What does it mean to have a disability? Many people deal with disabilities, challenges or diseases that aren’t outrightly apparent.
This week on the Mindful Headlines podcast, KING 5’s Jessica Janner Castro speaks with Alysse Bryson about dealing with disabilities, especially in the workplace.
Bryson says she deals with mental illness, addiction and depression. Bryson is also a cancer and heart disease survivor. During the pandemic, Bryson started The Sober Curator, a website dedicated to content related to recovery or a zero-proof lifestyle.
“You can’t make assumptions about people, whether they do or don’t have a disability, just with the naked eye,” said Bryson. “I don’t have a handicap parking position. I don’t need any devices to help me maneuver from place A to place B, but that doesn’t mean I don’t deal with a lot of disabilities.”
A disability is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or interact with the world around them. Conditions or impairments can be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory or a combination of factors.
Bryson is the keynote speaker for Microsoft’s Disability Employment Symposium. The symposium, which began in 2017, is an annual meeting of Washington state businesses, organizations and leaders dedicated to finding potential solutions regarding disability employment. Bryson will speak to attendees about her journey to self-advocacy, how she’s maintained sobriety for 16 years, recovering from heart disease and surviving cancer.
Resources
Am I an alcoholic? quiz from American Addiction Centers
Crisis Connections Teen Link for teens needing mental health help
Charlie Health mental health treatment for teens, young adults and families
Peer Washington offers peer emotional support for LGBTQ community and those impacted by addiction
Crisis call helpline: 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-9274
Alcohol recovery centers
Previous Mindful Headlines podcast episodes
Washington's trailblazing Black senator is shaping the conversation on foster care and mental health
"Mindful Headlines" is a news podcast about the Pacific Northwest that explores how our psychology intersects with current events.
The way we interact with our world is influenced by the way we perceive the world. In turn, our collective minds shape the issues that make headlines in our local communities and nationwide.
