“I didn’t want people to think fun, happy Sasha really has depression and anxiety.”
Sasha Wolff is the founder of Still I Run, a non-profit organization and online community for runners, whose mission is to raise awareness around mental health. On this episode — in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month — Sasha, a mom of two who lives in Michigan, talks openly about her own experiences with depression and anxiety. She opens up about her decision to admit herself to an inpatient facility for treatment, talks about what that was like, and explains what’s in her “mental health care kit.” She also shares the story of how she found running, and why she’s so passionate about running for her own mental health.
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What you’ll get on this episode:
- What Mental Health Awareness Month means to Sasha (4:30)
- Sasha shares her mental health story (7:40)
- On the decision to check into a mental health hospital (14:30)
- What’s in Sasha’s “Mental Health Care Kit?” (21:00)
- How running has played a role in Sasha’s mental health journey (30:20)
What we mention on this episode:
Andrea Barber on Episode 209 of the Ali on the Run Show
Andrea Barber on Episode 45 of the Ali on the Run Show
Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again, by Andrea Barber
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4 Responses
For example, a potential question to ask about this could have been: “Still I Rise is a poem about racial injustice and oppression. Given that poem inspired your groups name, how is Still I Run working to honour that part of Maya Angelou’s legacy?”
Hi Em!
That is such a wonderful question and honestly one that I had not thought of before. You are the first person to bring this up to me and I’m thankful you did. I’d love to discuss this more with you if you’re up to it. I want to be a better ally and I want to honor Maya more in a way that makes sense to her legacy and Still I Run.
Your first episode after your declaration of being an ally and doing better is with a white woman who co-opted the work of a black woman – work literally ABOUT racial injustice – and used it to further her own work without challenging her on that or at least asking her about it?
Girl, you have more work to do than you think you do.
Sasha is doing good and important work. This episode was good, we need to discuss mental health. But here was an opportunity to do better and you missed it.
Hi Em,
I’m just seeing your comments now, so I apologize for the super delayed response to your message. I do appreciate your comment and your feedback, and I wish I had thought to bring up that point. These are helpful notes in helping me learn more and do better. I do want to let you know (though I realize it doesn’t necessarily matter or make a difference) that Sasha and I had recorded this episode long before the personal message / episode I did talking about being an ally. I typically record my episodes several weeks in advance, as was the case with this one, so the topic of race and of questions you raised here weren’t top of mind for me then like they are now. Again, I appreciate your feedback. I will make mistakes along the way, and you’re right, I do have a lot of work to do. I only ask that you act with kindness and empathy if you’re up for that. (In other words, I really did appreciate this feedback and it is super helpful, but phrases like “Girl, you have more work to do than you think you do” aren’t really necessary or helpful. I also think that general tone and language may discourage a lot of people from wanting to learn and listen and speak up at all for fear of being chastised when they do make a mistake. That’s my only ask!)
Thanks!
Ali