Why the name OK State of Mind?
Why not, “The Family & Children’s Services Podcast,” or “F&CS Monthly”? Be assured, dear reader, that our chosen title evolved from much discussion, deliberation and vetting. (And, maybe a few cups of coffee.)
The first words, “OK State,” are a little bit of a pun. In the literal sense, “OK State” speaks of where Family & Children’s Services (F&CS) is located: Tulsa Oklahoma. Additionally, for over 100 years, F&CS has led the way as a major safety net provider in Tulsa and the greater metropolitan area. Today the agency is certified as both an Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) and utilizes the CCBHC framework to deliver services that are evidence-based, trauma-informed, diversion-oriented, recovery-oriented, and person-and-family-centered. F&CS provides a full array of mental health and substance abuse services, a full continuum of crisis services, and other services designed to strengthen families and help children thrive.
However, this podcast is not all about Family & Children’s Services, its programs, services, or resources. In the context of our podcast title, “OK” speaks primarily of the various degrees of imperfect mental health with which we all grapple.
Yes, all of us. Indeed, the mental health of all humans might be plotted on a continuum ranging from Destitute to Superstar, and each individual’s plot point moves to the left or right every day, every moment, continuously. It can change with a text message, a letter from our kid’s school, a drink or another bite of food, a pill, an empty house, or perhaps even something incorporeal that makes its home in our mind and constantly influences our decisions. While we would all love to say that our mental and behavioral health is perpetually pegged at that far right “Superstar” side of the continuum, the truth is, “OK,” located somewhere in the middle of the continuum, may be more accurate for most of us. This podcast explores that phenomenon further.
At this point, “State of Mind” is obvious, right? And it makes sense. After all, our organization’s mission is to promote, support and strengthen the well-being and behavioral health of adults, children and families. A “State of Mind” is something all humans possess. There is nothing inherently good or bad about the idea of a state of mind – it is simply a trait of every person’s existence, just as is our state of body. Both are dynamic. Both are malleable. And both are subject to analysis and scrutiny. While this podcast makes no attempt to diagnose the state of mind of its listeners, it is intended to present unbiased observation and analysis of the stories, science, and practical insights related to modern mental health – or more specifically, one’s state of mind.
We hope you will tune in and subscribe to the OK State of Mind podcast. While the specific topics of each episode will change regularly, and some may be more relevant to your personal state of mind than others, the podcast will always focus on the universal stories, science, and insights of modern mental health and wellness.