing their story, they are hoping to break the silence that still exists today around this mental illness and how it impacts individuals and their families.

“You must learn to accept the reality, to embrace the memories, and cherish those in your life every day.”

Faydra, S2E4, “Look again”

In this episode, Faydra and Linda courageously share their journey, strength, and resilience as a family, reminding us all that we are not alone.

Take a listen on the platform of your choice or click this link.