Wow. This podcast – with me interviewing my beloved shrink (licensed professional clinical counselor Lynn Drost) whom I had seen for well over a decade – had me BOTH tongue-tied and unable to stop talking! This woman saved my life. The fear I had in spilling my secrets to her were two-fold: To do so meant to me that I, too, was “nuts” or had the mental illness genes; and I thought I was supposed to be the strong one to take care of it all, so to talk to a shrink meant I couldn’t handle it all on my own.

Lynn’s response further underscores how incredible she is: "Anybody who walks in my door has a lot of strength. That’s not an easy thing to do. We don’t like to expose who we really are. We like to keep up the game, the façade that we’re powerful, cool and strong. There's a certain stigma attached to any mental illness - even if you need help with the grieving process - we don’t want to reach out and ask for help. But by exposing who we are, that allows our hearts to touch, for us to really know one another, and know we’re not be alone in the world."

I am so grateful to have crossed paths with Lynn. She gave me back my life and taught me how to find the power I always had within. She helped me believe that I was enough. I wish for everyone struggling that they find their own Lynn. If in the suburbs of Chicago, here’s her info: Lynn Drost, licensed professional clinical counselor, Arlington Heights, IL - (847) 981-0860.

Share below your comments or your own story. I'd love to hear from you.---------------------A storyteller at heart who built a career in writing, media & marketing, Paolina Milana is grateful for the magic AND the madness she's experienced. Her roots are entangled with mental illness and taking on caregiving roles -- something she has come to realize is not unique to her; rather, it seems to be common on several levels among others, especially the high-functioning women who from the outside looking in seem to have it all together.

Madness To Magic brings to listeners stories of real world encounters with what we all experience and yet feel shamed to keep silent. Embracing ALL of us is key to tapping into our own power to make all things possible.

Special thanks to the creators of the beautiful instrumental you hear during this podcast - Philippa Dowding & Allister Thompson - Original song “Sarah Tiptoes” from their album BIRCHES. Also love to the guy who's the master behind this podcast's production and audio engineering -- Joseph Dean Edwards.