A Hero's
Journey
When I'm not preaching the
"Geek Girl Gospel of Mental Health"
as a public speaker, I'm busy writing, consulting (www.sharonblady.ca),
or I can be found cosplaying
Domino, Nick Fury, Peggy Carter, or
Pink Holtzmann
with the Winnipeg Ghostbusters!
Hi! I'm Sharon,
Founder & Chief Fan Grrl!
Comic Geek * Academic * Cosplayer * BTS ARMY * True Believer
Former Health Minister - Manitoba
I grew up a geek girl, with undiagnosed mental health and
neurodiversity diagnoses.
My life experiences include raising my kids on social assistance, surviving cancer, domestic violence, and suicide.
Along my Superhero's journey, I've been an educator, researcher,
and author. I've even had the responsibility of a $6 billion health department budget - no stress there!
Most importantly, I am a mom to two wonderful gifted sons
who also live with mental health and neurodiversity diagnoses.
These programs began as a mother's desire to help them succeed
with tools for self-knowledge, self-compassion, and self-management.
Like all Superheroes,
I believe in using my Superpowers, for good:
taking my passion, education, insight, and love of the Marvel & BTS Universes to build mental health programs to inspire and empower!
My love of X-Men & Avengers shaped my reframing of mental health conditions as Superpowers. It provided our family with an empowering and familiar framework to openly discuss and manage our diagnoses.
Our family's first tools would grow to become an assets-based approach to living with mental health and neurodiversity diagnoses, we call:
After a decade in politics, I entered the corporate world,
only to have my mental health gutted by a toxic work environment.
While rebuilding and reinforcing my mental health toolkit,
I decided to start Speak Up to advocate for better,
and more empowering ways to talk about mental health.
My family's tools grew in my first program and my love of comics and music were vital parts of my recovery and my new business.
I encountered a whole new healing perspective and toolkit,
when I discovered the music of Bangtan Sonyeondan
(BTS - Bulletproof Boy Scouts - 방탄 소년단).
BTS's music and openness about lived experience inspired me to create a program. that helps us better understand ourselves, and others,
so that we can live passionately, productively, and positively!
With the power of music and compassion, together we become