Sheila Hamilton is a five-time Emmy Award winning journalist and the author of “All the Things We Never Knew.”
Sheila’s storytelling resume runs through film, commercial television, radio and print.
All the Things We Never Knew is a boldly beautiful page-turner about loving and losing someone with mental illness. With unblinking honesty and profound compassion, Sheila Hamilton brings us vividly into her confusion, sorrow, and ultimate healing. I’ll be recommending this absorbing memoir for years to come.
If you’ve ever asked the question ‘Do I need help?’ or ‘Does my loved one need help?’ then read this book. Merging her gut-wrenching personal story with all-pro journalistic acumen, Sheila Hamilton gives us the who-what-where-when-why of mental illness and what you can do to get the help you need. Most of all, this book gives us permission not to go through hardship alone, no matter what crises we face.
Sheila Hamilton’s All The Things We Never Knew is one of the most candid, heart-wrenching, and deeply moving accounts of the wake of destruction caused by the suicide of a loved one. Her book reminds us of those we’ve lost to suicide. The book casts the dark shadow that is depression, then rises from such darkness, reminding us to ‘Look to the living, love them, and hold on.’ Finally, it gives survivors tremendous resolve to continue in their quest for prevention.
All the Things We Never Knew is so beautiful, so raw, and so powerful. It is, in a word, spectacular, and Sheila Hamilton is so generous and brave to share this story with the rest of the world. Anyone who has struggled with mental illness—their own, their family members’, their friends’ (which is to say, all of us)—will come away from this deeply humane book feeling less alone.
All the Things We Never Knew is the rare memoir that’s as harrowing as it is heartwarming, and Sheila Hamilton is the rarest of writers—a disciplined reporter with a masterful understanding of the workings of the human heart. This extraordinary story, about the mystery and scars of mental illness, is sobering and compelling and simply unputdownable.”
Journalist Sheila Hamilton has written a bold and honest book that takes the stigma out of mental illness and explores the terrible and beautiful angles when a loved one suffers from bipolar disorder. Hamilton’s reporter’s eye and lover’s heart give us a valuable perspective on how the grip of this insidious disease can destroy families and lives. Hamilton’s story is not only a cautionary tale but another example of the resiliency within all of us, and our ability to make the choice to heal.”
An honest, compelling read that chronicles Sheila Hamilton’s personal story of what it’s like to live with and love a spouse with mental health challenges. Written well, accurately describing the depression and mania of what later becomes a bipolar diagnosis, she captures the struggle of piecing together biological, psychological, and environmental factors that ultimately lead to a hard but hopeful ending. It is one of those books you don’t want to put down.
A brave and honest memoir of mental illness and the many people it can affect. Read more →
"Take care. For yourself, for those you have carried, for the universe, for those gone before you, for your heart, for your soul, for your great-great granddaughter. There has never been a more selfless selfish act. Take care."
Thank you Lidia Yuknavitch for sharing this riveting piece by Ella Wilson.
Take Care: Mothers, Daughters, and Inheriting Self-Hatred | Ella Wilson
catapult.co
I struggled with mental health and self-hatred all my life. A moment with my daughter made me realize it was hereditary.
In my hometown, twenty-two teenagers have died by suicide in one year. When I told my longtime friend about this alarming trend, she said, "If that were happening it would be in the news."
It's not in the news. Schools perpetuate the stigma of mental illness by refusing to acknowledge a death by suicide. Families perpetuate stigma by claiming their loved one's death as an accidental shooting or overdose. Local media perpetuate stigma by refusing to talk about suicide prevention and the treatments available for depression and anxiety.
Utah is the first state where suicide is the leading cause of death for 10-17 year olds, but other western states are close behind. One in six teens report suicidal thoughts or ideation. Teen girls are the fastest growing population to attempt and complete suicide. And more kids are now dying by suicide than by car wrecks or homicide.
We need mental health screenings, emotional resilience training, and access to quality care now. The "secret" is claiming tens of thousands of young lives every year.
#mentalhealthmatters #suicideprevention #depression #anxiety
(I'm available to speak to your school, church or civic group, contact pkreiter@apbspeakers.com)
Suicide now the leading cause of death for children in one state
aol.com
Disturbing new data from the Department of Health indicates the leading cause of death among Utah children ages 10-17 is suicide.
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Sarah Rundlet RidenourShelia, thank you for the work you do,I am so proud to have met you. I lend out and it is always returned or recommend your book often. Enjoy your day. Sarah
3 days ago · 2
Becky KilgoreYes to all you say, but we also need to seek the reasons why kids are killing themselves...bullying, extreme pressure in school to be the best or you'll be a failure for the rest of your life, parents not being involved and/or aware, kids covering for kids, etc... It's a serious issue that needs constant discussion and no one is immune.
3 days ago · 8Mel Tolan-HudsonWhile I don't believe all suicide can be prevented, I do believe in teens, most cases can. It's absolutely heartbreaking when young lives full of potential is lost. We are letting our youth down by not paying attention to these statistics and perpetuating the stigma surrounding mental illness.
3 days ago · 2Jan Berry BolinderKids go through so much more than we ever did. You do just great work Sheila.
3 days ago · 2Paul DeLancellottiAnd yet Utah has a number of therapeutic boarding schools , wilderness programs etc for kids who are struggling
3 days ago · 1Linda FastKeep telling us that violent movies and games don't affect those young minds!
3 days ago · 3Jen MiltonAs a sister of someone that completed suicide (not a teenager but he was in his early 20's), I think it is important not to hide how he died. His and our families story may change a life! When I work/talk with teens I want them to know that THEY matter more than they are capable of understanding at their young lives! Speak up, save a life, change the stigma!
3 days ago · 2Jennifer Strasbaugh OrtizAs someone who was born and raised in (Ogden) Utah, I can understand why even public institutions perpetuate this stigma and others. The veneer of perfection that is required in Utah's culture creates an untenable amount of pressure to pretend all is well. My heart aches for those young people who find themselves in such despair.
3 days ago · 3Dorothy BolleaWow! What tiwn / city did this happen in?
3 days agoLaura KennedyIt is in the news in Battle Ground, WA. In 2013 7 students committed suicide..boys and girls about equal. Since then I personally know of five more. It's acknowledged. Students are counciled after loosing friends, and our hearts are breaking. These are intelligent students giving up on themselves. What we need is anyone's guess. My idea are mentors and more ways to handle stress and anxiety. We need more arts in our schools, and not cuts in these valuable programs.
3 days ago · 1Glenn Bishop#sheilasaveslives #sheilasavesteenlives
3 days agoStacey Fernau OleksaWow! Is this in Utah or just Tooele? Either.. its still too many
3 days agoDan HartleyKeep educating us and keep this in front of us. It's going to take our villages, to save these kids. It's sad these kids don't have parents who might not see what's going on and if they do, there's not the professionals and infrastructure to support them. Mental Health has an amazing champion in you, and all of us love and respect you. Paix.
3 days ago · 1Gregory TateYes, Utah has one of the highest suicide rates for adult women, children 10-17, and for LGBT individuals of all ages. Because homosexulaity is NOT Tolerated in the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. www.sltrib.com/news/4075258-155/story.html
3 days agoElaine LindbergShe might not realize that local news media choose not to report on suicides for fear of copycat. It needs to be talked about everywhere except "the news".
3 days ago · 1Paula CragoThank you for posting this.
3 days ago · 1Paul CerroniPart of it is the opioid/heroin epidemic. Those are serious depressants I believe you curb the drugs and the suicide rate will go down. Your doing good work. Take care
3 days ago · 1Laura Stanford RocheloisSilence is the enemy. Thank you for shining your light on this.
3 days ago · 3Nancy Reberg BaileyI'm certainly not surprised. Kids today are bombarded with images, messages, sounds, In Utah the kids are encouraged to live like it was 1958. Terrible push pull stress to figure out a middle ground.
3 days ago · 1Robin DallLost my brother at 21. Some people don't even acknowledge he existed.
3 days ago · 1Merrily WelshParents, friends, teachers and all of us need to learn the signs that a teen is planning suicide. Do they think education will give kids ideas where there was none before? I think anyone who has lost someone to suicide can always look back and see the signs that were not so concerning at the time. I think the kids are still going to be planning but perhaps an educated and observant person close to the kid can recognize the signs and get them help before it's too late. Even things like getting fire arms out of the house. Locking up medications. And telling others to watch for signs. And ask the kid point blank.
3 days ago · 2Kathleen FowlerMedia overload. Poor kids...
2 days ago · 1Their party affiliations aside, all of the providers I've talked with say the GOP healthcare plan will be disastrous to agencies attempting to help people with mental illness and addiction.
Medicaid is the single largest payer of mental health and addiction services and this plan cuts 880 billion from Medicaid. By contrast, the rich, especially the very rich, stand to benefit greatly from the giveaway. Meanwhile, twenty million people lose crucial coverage.
The bill is regressive, cruel, and wrong. Please engage your elected officials.
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Logan Lynn✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻
4 days ago
Sheila Hamilton shared Keep Oregon Well's photo.
#keepOregonWell #MentalHealthMatters #EndStigma Trillium Family Services Logan Lynn KGW-TV Kink.fm KXL Skype Live Studio iHeartRadio Portland Trail Blazers Portland Timbers
Thanks for the most innovative anti-stigma campaign in the country; meeting young people where they are through music, sport and entertainment. Let's end discrimination against people with brain illnesses.
Thank you for an incredible 3rd season of the #KeepOregonWell Concert Series! Big love to Kink.fm, Z100 Portland, KGW-TV, Skype Live Studio, JAM'N 107.5, KXL and the hundreds of bands, artists, celeb...
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Logan Lynn❤️❤️❤️
1 week agoIf you've lost someone you love to suicide, you know the enormity of the loss, the depth of the grief, and the darkness of isolation.
Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors is the only free, 24-hour-support center with trained peer counselors. I've recommended this resource again and again for loss survivors.
Please consider a gift of support. This crucial service is run by two women who have dedicated their lives to this cause after losing a loved one to suicide. I know of no better way to say thank you.
Please use this first link:
support.allianceofhope.org/campaign/2017-forum-sponsorship-campaign/c134589
donate.angelcitypits.org
Whether it’s your birthday, wedding, an endurance event, or a party, you can celebrate and help save lives at the same time. It’s easy to make a d...
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Heather ShadurThank you so much Sheila Hamilton, for some reason your link goes to a fundraising for pit bulls. This is our campaign: support.allianceofhope.org/campaign/2017-forum-sponsorship-campaign/c134589. We are grateful for your ongoing support.
2 weeks ago
Thanks so much @PhiladelphiaSuicideprevention
for inviting me to be your keynote. Your questions and comments were so insightful. #Suicideprevention is everybody's business.
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Sheila Hamilton shared a link.
SHEILA HAMILTON ON MENTAL ILLNESS
soundcloud.com
In the week before Robin William’s death, a news story broke in Portland about Jennifer Huston, a stay-at-home mother who went missing mysteriously. A few days later, she was discovered in the woods...
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Logan Lynn❤️❤️❤️
1 month agoLearn the biggest myths surrounding suicide and what you can do to help those in crisis.
I'll be in #Pennsylvania June 19th and would love to meet you. Sign up below at events:
m.preventsuicidepa.org
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Sheila Hamilton shared PA Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition's Conference Announcement from Sheila Hamilton.
PA Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition
Meet our amazing 2017 PA Suicide Prevention Conference keynote speaker, Sheila Hamilton! Sign up now to hear her inspiring and informative message at the conference on June 19th at Best Western Premie...
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PA Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention CoalitionWe want to thank you so very much for speaking at our conference on June 19, 2017, in Harrisburg, PA, at our annual Pennsylvania Suicide Prevention Conference. Sheila, you gave a heartfelt, informative, and courageous presentation talking about your husbands suicide and how it affected your life and the life of your daughter. More importantly, you talked about what you did in the aftermath in your healing and your resolve to speak out on mental illness and suicide. All those in attendance were buzzing throughout the rest of the conference about how outstanding you were. Some of the comments that attendees wrote in their evaluation was that your presentation was “excellent”, “fantastic and an inspiration” “provided great insight”, “powerful and touching”, etc. We were so fortunate to have you come and speak at our conference and cannot thank you enough. Thank you again for coming, but more importantly, thank you for your work of making a difference in the world of mental health and suicide prevention!
2 weeks ago "My suicide crisis was driven by drinking. I was so disappointed in the treatment system, I made a vow I would tell no-one. I buried my story so deep, I didn't even relate to that part of my life. As I got more involved in suicide prevention, I realized I was living a lie. For me, the press to get the story out of me got bigger and bigger and I haven't stopped."
#Suicideprevention #ThirteenReasonsWhy #ChrisCornell
"I wish mental health advocates would get as upset about the lack of a suicide-prevention curriculum in public schools as they have about #Thirteen 13 Reasons Why."
"We spend five to six hundred million a year to prevent traffic fatalities. And there are now more suicides than traffic fatalities. We spend 30 million a year on suicide prevention."
Don't miss this conversation with brilliant physician/suicide survivor @Dr.BartAnderson
Thirteen Reasons Why You Should Listen to Dr. Bart Andrews
soundcloud.com
Dr. Bart Andrews is a suicide prevention expert, a suicide survivor, and a fan of Thirteen Reasons Why. In this interview with Sheila Hamilton, Andrews breaks down the historical reasons for stigmatiz
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Logan LynnPreach!
2 months ago
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