This week’s special guest on the Hope Matrix is Dr. Zachary Burton. Zack co-founded and leads The Manic Monologues, a play and film honoring true stories of mental health and illness to disrupt stigma. The Manic Monologues has drawn accolades from NPR, The Washington Post, Broadway World, Modern Healthcare, and others, and in just a few days, will see a unique pandemic-era virtual premiere with full Broadway and Hollywood cast.

In Episode 13 of the Hope Matrix, Kathryn and Zack address the stigma and feelings of hopelessness sometimes associated with mental health conditions. Zack opens up about living with bipolar disorder, and they discuss the hope tools that they both use to minimize triggers, manage their stress responses, and stay in their upstairs brains. 

Zack also shares the motivation and inspiration behind The Manic Monologues. Created by Zack following his own psychotic break in 2017, The Manic Monologues uses twenty stories to represent the diverse experiences of living with mental health conditions, and strives to find stories of hope amidst the obstacles. The Manic Monologues can be viewed for free, virtually on February 18th. 

To watch The Manic Monologues, visit www.mccarter.org/manicmonologues