On April 28th The Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians presented WMPG’s Dr. Anne Hallward with the Dr. Ulrich B. Jacobsohn Lifetime Achievement Award for “extraordinary and tireless efforts” on behalf of those with psychiatric disorders. This was in recognition for her WMPG program Safe Space Radio. If this wasn’t enough on May 17 the American Psychiatric Association awarded her the American Women in Psychiatry’s Jeanne Spurlock Social Justice Award for Safe Space Radio’s work to give voice to marginalized and stigmatized populations. This was given to her in Atlanta at the national meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
Safe Space Radio is a show about the subjects we would struggle with less if we could talk about them more. We invite courageous conversations about difficult subjects—like mental illness, addiction, race, and sexuality—to reduce isolation and offer compassion, hope and understanding. Through their honest storytelling, our guests illuminate our shared human struggles, dissolving the lonely differences and distances between us.
Shame is a painful psychological and emotional experience, as well as a cultural and political force that silences and isolates. But heartfelt, vulnerable sharing inspires us all to speak up, take risks, and talk about the subjects we are often afraid to bring up. In turn, the act of listening invites openness and courage, emboldening us to share our human experiences.When this happens, their deepest wounds become a gift for others. Courage is contagious.