Exploring Storyteller Self-Care with Liz Jackson
This episode is sponsored by Bloomerang, a solution that helps nonprofits like ShowerUp, which provides mobile showers and personal care for those experiencing homelessness. Thanks to Bloomerang, ShowerUp increased their volunteer signups by 60% and first-time donors by making it easy to give right on their site. ShowerUp's Executive Director, Paul Schmit, said, "Bloomerang is an ideal marriage of volunteer and donor management. The deeper we get into it, the more we love it." If you want to see how ShowerUp easily manages its volunteers and donors with Bloomerang, go to bloomerang.com/bearing-witness.
In This Episode
As a development director at NAMI, Liz Jackson is immersed in the powerful and often painful stories of those impacted by mental illness. In this episode, she shares her journey of learning the critical importance of self-care for storytellers bearing witness to trauma.
Liz openly discusses the warning signs that she was approaching burnout early in her role and how she became more deliberate about caring for herself. Liz's wisdom on nurturing resilience as a storyteller is a must-listen for any nonprofit professional navigating this emotional terrain.
About Liz Jackson
Liz Jackson is the Director of Development at NAMI Greater Los Angeles County, the leading countywide organization composed of grassroots-based chapters that promote wellness, recovery, equality, and dignity for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Liz is a bridge-building fundraiser, goal-crusher, and fierce advocate for racial and social justice.
Connect with Liz Jackson
Connect with Maria
Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email
Transcipts
Maria:
It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and we're continuing our series on storyteller wellness. Today we have Liz Jackson, the Director of Development at NAMI Greater Los Angeles County, the leading countywide organization composed of grassroots-based chapters that promote wellness, recovery, equality, and dignity for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Liz is a bridge-building fundraiser and a fierce advocate for racial and social justice. We're going to dive into prioritizing storyteller self-care when gathering and telling painful stories.
I am so thrilled to have you on the show, Liz. Welcome.
Liz:
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Maria:
I wanted to start by just getting to know you a little bit more. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming Development Director at NAMI?
Liz:
I started this fundraising journey many years ago. I began as a special events coordinator with the American Liver Foundation's San Francisco office. We had a small office on Market Street, right above the cable cars, and I was responsible for building out and launching the first Liver Walk in the Sacramento area. It was a lot of fun. I was young, full of energy. This was my second career after having spent some years in the advertising corporate world. I took those skills and applied them to fundraising, and found they were very transferable. I had a different way of looking at things—perhaps in ways others who had only been in fundraising might not have.
Many organizations later, I now find myself at NAMI as a Development Director. I’ve been on this journey for about two and a half years.
Maria:
So in your role at NAMI, you're hearing lots of stories from individuals and families affected by mental illness. I can only imagine the toll that could take week in and week out. How do you practice self-care as the storytelling lead in development?
Liz:
It's interesting. When I first came to NAMI, I knew that self-care was important, but I wasn't very deliberate about it. I thought, “Okay, there's fundraising, and I'm working with individuals and families impacted by a loved one with a mental health condition. I’ll just transfer my experience—this is just another disease.”
But a few months in, I started to feel really fatigued, easily frustrated, and impatient. I realized the day-to-day work in this field is constant—there’s no break. This was also the year after 2020, and everywhere you turned there was a friend or family member struggling. You can’t escape it.
Since then, I’ve learned to be more intentional. Every day I move my body. I take a walk, even if it's just 15 minutes. I might do Solidcore Pilates in the evening. And I have a whole wind-down routine at night—Headspace meditations, pink noise, the right temperature, dim lighting. My body is so much more sensitive to stimuli now, so I do what I need to relax.
Maria:
Pink noise! I’ve heard of brown noise...
Liz:
Yeah, for some reason it’s pink noise that works for me. And I’m very deliberate. Last night I said, “I need to be in bed by 9 p.m.” I look at my calendar on Sundays and plan out when I can meet a friend for coffee or do something just for me.
Maria:
There are two really powerful things you've shared. One is what dysregulation looks like. When we think of vicarious trauma, we may expect depression—but it often shows up as impatience or fatigue. The other thing I love is that you start and end the day with care. You ground yourself at the beginning and release at the end.
Liz:
That's so true. Everyone always asks, “How do you have so much energy?” And I say, it’s because I feed myself every single day so I can have energy for everyone else.
Maria:
One reason I was so excited to talk to you is because you have access to NAMI resources. You serve those affected by mental illness, but you’re also vulnerable to burnout and vicarious trauma. For those just starting to tell painful stories in their role, what NAMI resources or practices would you recommend to prepare them?
Liz:
NAMI is a national grassroots organization with chapters across the country. Every chapter offers different free programs and workshops. Some focus on identifying signs of burnout in yourself or others. I attended one recently and it was such a loving, nonjudgmental community.
I encourage everyone to reach out to their local NAMI chapter. On NAMIGLAC.org, for example, we have a calendar filled with daily online and in-person events across LA County. Many other NAMIs offer similar schedules.
Maria:
For folks who may not be attuned to burnout yet, what are some of the warning signs you notice in yourself?
Liz:
Not sleeping well. Overthinking things. Feeling impatient with loved ones. Rushing through things and not being thoughtful. As philanthropy professionals, we represent the organization and need to be deliberate about our words and actions. When I see that slipping, I know I need to reset.
Maria:
Exactly. Whether we realize it or not, receiving stories week after week can be overwhelming. If we know we’re about to sit with a painful story, what can fundraisers and storytellers do before, during, and after to care for their nervous system?
Liz:
That’s a tough one—it depends on the individual. But for me, I take even more care with myself. I avoid scheduling too many emotionally heavy things in one day. I balance it out with activities that bring me joy and peace. I’m a Libra—we’re all about balance!
During those moments, I remind myself not to get too involved. I’m an empath, so stories can bring me to my knees. I’ve learned that I can’t help everyone. One colleague, Sally—who lives with bipolar disorder—told me, “You need to set boundaries with me because I will step all over them.” That was a good lesson.
So, I’ve learned to be clear, to refer folks to the right next step. I can’t be everything to everyone.
Maria:
This is gold. You’re not their therapist, and it’s okay to hold space and then refer them to someone who is trauma-responsive. That’s a gift. You’re doing justice by knowing where your role begins and ends.
Liz:
It’s been a wonderful skill I’ve built at NAMI. And I’ve found that most people in recovery are really aware of their own boundaries. They'll say things like, “I need to be extra careful with myself this week,” or “I’ll be quieter.” It’s a beautiful kind of self-awareness in a world that isn’t always so sensitive.
Maria:
Why do you think it’s important that we tell stories of those impacted by mental health?
Liz:
Because it shows people they’re not alone. That hope and recovery are possible. Storytelling builds compassion, support, and nonjudgmental community. When someone shares their journey, they make space for others to do the same. Talking about depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, substance use, intergenerational trauma—it's how we create a better, more open society.
Maria:
What are you most proud of in your storytelling role at NAMI?
Liz:
The diversity of people I get to represent. Mental health looks different for everyone. It could be someone with OCD who takes 40 pictures of their stove to reassure themselves. Or someone caring for a loved one with schizophrenia who’s been 5150’d. I’m proud to reflect that full range of lived experiences.
Maria:
So many storytellers I work with want to offer mental health resources if someone is re-triggered during an interview, but they may not have them in-house. Can you speak to how NAMI can be that resource?
Liz:
Absolutely. Visit nami.org to find your local chapter. We have programs like Ending the Silence, where folks with lived experience speak to middle and high school students about warning signs and how to support a friend.
We also offer In Our Own Voice (IOOV), where people share their journey from diagnosis to recovery. It’s often done at workplaces and public forums to raise awareness.
We also have Smarts for Advocacy training, which helps people turn their lived experience into advocacy. NAMI is a peer-to-peer model. We believe those who’ve lived it have the most to share.
Maria:
Thank you so much. Can you also share how Bloomerang has supported your organization?
Liz:
Absolutely. Our 2023 year-end campaign was our most successful to date—we raised $20,000 above goal. I believe the key was storytelling. We started in early November and continued through Giving Tuesday and December.
We highlighted volunteers, donors, facilitators—sharing their stories and what NAMI meant to them. It was a phenomenal campaign. We’re starting even earlier this year, and our goals are even bigger!
Maria:
Congratulations on that success. I’m so glad Bloomerang helped you get there. Liz, thank you for the work you do at NAMI and for sharing your journey with us on When Bearing Witness.
Liz:
Thank you so much for having me, Maria. I really appreciate the opportunity to share.
The When Bearing Witness Podcast is produced by Rustic Roots. They are video storytellers passionate about sharing the impact of nonprofits. From story ideation to beautiful and powerful videos on screen, they've got you covered. Learn more at Rusticroots.co.