As some of you already know (I’ve talked about it before), actor Joe Pantoliano – or, Joey Pants – hit the ground running earlier this year with previews and special screenings of the documentary “No Kidding? Me Too!” and hasn’t slowed down since.

The documentary takes its name from Joey’s nonprofit organization (NKM2, for short) and both the documentary and the organization aim to shed light on and remove the stigma associated with mental illness, and Joey isn’t alone in his efforts. Other actors and actresses like fellow Soprano stars Edie Falco and Michael Imperioli, The Soloist‘s Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx, and Desperate Housewives‘ Dana Delany are all working with NKM2 to help bring mental health education and awareness forward and eradicate stigma.

The NKM2 Documentary Tour (that’s not really its name, but it makes sense) will continue to hit states like California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania in the next couple of months, but if you’re not close to any of those areas you can still view the documentary’s five-minute trailer online.

NOTE: Some language might make it unsuitable for children and for viewing at work, but it’s definitely worth checking out when you can. I especially liked Joey’s intro:

“When I discovered three years ago that I was diagnosed with clinical depression, I was embarrassed, humiliated…I also came to understand that there’s a tremendous stigma surrounding any kind of brain disease. I want to make a movie about this.”

And, if you are close to any of the screenings, know that proceeds go toward mental health awareness and research through both NKM2 and the International Mental Health Research Organization (IMHRO).

Pants once told NBC’s Brian Williams -

“You cannot be anonymous with mental illness. You really have to talk, loudly, and say ‘Hey, I’ve got it, I’m functioning, my life is better for it.’”

- and, with NKM2, talking loudly is exactly what he’s been doing.

Image Source: Wikipedia

“Children represent a fraction of our population, but 100% of our future. One in ten suffers from serious mental health disorders, and most aren’t getting the help they need. We need to address this crisis before it’s too late.” – Goldie Hawn.

Seven days into Mental Health Month (that’s today!) brings us National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, and in honor of that award-winning actress, director, producer, and child advocate Goldie Hawn spoke at a Congressional briefing to campaign for more effect mental health programs for children.

And, according to Mental Health America, Hawn’s foundation, The Hawn Foundation:

[...]developed a program for grades K-7 that improves children’s emotional and cognitive skills to help them understand and manage their own emotions, moods and behaviors; reduce stress and anxiety; sharpen concentration; increase empathy; and improve their performance in school.

The Hawn Foundation provides details about the program for educators, parents, and community organizations, and if you’d like to learn more about what you can do for children’s mental health overall (today is just a day of awareness – not the only day you can act!), visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s May Is Mental Health Month: Celebrate Children’s Mental Well-Being!

I’ve never tried to hide my…dislike…for Alex Karev. Sure, he’ll probably pull one of his classic Alex-to-the-rescue moments on tonight’s monumental Grey’s Anatomy episode, but overall he’s mean, arrogant, and unworthy of my love.

However, Justin Chambers – the adorable actor who portrays my less than favorite Grey’s Anatomy character (oh, who am I kidding – at this point, nearly all of them with the exception of Owen and Cristina are my less than favorite characters) – is another story.

And now he’s even more adorable. During a Good Morning America interview earlier this week, Chambers spoke about what helped him work through the major sleep problems he started experiencing a few years ago.

Want to know his secret?

(As if this title didn’t give it away.)

There are very few things I place above really good music.

Sure, there’s the essential stuff like food, water, air, family, friends, and God – but, aside from those, there are very few, if any, things I place above really good music.

Those of you who know me know that I’m more than a bit obsessed with Dave Matthews Band.

Actually, the music’s not so much an obsession as it is a way of life for me. If I handed you a time line of my life, complete with every high, low, and in-between moment, you could point to any period and I’d be able to tell you which DMB song carried me through it.

Hmm…maybe I am obsessed.

Music is therapeutic, but DMB’s stuff is in a league of its own.

Anyway, what I don’t talk about as often is that much of Sarah McLachlan’s music has a similar therapeutic effect for me. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy was pretty much my relationship soundtrack back in the 90s and the album that inspired a lot of my own writing back then.

Aside from helping to heal my former teenaged self’s heart, Sarah McLachlan also…

“I think more people need to talk about it, a lot of people suffer from mental illness or any kind of anxiety and I think it’s important to talk about it.” – Gold Logie-winning actress Rebecca Gibney.

May is Mental Health Month, and you know what I’d like to do? For each day of the month (well, for each remaining day of the month, as I obviously took the weekend off), I’d like to be able to spotlight one celebrity or famous figure who’s come forward about mental health issues.

And not just celebs and other famous names who’ve come forward about mental health issues, but those who’ve managed (or did manage) to really overcome mental illness in ways that offer hope and inspiration.

Will this actually happen?

Hmm…it might. After all, it’s not like we don’t have quite a few names to work with.

Of course, it might just happen every other day. Or every few days.

(I’m trying to break – or at least lessen – the stranglehold my obsessive nature has on me when it comes to creating optional and overzealous schedules and to-do lists and sticking to them no matter what. If I publicly shout, “I’m going to feature a celebrity every single day of the month! Woohoo!”, you can bet there will be more than a few 3 a.m. blogging sessions to make it happen. Not pretty.)

In the meantime, we can kick things off with Australian actress Rebecca Gibney who has spoken candidly of her childhood with an alcoholic father, her struggle with anxiety, and how it all worked to lead to her emotional collapse a few years ago.

She also won a Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality and a Silver Logie for most popular actress for Packed to the Rafters just last Saturday.

“I’m a great testament to someone who can triumph over a hard childhood.”

Indeed you are, Gibney, and hopefully the troubled times you’ve overcome, and the great successes you’ve experienced since, will be inspirations to many people!

Image Credit: Ian Muttoo