This Is My Brave - Eagle Valley 2023

Storytelling has the Power to Heal

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

SARAH ALDER

Sarah E. Alder,  born and raised in Ogden, Utah, comes from a large family with six other siblings and calls Utah and Colorado home. She served in the US Army from 2000-2008 and has been serving the LGBTQIA+ and Veteran community for over 15 years. Sarah is trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Many instances have required that she utilize these tools and resources to provide support for friends, family, and even herself in moments of severe distress. Sarah is extremely passionate about advocating for normalization and destigmatization of suicidality and mental health as a human experience. Sarah lives in Larkspur, CO with her wife and 15-year-old daughter. When Sarah has time and wealth, she greatly enjoys traveling anywhere in the world, visiting breweries and coffee shops, road cycling, hiking and even handywoman projects.

 

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

JULIE KIDDOO

Julie Kiddoo was born and raised in Minnesota. After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1994, she moved to Vail, Colorado, where she met and fell in love with her husband and raised her two children. Julie is the author of Bye-Polar; A Journey of Resilience, Power and Freedom. There was a time in Julie’s life when all of the lights were out, and there was nothing but darkness. She was hospitalized for severe depression twice. She was catatonic, and all she could do was stare at the ceiling of the hospital. She was labeled bipolar in high school and unlabeled in her thirties. She knows what it is like to live with the stigma and shame of having experienced mental health issues. Julie has found profound healing by sharing her story and the message of hope. Her wish is that everyone feels empowered to share their own stories, finding a pathway to freedom and the ability to make a positive impact on others' lives.

 

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

TIFFANY MANCHESTER

Tiffany Manchester was diagnosed with PTSD following her experiences on September 11th in New York City. She has also experienced generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar 1 disorder since childhood. Since then, she has made several attempts on her life, spent many months in a psychiatric facility, and years in therapy. She has gone on to receive her master’s degree in Art Therapy and Arts Education, teach elementary children in art therapy, and has become an advocate for youth mental health. In Washington D.C., she began a program that combined theatre and public schools. This was a large improvement to the mental health arts programs in the D.C. area. On September 29th, she kicked off an emotional wellness program in Lake County.

 

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

DEAN ROBBINS

Dean’s full name is Dean Martin Robbins. He comes from a small village in the south of England called Child Okeford, and he has been a singer/songwriter since 1979. He is married to a wonderful lady who now teaches in Gypsum, and they have a beautiful 17-year-old daughter who attends Eagle Valley High. He lives for music and loves to write and sing, and he hopes it makes others happy.

 

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

JAMIE STONE

Jamie is a former ski instructor, national sales manager, and co-founder of Vail Living Well. Sporadic bouts of depression from the age of 19 did not prepare her for what a perfect storm in 2010 would lead to - severe depression and symptoms of PTSD. They took her down, and she “disappeared from the world” for twelve years. With tremendous support from family and friends, some amazing therapists/facilitators, and a new breakthrough therapy, she is fully back in life and is sharing her story to let others know that there is hope.

 

Special Guests

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

KYLE FOSTER, Master of Ceremonies

Kyle is no stranger to sharing his story. The owner of Seagull’s Cycles in Eagle, he is changing the notion of what a bike shop can be. “I have always felt that a bike shop can be more than just a place to sell and repair bikes, but a hub of the cycling community and beyond,” shared Kyle. Community is ever-present in the service provided, his openness about addiction and mental health, and the shop’s many community events including fundraisers and his well-known Sunday Recovery Ride. Kyle joined the SpeakUp ReachOut Board of Directors in 2023.

 

Photo: Barry Eckhaus

EMILY BRUDWICK, Brave Singer

Emily grew up in Eagle County and experienced her first loss to suicide at the age of 13 when she lost her friend, James Cuno.This spring after a local student died by suicide, Emily felt called to share her story and support the community in their grief. Emily has always enjoyed music and finds it therapeutic in many situations. She joined the This Is My Brave production to share that there is hope. Emily has helped organize multiple community events and offerings with her employer, Moe’s BBQ, to bring awareness to suicide and the resources available in our valley.

 

Production Team

TRAVIS WILSON, Show Co-Director

Travis Wilson is delighted to once again return to This is My Brave as a co-director to help promote mental health awareness on the Western Slope. Born and raised in rural Georgia, Travis has lived in Colorado for ten years and is a graduate of Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs with a Bachelor's in Sustainable Studies and an Associate of Arts with a Theatre Emphasis. Travis has acted and worked with several theatre companies in the Roaring Fork Valley and sits on multiple art boards. Travis also works in the nonprofit world as a Youth Advocate with YouthZone. Being someone who has gone through their own mental health struggles and successes, Travis' long term goal is to help sustain mental health in the Western Slope and help others find the bravery that lives within them.

 

COURTNEY RUSSELL, Show Co-Director

Dr. Courtney Russell is a Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at The Vail Mind Center who primarily specializes in work with children and adolescents. Courtney generally enjoys being an extremely dramatic person and has been involved in theater from a young age. She is an actor with the Vail Valley Theatre Company and is passionate about the healing power of narrative and artistic expression. Courtney is thrilled to be a part of such a beautiful movement to encourage others to live authentically, increase connection, and end harmful mental health stigma.

 

KHUSHBOO SADADIWALA, Mental Health Professional

Khushboo received her BS in psychology from Drexel University and subsequently graduated with her Psy.D. in 2023 from the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology (WSPP). She was initially matched to Your Hope Center as a Doctoral Intern in 2022 and is now transitioning to her role as a Post-Doctoral Fellow after successfully completing her internship. Upon relocating to this community, Khushboo has become immensely passionate about addressing the mental health stigma in Eagle County so that individuals can come forward and express themselves in a way that feels meaningful through the power of storytelling and art. Overall, Khushboo hopes that her participation in This Is My Brave will help to progress others’ narratives in order to foster resiliency, strength, hope, and connection. 

Erin Ivie