Events & Interviews
I’m very happy to have opportunities to chat about mental health topics, my books, and my other writing. I’m grateful to the below programs and hosts for inviting me to their radio shows, bookstores, libraries, conferences, and groups, for it’s through conversation and discussions that awareness, understanding, and empathy increase.
Events: Presentations, Speaking Engagements, Interviews, Etc.
(most recent listed first)
Wellbeing After a Stroke
Date & Time: Monday, May 14, 3:00-5:000
Location: Eugene Public Library, Sheldon Branch
Wellbeing After a Stroke
Date & Time: Friday, May 11, 3:00-5:00 pm
Location: Eugene Public Library, Bethel Branch
Interview about brain injury, anxiety, and mental health with Gabe Howard
Date & Time: Thursday, March 15th, 12:00 PM PT
Location: Facebook Live
Interview with Brett Francis: New Year of Celebrating Mental Health
Date & Time: January 1, original air date
Location: Not Broken Radio (episode 78)
Interview about Anxiety with Emily Roberts, Guidance Girl Em
Date & Time: Wednesday, January 31, 7:00 CT
Location: Facebook Live; YouTube
Author Event
Date & Time: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 7:00-9:00
Location: ddr books in Watertown, SD
Author Q&A, Reading, and Signing (Twenty-Four Shadows)
Date & Time: Saturday, May 20, 2017, 4:00-6:00
Location: Barnes & Noble in Bend, OR
Wellbeing & Words: The Mental Health Book Club Meeting
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 17th, 2017, 6:30-7:30 pm
Location: NAMI Lane County Resource Center, 2411 MLK, Jr. Blvd #209, Eugene, OR
Triumph Anyway! For Mental Health Awareness Month, tips for thriving despite problems (using Break Free: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 3 Steps)
Date & Time: Saturday, May 13, 2017, 2:00-3:30.
Location: Eugene Public Library Downtown Branch, Eugene, OR
Local (Lane County, OR) Fiction Author Event. Discussions, readings, and signings (Twenty-Four Shadows)
Date & Time: Saturday, May 6, 2017, 2:00-4:00
Location: Barnes & Noble in Eugene, OR
NAMI Lane County Community Forum: Mental Health Services for Lane County Youth (I discussed my program Find Yourself. Keep Yourself.
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 27, 2017, 6:30-8:30
Location: Lane County Behavioral Health building, 2411 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Eugene, OR
Teen Program: Find Yourself. Keep Yourself. A discussion about toxic relationships and the book Losing Elizabeth.
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 2:00-4:00.
Location: Eugene Public Library Downtown Branch, Eugene, OR
Guest speaker in a high school Courageous Conversations class. Topic: Mental Illness, Stigma, Terminology
Date: March 22, 2017
Location: Winston Churchill High School, Eugene, OR
Mental Health presentations to high school health classes
Dates: March 20 & 21, 2017
Location: Springfield High School, Springfield, OR
Presenter at the Brain Injury Association of Oregon Annual Conference (My presentation = Triumph Over TBI: Turning Loss into Opportunity)
Date & Time: Friday, March 10, 4:00 (BIAOR conference occurred from Thursday, March 9 – Saturday, March 11)
Location: Sheraton Airport Hotel, Portland, OR
Local (Lane County, OR) Nonfiction Author Event. Discussions, readings, and signings (Break Free: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in 3 Steps)
Date & Time: Saturday, February 25, 2017, 2:00-4:00
Location: Barnes & Noble in Eugene, OR
NAMI Lane County Community Forum: Alternative Approaches to Mental Health (I discussed acceptance & commitment therapy)
Date & Time: Wednesday, February 22, 2017, 6:30-8:00
Location: Lane County Behavioral Health building, 2411 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Eugene, OR
Local (Lane County, OR) Fiction Author Event. Discussions (including my novel Twenty-Four Shadows and the movie Split, both about DID, readings, and signings
Date & Time: Saturday, January 28, 2017, 2:00-4:00
Location: Barnes & Noble in Eugene, OR
Trimester-long, once-weekly program Find Yourself. Keep Yourself with 9-12 grade students in a PATHS class. We read the YA novel Losing Elizabeth and discussed healthy vs. toxic relationships.
Date: January through March, 2017
Location: Winston Churchill High School, Eugene, OR
I was a guest on WBSD-FM Milwaukee in January to discuss seasonal depression and how to keep going in spite of it.
Guest speaker in Dr. Hande Briddick’s graduate school counseling practicum class
Date: November 29. 2016
Location: South Dakota State University – via Skype
Career presentations to 7th and 8th grade AVID classes
Date: November 18, 2016
Location: Madison Middle School, Eugene, OR
Mental Health presentations to high school health classes
Dates: October 17 & 18, 2016
Location: Springfield High School, Springfield, OR
Florence Festival of Books
A book festival featuring 80+ authors and publishers
Location: Florence Events Center, 715 Quince St, Florence OR
Date/Time: September 24, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
To Thine Own Self be True: Increase Self-Awareness & Own Your Life
Community presentation for Self-Awareness Month
Location: Eugene Public Library, Downtown Branch
Date/Time: September 22, 6:00-7:30
Read Local! 4 Authors…4 Books…1 Party
Book launch reading – Twenty-Four Shadows
Location: Tsunami Books, Eugene, OR
Date/Time: August 25, 6:30-8:30 PM
An afternoon at a local art and wine fair; a great chance to meet readers and talk about novels and mental health
Date: Monday, July 4, 2016
Location: Alton Baker Park, Eugene, OR
A discussion about mental health and the four novels I’ve written
Date: Thursday, June 2, 2016
Location: Indulge!; Springfield, OR
I was a guest on the KQRS-FM Minneapolis/St. Paul morning show on June 7, 2106. The discussion centered on how to create mentally healthy kids throughout summer vacation.
I was a guest on WBSD-FM Milwaukee in June, talking about how to keep kids mentally healthy during the summer months.
I went on a national radio tour in 2016. Lady Selah Sujuris of Storytellers Campfire interviewed me about my novels, my other writing, and mental health. All shows were broadcast multiple times on over 200 radio stations and websites. One show was archived: Mental Health Awarness (May, 2016)
Presentations to and discussions with 5th – 8th grade students about careers in writing
Date: Friday, April 15, 2016
Location: Oaklea Middle School, Junction City, OR
Mental Health presentations to high school health classes
Dates: Monday, March 7, 2016 – Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Location: Springfield High School, Springfield, OR
Induction Ceremony into Chi Sigma Iota, the international academic honor society in the field of counseling. I was the keynote speaker and talked about the nature and importance of the counseling profession.
Date: Friday, March 4, 2016
Location: Northwest Christian University, Eugene, OR
Storytellers Campfire’s Lady Selah Sujuris invited me onto their Authors’ Voice show at the end of December, 2015 and beginning of January, 2016. We discussed Losing Elizabeth, Leave of Absence, and My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel. We chatted about the characters and the mental-health-related stories and themes of the novels. Also, I officially announced the upcoming release of Twenty-Four Shadows.
Holiday Dinner/Fundraiser for NAMI Lane County; I was the featured speaker and spoke on Passion, Purpose, and a Life Worth Living
Date: Monday, December 7th, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: The Hilton, Eugene, OR
Lane Library League Authors and Artists Fair fundraising event
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2015
Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: Lane County Events Center, Eugene, OR
Presentation: You are more than your mental health challenges
Date: Monday, October 19, 2015
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: The Healing Matrix, Cottage Grove, Oregon
I discussed Leave of Absence and the humanity behind mental illness with Donna Seebo on September 14, 2015. It was a pleasure to be interviewed on The Donna Seebo show.
After honoring Losing Elizabeth with their highest honor, the Marble Book Award for having written a “book that makes a difference in the world,” Storytellers Campfire host Charlie Checkers interviewed me on her online radio show in May, 2015. The discussion included a talk on abusive and toxic relationships as well as why so many people are saying that Losing Elizabeth needs to be required reading in schools.
Presentation to a creative writing class
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Time: 11:15-12:25
Location: Winston Churchill High School, Eugene, OR
Date: April 14, 2015
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Eugene, OR
On Wednesday, October 15, 2014 I had the honor of being a guest on Storytellers Campfire. Host Lady Selah SuJuris and I engaged in a cozy chat around her virtual campfire and discussed My Life in a Nutshell.
Previously, I was invited to Storytellers Campfire to chat with Lady Selah SuJuris about my YA novel Losing Elizabeth and abusive relationships in which too many teens become trapped.
Lane County Fair, a county fair with great variety; I was with Oregon Authors signing books
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Time: 1:00 – 3:00
Location: Lane Events Center, 796 W. 13th Ave, Eugene, OR
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2014
Time: 11:30 – 3:30
Location: Alton Baker Park, 200 Day Island Rd, Eugene, OR
The Anxiety Guru–Paul Butler–and I discussed social anxiety and the power of human connection on The Anxiety Guru Show.
Read Paul’s post that accompanies the interview, entitled Surprise! When Anxious, Being Alone is A Horrible Idea. Here’s What to do Instead.
Angela Levesque and I discussed mental wellness, healing, and My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel on the show On Health and Healing Radio Thursday, August 28, 2014.
Randi Fine invited me to be a guest on her radio show A Fine time for Healing in August, 2014 to discuss mental health, wellness, healing, and My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel.
Wordstock Book Festival — author appearance and book signing
Date: Saturday, October 5th, 2013
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd in Portland, OR
Presentation and Reading — Increasing Understanding, Destroying Stereotypes: Fiction as a Vehicle for Conveying Human Truths
Location: Fern Ridge Library
88026 Territorial Rd, Veneta, OR
Date and Time: Thursday, October 10, 2013 7:00 PM
Presentation and Reading — Increasing Understanding, Destroying Stereotypes: Fiction as a Vehicle for Conveying Human Truths
Location: Siuslaw Public Library
1460 9th St, Florence, OR
Date and Time: Friday, October 11th, 2013 1:00 PM
Presentation and Reading — Increasing Understanding, Destroying Stereotypes: Fiction as a Vehicle for Conveying Human Truths
Location: Bloomsbury Books
290 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR
Date and Time: Tuesday, October 21, 2013 7:00 PM
Presentation on the impact of solitary confinement on mental illness
M.I.S.S. National Conference
San Diego Convention Center: 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Presentation about perspectives on inpatient care to doctors & other mental healthcare professionals
Location: Avera Behavioral Health Center
4400 W. 69th St, Sioux Falls, SD
Date: Friday, August 9, 2013
Book Signing
Location: More than Words Bookstore
Watertown Mall, Watertown, SD
Date and Time: Saturday, August 10th, 2013 from 1:00-3:00 pm
Date: July 10, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Lake Oswego Public Library
Dr. Gorman and I discussed, on June 24, 2013, both mental illness and Leave of Absence on Beautiful Minds Radio. Beautiful Minds Radio is a station dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness.
Presentation and Reading — Banishing Barriers & Living Life: Women Prevailing Through Mental Illness
Location: In Other Words feminist community and bookstore
14 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland, OR 97211
Date and Time: Friday, May 10, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Presentation and Reading — Increasing Understanding, Destroying Stereotypes: Fiction as a Vehicle for Conveying Human Truths
Location: Springfield Public Library
225 Fifth Street, Springfield, OR 97477
Date and Time: Saturday, May 18th at 1:00 PM
On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 I had a conversation with Tony on The Author Show, part of Artist First Radio. While the interview was live, the recording will remain on the Artist First website. Here’s a direct link to my interview:
Authors-First interview with Tony.
Jenee Darden with Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (P.E.E.R.S) interviewed me in April, 2013. We had fun chatting about mental illness, my personal experience with it, and Leave of Absence. The interview, entitled “Finding Hope in a Psych Ward: Tanya J. Peterson on Her Book ‘Leave of Absence’,” is archived here: P.E.E.R.S. Mental Health and Wellness Radio
On April 11, 2013, I talked live with Mr. Dresser about mental illness. It’s clear that there are many misunderstandings around mental illness and that we need to take action to erase negative stereotypes and stigma.
In April, 2013, Danielle interviewed me on The Authors Show. We discussed Leave of Absence and its characters and themes.
In April, 2013, Dana from Writers in the Sky talked with me about Leave of Absence, writing, and marketing.
Wellbeing & Words
NewsLetter
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter, Wellbeing & Words. Each issue is packed with useful tips for enhancing mental health and wellbeing plus reading-related tidbits.
Honors & Awards
Twenty-Four Shadows
Named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016
My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel
Named to Kirkus Reviews’ list of Best Books of 2014
U.S. Review of Books
Anxiety-Schmanxiety Blog
Losing Elizabeth
Recipient of the Storytellers Campfire Marble Book Award for being a “book which has made a significant difference in the world.”
Contact Tanya
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