TIPS025: No Shame on U with Miriam Ament

TIPS024: You Can Come Back with Jennifer Haussler Garing
September 5, 2017
TIPS027: The Secret Depression Club with Mae L’Heureux
September 8, 2017

TIPS025: No Shame on U with Miriam Ament



Miriam Ament is the founder and president of No Shame On U, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions and raising awareness in the Jewish community and beyond. The goal is for the people who need help to seek it, for family members and friends to know how to provide proper support, and to save lives. Miriam earned her B.A. in American History from Barnard College and a master’s in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She lives in Chicago with her husband, musician David Forman.

Click to tweet: Miriam Amentshares her incredible journey on the i’MpossibleProject #podcast!

Direct Download

Time Stamped Notes

  • 2.17Miriam first encountered her depression when in college (in New York City)
  • 2.28 Miriam was hospitalized twice for her depression
  • 3.45 During her second hospitalization, one of Miriam’s childhood friends called her while in the hospital and told Miriam shedidn’t want to speak to her until she was happy again and the two never spoke again. This caused Miriam to hide her depression for a long time
  • 4.48 At age 32, Miriam had to live with her parents back in Chicago after an intense hospitalization. Up till that point she hadn’t taken her mental health seriously. It was at 32 that Miriam became committed to take her depression and mental health seriously
  • 7.05 Miriam manages her mental health now by going to therapy, medication, helping others, and maintaining her physical health and well-being
  • 15.10 Miriam started the non-profit organization No Shame on U, an organization dedicated to decreasing stigma and educating around mental health, in response to how she was treated with stigma and shame when disclosing about her depression to her former friend.
  • 22.41 Miriam’s spirit animalis her mother in law’s dog Bandit (find out more fun facts about Miriam in the Quick Fire Round)

Key Points

  • What we say to people can have a long lasting effect on their self-esteem and mental health. We never know what’s going on inside someone, and so it’s important to always speak with grace
  • Mental health and wellness (not just mental illness) is a lifelong management process

Resources or Websites Mentioned

Miriam’s email address: miriam@noshameonu.org

Miriam’s non-profit organization No Shame on U: www.noshameonu.org

Miriam is an author in The i’Mpossible Project: Volume 2—Changing Minds, Breaking Stigma, Achieving the Impossible: www.iampossibleproject.com/two