New Bern native to get national award

Aug. 10--New Bern native Cheryl Sharp recalls the grim diagnoses she received more than three decades ago, and the words spoken by numerous mental health professionals still reverberate today.

"I was told this is it; this is what it will be like the rest of your life," Sharp said last week during a phone interview from her residence in Maryland. "I was even told I couldn't have kids; I was too fragile."

The life sentence she believed she would never recover from was mental illness. Those tasked with Sharp's recovery said she would never live outside the walls of a mental institution.

After enduring a number of physical health problems as a young child and dealing with her mother's own challenges with mental health, Sharp attempted suicide for the first of many times at 13. An overwhelming feeling of depression led to using substances to hide the pain, the attempts to end her life, and a cycling in and out of hospitals.

But for the past 33 years, Sharp has been in recovery.

Not only has she fought for herself, she has made it her mission in life to help others.

On Tuesday, her advocacy and health initiatives in the field of mental health will be recognized nationally as she becomes a recipient of this year's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Consumer/Peer Leadership Voice Award.

"You would be hard-pressed to find someone more deserving of a Voice Award than Cheryl Sharp," said President and CEO Linda Rosenberg of the National Council in a press release. "Her unflinching humanity coupled with her skills makes her a force in our industry, and a worthy recipient of such an honor."

Sharp's story

Before the age of 7, Sharp suffered from medical trauma and spent time in and out of hospitals.

Sharp educates others in her role as the senior advisor for Trauma-Informed Services at the National Council for Behavioral Health on the relevance of a person's history of traumatic experiences by leading health initiatives around the county, Rosenberg said.

"Many people don't realize that early childhood trauma covers the course of a lifespan," Sharp said.

In addition to facing health challenges as a child, Sharp lost her mother as a result of "mismanaged medication" prescribed for depression, she said.

Sharp was only 10 when her mother became depressed, she said.

"At that time, it was a big secret in families. You just didn't talk about mental illness," Sharp said.

The pain she couldn't express was finally released in an attempt to take her life as a teen.

- "I was told it wasn't appropriate to talk about what was going on," she said. "As a very precocious kid, keeping secrets wasn't easy so I turned everything inward."

Living constantly with suicidal thoughts, she was told by many to simply "get over it."

"Recovery is a process and a journey," Sharp said. "You don't just get over it."

And the trite phrase repeated oftentimes today, "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps," is not only the worst type of advice to give to others but it's physically impossible to do so, she said.

One day Sharp finally had enough. She became angry and used the powerful emotion as a tool for empowerment.

"Anger is energy. Finally, I said this is not acceptable," she said. "And I kept searching for things that would help me ... I knew there had to be something more for me."

A turn in events

There were several mentors who shaped Sharp's life, she said.

One of Sharp's confidants, now an 87-year-old woman who never passed judgment on her, will accompany her to the award's ceremony Tuesday.

"She was the first person who said, 'You are not your story. You are more than your story,'" Sharp said. "Tell me what your story so that I can understand."

One person's display of compassion and belief in Sharp's ability to succeed began the process of acceptance and empowerment for Sharp.

There were others who served as nurturers, focusing on Sharp's strengths as she navigated the process of recovery. And finally, the discovery of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) became a catalyst for Sharp's triumph over her past.

A self-designed prevention and wellness process studied extensively and recognized as an evidence based program, WRAP is accessible to anyone who wishes to change their life, said Sharp, who serves as a Master WRAP trainer, Mental Health First Aid USA instructor, a trainer of Intentional Peer Support and an ordained minister.

Advocacy and the award

Sharp's traumatic experiences, especially the loss of her mother, have guided her path in life.

"A large part of what I do is a direct result of the mental health challenges my mother faced," she said. "If she had the same opportunities available to her, she may not have died in her early 60s."

Her work focuses on helping others by recognizing their strengths.

"I also believe that you can get good help," she said. "And there is no shame in asking for help. The only shame felt is the shame someone puts on you."

- Her mission is simple, she says.

"Healing is possible," Sharp said.

And as for the bleak report she received early in life as she was labeled "fragile," Sharp holds a bachelor's degree in both Psychology and Women's Studies and a master's degree, all obtained from East Carolina University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

She became a wife, mother, grandmother and pioneer in her field as well as a leading national advocate for mental health and suicide prevention services.

Contact Crystal Garrett at 635-5671 or at crystal.garrett@newbernsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @CGarrettNBSJ.

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