I finally made it back in April! April 3 I read from both my latest unreleased book and my first published book at The Heavy Anchor. Because the crowd ended up being smaller, more intimate, we ended up having a conversation about my book, about mental health in their city, and the different ways they’ve learned to cope through the troubles life has thrown at them. While for most shows you want to sell out, my favorite are the most intimate. This was no exception, at all. I’ve learned so much from this tour, from the cities I’ve visited and the people I’ve met. I couldn’t have chosen a better way to end this if I tried.
Again, like in Cleveland, I could only meet with NAMI Cleveland for a short amount of time. Oh, the joys of working while on the road. Though the meeting was short, we discussed their local initiatives. While often each chapter has similar programs, different chapters shine in different areas. In particular, their family to family program and their CIT training, where they train law enforcement on how to deal with trauma and mental health on the job, are their strongest. Though the meeting was short, we still had time to discuss our mutual respect and appreciation for goats, which again, a great way to end this tour.
Below are some of NAMI St Louis’s programs: