Media Room

Meet Barry

Kaca Henley, Editor, Mental Health Matters, Volume 9, No 1

Barry Shainbaum says he has a soft spot for the town of Lindsay - sitting in a donut shop here in the wee hours one morning years and years ago, nursing a cup of coffee and a donut, he found the strength to make a major change in his life.

He had been through a lot. Following a breakdown at the age of 18, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at 22, and the gloomy prognosis that he would be ill and on medication for the rest of his life, he emerged at 37 realizing that the illness was gone. No miracle, he had worked hard to attain the self-awareness that brought him there. He had - and continued to have, even for a time after he came out the other side - years of various psychotherapies. And always striving, always learning, there were years of studying psychology and self-help literature and exploring spiritual pathways, and probing his own mind and spirit to get there.

In the process, he earned a university degree and launched a business that in the long term, after that cup of coffee in Lindsay, has earned him success and fame as a photographer, author, broadcaster and speaker. One of the high points of that success has been his inspiring book of photographic and verbal portraits of people who have overcome obstacles, entitled Hope and Heroes.

Now - that is shrinking a convoluted and amazing life history, with extraordinary ups and downs, into a very small nutshell that in no way does justice to the path this man has built for himself, and what he has accomplished. To tell it in detail would fill this newsletter, and besides, I am reluctant to try to do for him what he does so well for himself - tell his story, explain his amazing resilience, and prove his conviction that hope can prevail. And in the process, to show us some of the pitfalls he has encountered, and how he has dealt with them and in the long run has overcome them.

But I can't resist titillating readers with some of the wisdom he shared with me:

Asked 'What do you see as your most important accomplishment?' Barry replied, 'Not only surviving, but thriving, thriving for myself but also by being someone non-medical who can advise and support others.'

Asked 'To what do you attribute your amazing resilience?' Barry says, 'To persistence. That is extremely important. I have always been persistent, sometimes to a fault, sometimes it's pig-headedness, you bang your head and you may even dent it a bit, but you can find a hidden door. I was born a seeker, always asking a lot of questions. But it's not the knowledge that we have, it's what we do with the knowledge, not just the goals we have but taking time to assess the goals, gauge the process.'

Asked 'What do you want people to know about you before they hear you speak?' 'That there is hope!'

Barry Shainbaum will address the CMHA-KL Annual General Meeting, but in the meantime, if you are curious and have access to the internet he hosts a radio talk show on Faith FM Kitchener, Perspectives Sundays at noon. Visit his website at http:// www.BarryShainbaum.com, click on 'Radio Show', then on the 'FaithFM' link, and there, click on 'Listen Live'.

Mainly, come to the AGM at 5 pm June 26th at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall to hear him speak on From Obstacles to Opportunities. It promises to be an interesting, empowering and encouraging experience.