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Crazy Good Life Project™ with Heather Lutze

Crazy Good Life Project™ with Heather Lutze

Empowering People to Live a Mentally Healthy Life

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Uncategorized

Get to Know the Amazing Women I Shared the Stage With at TEDX Cherry Creek

January 27, 2023 by Heather Lutze

When I spoke at TedX Cherry Creek, I was lucky enough to share the stage with other great women. Check out their videos below!

Sarah Adewumi

Former pageant queen, Sarah Adewumi encourages the youth to pursue their callings and promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM. She emphasizes that femininity and intelligence are not mutually exclusive. Adewumi has been working to make science-learning more attainable in K-12 for the youth across the United States.

Youtube Video

Eva Amin

Eva Amin is only a senior at her local charter school and holds leadership positions in different organizations throughout her community. Her passions include women empowerment, self care and youth activism. She regularly interviews powerful women for her podcast, which she hopes will guide young women in regards to self love and unrealistic expectations set by social media. Amin hopes to pursue entrepreneurship and marketing in college.

Youtube Video

Reagan Cannon

Reagan Cannon is committed to helping individuals, particularly in executive roles, effectively scale their leader skills and abilities. She has over 20 years experience in speaking and coaching. She’s lived out the blueprint on how to successfully engage and build teams at Fortune 15 companies.

Youtube Video

Dr. Brittany Clayborne

Since 2012, Dr. Brittany Calyborne has been resuscitated six times. At the age of 26, she suffered from a rare pregnancy related condition: Peripartum Cardiomyopathy. This caused her to suffer a heart attack during labor. She is part of the small percentage of people that do not recover from this condition and since then has had to spend endless time in the hospital. She received her heart transplant surgery in the beginning of 2018, but ended that same year getting diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Clayborne aims to share her story in order to inspire tenacity, grace and some humor to her journey of life no matter the circumstances.

Youtube Video


Keo Frazier

Keo Frazier’s focus is simple, the betterment of our communities. She has had proven success in marketing, communications, strategic leadership, brand engagement and public affairs. She has founded and owned seven companies. All with the commitment of bringing people together and solving world problems. She is a very civically-minded individual who is looking out to enhance the human experience and to elevate who we are collectively – locally, nationally and globally.

Youtube Video


Dr. Maggie Kang

Her unique position of physician, caregiver and mother, allow Dr. Maggie Kang to be a great support for parents of kids with chronic illness. She was the one to find her child’s rare disease from a single brain MRI. She now advocates for families that suffer from a rare disease and has been focused on disease detection. She works to increase awareness and research of these diseases. Dr. Kang uses her coaching skills to work with affected parents and caregivers.

Youtube Video


Donna Lynne

Chief Executive Officer for Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA), a $1.5 billion comprehensive health care system in Denver, CO, Donna Lynne is a successful business leader. She has been recognized by many known companies/organizations/communities including: Columbia University Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Denver Public Schools Foundation, and various government offices.

Youtube Video


Karla Merrell

Before becoming a motivational speaker, Karla Merrell was an unfulfilled attorney. She decided to take a leap and venture into founding her own company with a  focus on offering support and guidance to middle aged women. Her goal was for these women to be fulfilled in all areas of their lives. With running being another of her passions, she merged the two and created training programs where women could not only train their bodies but also their minds, kick-starting their growth journeys.

Youtube Video


Lauren Ross

Lauren Ross currently holds a leadership position at a Denver, CO school district. She’s worked many positions in the public education field for over twenty years. Her focus is supporting the social and emotional wellness of students and families. During the pandemic, she started Project Village, a Facebook group dedicated to being a space of connection and community. The group now has over 40,000 members and continues to be a space of joy and support for members from all over the world.

Youtube Video


Darcy Nelson

Coming from the west coast, Darcy Nelson moved to Colorado in 2018. She thinks of music as medicine, and performs original and cover songs. She is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who uses her talents to encourage others to live well, give love and choose happiness.

Youtube Video


Stacy Taubman

Speaker and moderator, Stacy Taubman is a respected and successful strategic business leader. She has a proven track record of inspiring ideas and actions in others. She currently holds the position of Chief Revenue Officer where her primary focus is overseeing and creating alignment between sales, marketing and customer service while keeping the customers best interest at the forefront.

Youtube Video


Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler

Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler holds leadership roles at two major Colorado companies. One is a consulting firm specializing in supporting organizations and communities to build diversity, inclusion and equity. The other is a human resources firm that primarily supports nonprofit organizations and small businesses. She is a Cornell University Diversity and Inclusion Certificate recipient and is nationally recognized for her non-profit, community, government and corporate organizations equity work.

Youtube Video


https://tedxcherrycreek.com/women/2022-women/presenters/

Filed Under: Uncategorized

My Darkest Moments & How A Dog Saved My Life

January 1, 2023 by Heather Lutze

Got my diagnosis, made peace with my pills and went to therapy every week. to my surprise, my doctor prescribed a PSD – Psychiatric Service Dog. Gracie was rescued from Los Angeles kill shelter at a “”clear the shelter”” event. $20 bucks and $500 later at the vet, she was all mine. Best money I ever spent. It is my hope is that after hearing this talk and meeting Gracie, you will be able to respond with more compassion and less judgement toward people who truly need their dogs as part of their treatment. So the next time you are sitting in a restaurant, and someone comes in with a little dog in a vest. I invite you to remember this idea worth spreading…… Not all disabilities are visible …and not all dogs are just pets. I guess all I’m really asking is … In a Crazy world…show me some grace.”

My Diagnosis and The Wonder of Gracie

I’ve faced bipolar 2 Disorder all my life. The more career stress I felt, the more vulnerable I became, and the older and less resilient I was, the less I was able to cope. When my own highs became too high and my own lows too low, I knew I couldn’t get control of my life by myself. My marriage was rocky, my family estranged. I began to have suicidal thoughts. That’s when I knew I needed help. I went to a therapist and was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 Disorder. I took control of my life by going to therapy, taking my meds and my doctor prescribed, to my surprise, a Psychiatric Service Dog, I just needed to find the dog. Gracie came into my life. We saved each other. This is why I founded The Crazy Good Life Project. At crazygoodlife.com, we encourage real conversations around all issues related to mental health, including meds, therapy and role of PSDs. CrazyGoodLife.com For More Information. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

“Heather Lutze founded Crazy Good Life Project as a Bipolar 2 Disorder survivor and activist. As a mental health speaker and trainer, I am fueled by my passion to dispel the stigma and model what a successful Bipolar women can be in this world. CrazyGoodLife.com is my life’s work. I took control.

Video Transcript:

0:07thank you

0:12[Applause]

0:23hi I’m Heather lutzy and I’m crazy

0:28but it turns out I’m not alone

0:31twenty percent of adults

0:34will suffer some kind of mental health

0:36issue every year

0:3820 percent

0:41so that means

0:43you could be crazy

0:46probably crazy

0:51potentially okay great potentially crazy

0:56and let’s see

0:57um this row right in the back

0:59definitely crazy

1:02I can say that because they’re my family

1:05love you kids

1:09one and five in this room isn’t that

1:12amazing one in five

1:14so let’s do a quick experiment shall we

1:17guys up for that

1:18all right so here we go we’re going to

1:20turn to the left

1:21check out the people over there

1:23turn to the right

1:25check out the people over there

1:27here’s the deal if those people look

1:30okay

1:32guess what it’s you

1:36yeah

1:38have you ever noticed the way we talk

1:39about crazy in our everyday

1:41conversations

1:43we don’t even know we’re doing it

1:47have ever been in your car

1:50and said this traffic is insane

1:55have you ever spoke to a colleague and

1:56said not now I’m crazy busy

2:00have you ever looked around the holiday

2:02table

2:06do you know where I’m going with this

2:09have you ever looked around the holiday

2:10table

2:11and seen this

2:17family is not

2:19look familiar anyone

2:21that big dinner’s coming up isn’t it

2:24I have a theory

2:27that we use language like this to

2:29explain things

2:30that scare us

2:33being crazy

2:36my special brand of crazy is bipolar II

2:39disorder

2:41thank you

2:44because one wasn’t enough

2:48I’m an overachiever what can I say

2:51let’s talk about bipolar shall we

2:54it’s kind of a scary word a lot of

2:56people don’t understand what it means

2:58so high super highs super lows

3:02okay called mood episodes

3:04and sometimes they might happen in the

3:06same day

3:11my mood swings

3:15where extreme highs and extreme lows

3:18I was trying to be a super mom

3:22a super business woman

3:24and a super wife

3:26and I had a wall

3:30I was jeopardizing my relationships with

3:33my family my kids

3:37and my husband

3:40and that’s the last thing I wanted to do

3:44I knew I’d hit rock bottom

3:46when I started hearing people say

3:48so

3:50what Heather are we going to get today

3:57that’s when I decided

3:59to get help

4:02I got an official diagnosis

4:05bipolar II

4:09seven years ago I was diagnosed

4:13it was quite a journey

4:15I had to figure out what my meds were

4:17which for a lot of people suffered from

4:19mental health is really really hard

4:24when you look at your pills in your hand

4:25and you don’t judge yourself

4:29you don’t judge you do it because that’s

4:32what’s best for your body best for your

4:34brain

4:36okay I decided that I was going to go on

4:39meds go to therapy

4:42and to my surprise my doctor prescribed

4:46a psychiatric service dog

4:49and I’m like

4:51okay just gotta find the dog

4:54right

4:58I’d like to introduce you to someone

4:59very special in my life

5:01my psychiatric service dog Gracie

5:05a very sweet and spoiled

5:08Chihuahua

5:13take her color off

5:15[Applause]

5:19say hi Gracie

5:23well that was that’s supposed to be her

5:24line yeah

5:33it’s got lipstick on you

5:38we’ve been on quite a journey the two of

5:40us

5:42quite frankly I hate chihuahuas

5:49they’re bulgy eyes and mean right I mean

5:52not this girl

5:54so let me tell you how this she and I

5:55met

5:59I was in Los Angeles

6:01on a business trip strolling around

6:03looking for something to buy because I

6:04love to shop

6:07and we come around the corner and

6:09there’s all these cages

6:11all of them empty

6:12dogs cats they’d all been adopted

6:16except for one dog

6:18Gracie

6:20she was emaciated not healthy no one no

6:23no wonder no one wanted to adopt her

6:26doesn’t look real good does she

6:28um

6:29I fell in love

6:31twenty dollars cash right there and then

6:34and then 900 later at the vet

6:39she was all mine

6:40best money I have ever

6:43spent

6:44right Gracie

6:46I know what do you see out there

6:50Gracie and I have noticed that there’s

6:51some confusion

6:53around the role of service animals

6:56so we’d like to clear that up today

6:59there’s three that are commonly known

7:02first one is psychiatric service dog or

7:04PSD

7:06now this is a different designation

7:08medically prescribed

7:11certified as part of a treatment plan

7:13and it’s allowed in all public spaces

7:17so Gracie and I went through quite an

7:19exhaustive process of interviews medical

7:21and prescription evaluation temperament

7:25evaluations and now she is certified as

7:28a psychiatric service dog

7:31now let’s talk about esas

7:34emotional support animals

7:37now this is different than PSD which is

7:40a dog Esa is a rabbit

7:43a peacock

7:46a ferret

7:47whatever your crazy is I’m bored of you

7:51I support your peacock if that’s what

7:53makes you happy

7:55but they’re not allowed in all public

7:56places and not allowed on airlines

7:58anymore

8:00and then we have therapy dogs have you

8:02seen these dogs they’re are so cute it’s

8:05like the golden retrievers at the

8:07airport or the library or the hospital

8:09senior centers

8:11they just give comfort

8:13and there’s a place for each one of

8:15these animals

8:19now when I walk into a restaurant and

8:21Gracie’s we’re right here right we got

8:23the vest on we’re ready

8:27I can see the eye rolls as I walk in

8:31the judgment

8:37I’m ready for it I’ve seen it before

8:41it’s almost as I can I can hear the

8:42people saying

8:43what service does that dog perform

8:46the vest is fooling no one

8:50let me give you an example

8:55Gracie and I are so excited we’re going

8:57to go and do some shopping

9:00I go into my local Big Box store

9:04know my card

9:05and we go in

9:08I’m immediately stopped by the store

9:10manager

9:12who says excuse me

9:14we don’t allow dogs in the store

9:18and I’m like this is my psychiatric

9:20service dog and she is certified

9:23and I get to look like

9:28what service does your dog perform

9:32and again I said she’s a psychiatric

9:34service dog

9:35she’s part of my treatment plan I’ve got

9:37papers if you’d like to see them

9:40steps back again

9:42does a big sigh

9:44and says

9:46what service does your dog perform

9:53and I’m taking a bit I take it back for

9:55a second and I’m like this is my

9:57psychiatric service animal she has been

10:00prescribed as part of my treatment plan

10:02and she helps me stay calm in difficult

10:05situations

10:11he finally let me pass

10:13and I’m like I just came in for the

10:16world’s largest pot pie

10:19and here I’m being bullied by a store

10:22manager and having to reveal my medical

10:25diagnosis to a perfect stranger

10:28is that okay

10:30no it’s not okay

10:37this is why I found the crazy good life

10:39project

10:42at crazygolife.com

10:44we are committed

10:47to showing the role that emotional

10:49support animals emotional support dogs

10:51psychiatric service dogs specifically

10:53and their role in supporting Mental

10:55Health

10:56also

10:58taking responsibility and making peace

11:01with your pills

11:02you are so much more than the pills

11:06so much more

11:08going to therapy having someone to

11:10really confide in having bipolar

11:13disorder or any Mental Health

11:15disorder is hard

11:18you need support go to therapy

11:21and join a community that is going to

11:24support you and love you without

11:26judgment

11:28or prejudice

11:31so the next time you’re sitting at a

11:33restaurant

11:36and someone walks in with a little dog

11:38and a vest

11:42I invite you

11:44to think about the thought worth

11:46spreading

11:49is that not all disorders are visible

11:55and not all dogs are Just Pets

12:00I guess what I’m saying is

12:03in a crazy world

12:07show me some Grace

12:09right Gracie

12:11[Applause]

12:19thank you

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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