Mental Health: The Good, The Bad, and The Sober

About this Event                        

Mental Health: The Good, The Bad, and The Sober is a panel hosted by Soberocity in honor of Mental Health Awareness month. This open and honest panel will dive into each panelist’s sober and mental health journey and how their openness with their struggles has led them towards the difficult journey of healing and self acceptance.

This virtual discussion is hosted by Rachel Brady of Shots to Shakes. Our panelists include: musician, TedX speaker, and mental health advocate, Ariel Bloomer, musician and sober advocate, Shawn Jump, Holistic Health & Life Coach with a Ph.D. in Natural Health and a doctoral degree in Naturopathic Psychology, Dr. Elise Ho, Author, TedX Speaker, certified addictions and mental health counselor, and founder of Recovery is the New Black, Michelle Smith, and Amanda E. White, LPC the Founder and Clinical Director of Therapy for Women.

Please send your questions to be asked to the panelists during this Zoom seminar in advance to alexandra@soberocity.com by 7pm EST on Thursday, May 27th.

Key information

• Tickets are free for anyone who RSVPs, you will receive the Zoom link on the day of the event
• You will need to be able to access Zoom or a telephone line to attend this virtual event 
• Please email us at alexandra@soberocity.com should you have any accessibility requirements for attending this event

The Panelists

Ariel Bloomer and Shawn Jump of Icon for Hire: Formed in 2007 in Decatur, Illinois, and currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee, Icon For Hire knows a thing or two about building a loyal fan base. From local clubs in Decatur to Warped Tour and Download Fest, they have amassed a dedicated "Icon Army" that continues to grow with each single release. Moving away from the record label system in 2016, and with a devoted following of over 700,000 followers across social platforms, lead singer Ariel Bloomer and guitarist Shawn Jump have relied on their fans to support their independently released albums, Billboard-charting You Can't Kill Us in 2016, and their most recent release, Amorphous in 2021. 

With songs featuring Ariel's compelling lyrics on issues like depression, anxiety, and self-harm, their music draws in a passionate and engaged crowd that connects with their vulnerability and authenticity. Believing that the world and the Icon Army could use new music in the midst of a global pandemic, they took a risk on Amorphous, ending up with a crowd-funded campaign that raised over $263,000, more than doubling the results of their previous record-making Kickstarter campaign in 2016. 

From haunting piano ballads to intense guitar-heavy rock anthems, Amorphous builds off of their previous success and highlights Shawn's intricate production talent and Ariel's unmatched ability to connect with their listeners. “The underlying message of everything we have done is moving away from a place of self-hate and moving towards a place of self-love,” Ariel adds, “and because of that we have tried to go beyond the songs and create a sense of community, where people know they’re not alone." 

Dr. Elise Ho:    Dr. Ho is a Holistic Health & Life Coach with a special interest in Mindset, Stress Management, Emotional Health and the Brain-Gut Connection to it all. During Elise’s 30+ years of experience she has been honored to work closely with health and wellness pioneers such as Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. John Gray, and several others. Dr. Ho holds multiple certifications and degrees including a Ph.D. in Natural Health and a doctoral degree in Naturopathic Psychology.

Amanda E. White, LPC: Amanda E. White is a licensed therapist and the creator of the popular Instagram account @therapyforwomen. She is the founder of "Therapy for Women Center" located in Philadelphia and serving clients across the country. She is in recovery from an addiction and eating disorder and in her clinical work, Amanda specializes in supporting clients in the overlap and intersection of both.

Michelle Smith: Michelle is an author, TEDx Speaker, host of Sober Mom Squad, and founder of Recovery is the New Black, a digital community for moms in recovery. As a wife and working mother of two, she fell into the "mommy juice" drinking culture. Michelle found a way out and has been in recovery from alcohol abuse since 2016. As a certified addiction and mental health counselor, she provides services to other moms who are seeking supportive alternatives to a boozy culture that tells us alcohol is an accessory to motherhood. Michelle has 20 years of experience in the field of addiction medicine and behavioral health treatment.

The Host

Rachel Brady: Rachel Brady, also known as @shotstoshakes, is a woman who recovers out loud, a mental health advocate, and a storyteller enthusiast. She describes herself as a former Los Angeles party girl who found sobriety in her 20s and seeks to build connection through writing. Touching on topics like sobriety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the occasional touch of tough love, she is passionate about uplifting people in recovery, people who are coming to terms with their healing, and everyone in between. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and rescue puppy, taking it one day (and coffee) at a time.

About Soberocity

Founded in 2017, Soberocity’s mission has always been clear: we want to connect people living a sober life with like-minded individuals through online meet-ups, live streams, and more. We want to change the perception of what it means to live a sober life and make it achievable and attainable for everyone suffering, or who has suffered, from addiction. Soberocity also believes in helping our community to stay sober and to pursue a sober life by offering sober resources and a unique opportunity to connect with other sober individuals. For us, sobriety is a spectrum and we fully embrace all looking to join our community, for together we are infinitely strong.

Soberocity is for anyone with an interest in retaining or gaining sobriety worldwide, including:

• People who are sober curious
• Anyone who is new to recovery
• Anyone who has been in recovery for a long time
• Sober companions, sponsors, and counselors looking to learn more about the sober community
• Anyone looking to be surrounded by the sober community and be uplifted by it

Privacy Notice

Please note that this panel discussion may be recorded and shared online after the event. We may also use photos and screenshots from this virtual event to be used both internally and externally for learning, marketing and promotional reasons.

If 'dialing-in' to this event by telephone, your number will be visible on the Soberocity Zoom screen. You can dial '141' before the number you want to call to 'withhold' it.

Any views, information or opinions expressed by third parties during this panel discussion are the speakers’ own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Soberocity or its affiliates.

If you have any questions, please email alexandra@soberocity.com.