The Connection Between Mental Illness & Homelessness Featuring Lauren Hope & La Shawn Paul

What do you do when you have a rising career as a news reporter, in a depressive episode and become homeless? Well, that is the story of Lauren Hope of Good Girl Chronicles. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. Serious mental illnesses disrupt people’s ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life, such as self-care and household management. Mental illnesses may also prevent people from forming and maintaining stable relationships or cause people to misinterpret others’ guidance and react irrationally. This often results in pushing away caregivers, family, and friends who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless. As a result, these factors and the stresses of living with a mental disorder, people with mentally illnesses are much more likely to become homeless than the general population. In this episode, Kea interviewed Lauren and learns more about her story, and the connection between mental illness and homelessness. During the mind, body and soulness segment, La Shawn Paul of Social Work Diva offers insight on how to unpack trauma such as homelessness. Lauren was featured on CBS 6, check it out here: http://wtvr.com/2017/10/23/once-silent-woman-battling-depression-using-voice-to-help-others-survival-is-a-choice/ Lauren Hope’s Blog http://goodgirlchapters.blogspot.com/ Lauren’s Facebook: Good Girl Chronicles LLC Lauren’s Twitter: @laurenhope84 Lauren’s Instagram: @laurenhopespeaks Social Work Diva Website: http://www.socialworkdiva.com/#home Instagram: @socialworkdiva Therapist Shout-out: Northside Center Located In: East Harlem, New York and have various locations throughout New York Website: https://www.northsidecenter.org/ National Coalition for Homeless http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Mental_Illness.pdf