Mental Health Champions: Why & How Devon Teeple of ignite CHANGE Is Helping To Champion Mental…

Mental Health Champions: Why & How Devon Teeple of ignite CHANGE Is Helping To Champion Mental Wellness

Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I stick to five strategies religiously! First, I have really taken to running. I’ve been running regularly since around 2012, but started ramping up the frequency over the past four or five years. It provides me with 60–75 minutes four to five times a week where those minutes are mine and mine alone. Whether I’m on the treadmill or outside listening to some tunes, that time is mine and I will take advantage of it (mentally and physically).

As a part of our series about Mental Health Champions helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Devon Teeple.

Devon is the founder of ignite CHANGE, a non-profit community organization that combines performance baseball coaching and mentorship with mental health awareness. It is specifically tailored to playing baseball the right way by integrating components of leadership, attitude, and behaviors. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of The GM’s Perspective, a site dedicated to the business and operations side of baseball at all levels (MLB, Minor, and Independent Leagues) in Canada, the U.S., and wherever the game is played.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I grew up in a small town, Niagara-on-the-Lake. From the earliest that I can remember I held a bat and ball in my hand. Whether it was hitting apples over the apple tree or spending countless hours playing catch with my dad, baseball was that constant from a young age.

You are currently leading a social impact organization that is helping to promote mental wellness. Can you tell us a bit about what you or your organization are trying to address?

Funny enough, as long as baseball has been a part of my life, anxiety/depression/OCD was more than that. Until I understood what all that was, I just thought I was a nervous kid, but man I’m telling ya…Mental health struggles, when unable to discuss it or control it, is as debilitating as you can imagine.

I’ve only opened up about it in recent years and it’s still odd to discuss it out in the open, but once you do it’s a huge weight lifted off your shoulders. You begin to realize that other people, others in high profile arenas, deal/dealt with the same thing.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

Shortly after my son Hudson was born, it got to a point where my wife and I had to sit down and talk about my health and really try to get to the bottom of this. I was able to connect with the right professionals and talk openly about things I hid forever…It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, it’s a constant, I wouldn’t say a struggle, but a daily reminder that you have to try your best regardless.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

What all started this was when I read Basketball Junkie: A Memoir by Bill Reynolds and Chris Herren. I followed Chris through college and was a fan of his game. But I never knew the struggles he was faced with.

The book is amazing and sheds light on how addiction can break you. Yet, with Chris, he got healthy after years of battling and is now sharing his story around the world. Reading that book changed my life. It was shortly after that I completed my BA online 12 years after the fact. From there, while working full time at the bank, I attained my Masters of Sports Leadership after nearly six years of online classes. And now I am pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD).

The way I look at it is, if Chris, who I’ve been blessed to interview multiple times, can come back from the brink, I can sure as hell spend some time trying to better myself. It’s a no brainer.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

Just the amount of people that reach out and say thank you. It’s overwhelming and unexpected. Very humbling.

According to Mental Health America’s report, over 44 million Americans have a mental health condition. Yet there’s still a stigma about mental illness. Can you share a few reasons you think this is so?

Could be a variety of reasons, but I’ll speak only for myself. It made me feel weak. It made me feel ashamed and alone. Even writing this makes me uncomfortable. I think because of our current environment and the amount of unknowns, people are being more honest with themselves, thus more focus, even in the workplace.

Even during my worst times, I would search reluctantly for answers. Eventually I started to come across more and more interviews and articles of athletes who have dealt with anxiety and depression. I started to think differently after that.

In your experience, what should a) individuals b) society, and c) the government do to better support people suffering from mental illness?

I think the only thing we can do consistently is never hesitate to say hi to someone or reach out virtually etc…You just never know what people are going through and that small gesture could make all the difference in the world.

What are your 5 strategies you use to promote your own wellbeing and mental wellness? Can you please give a story or example for each?

Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I stick to five strategies religiously! First, I have really taken to running. I’ve been running regularly since around 2012, but started ramping up the frequency over the past four or five years. It provides me with 60–75 minutes four to five times a week where those minutes are mine and mine alone. Whether I’m on the treadmill or outside listening to some tunes, that time is mine and I will take advantage of it (mentally and physically).

Second, thinking about my family and what it would mean to my wife Deanna, son Hudson, and daughter Lennox if I didn’t take care of myself. That’s one of the reasons I stopped drinking…Just over two months alcohol free now!!!

If you could tell other people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

There’s nothing wrong with trying to do what’s right. Every little thing you can do to make a difference does just that, makes a difference. It’s part of why I started the “ignite CHANGE” scholarship last year.

I believe a student’s personal passion and motivation is the driving force behind everything. My objective is to allow students to take full advantage of what’s in front of them. This annual scholarship aims to help students who have a passion for making a difference. And I want to be able to assist them in making that happen.

More details on the ignite CHANGE Scholarship (for 2022) will be announced in the coming months.

How can our readers follow you online?

Company: The GM’s Perspective

Company: ignite CHANGE

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonteeple/

Website: http://thegmsperspective.com/

Website: http://ignite-change.ca

Email: devon@thegmsperspective.com

Email: dt@ignite-change.ca

Twitter: https://twitter.com/devonteeple

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_igniteCHANGE_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gmsperspective/