Looking for something meaningful to do in the next week? How about viewing an inspiring film and listening to a professional skier talk about it afterward.
Drew Petersen, professional skier, film director, and public speaker, will premiere his award-winning film – “Feel It All” – twice over the next week in the Lake Tahoe area. The film aims to ultimately create powerful cultural change around mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
LAKE TAHOE APPEARANCE DATES
- Truckee, Sunday, March 9: at Truckee Community Arts Center
- Tahoe City, Wednesday, March 12 at Tahoe City Art Haus
Peterson will follow up each screening with a conversation on mental health in the mountains. Both events are open to the community, with the mission of spreading mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Learn more and watch the trailer here.
“Feel It All” chronicles Petersen’s journey from the depths of suicidal depression to finding purpose, strength, and resilience by setting a goal to run the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon.
Through blending the experience of skiing the highest 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado that surround the Leadville 100 course with the emotional, immersive story arc of running one of the most iconic 100-mile ultramarathons on the planet, the film shows how within the struggle of living with mental illness lies an opportunity to access an infinite, inexhaustible well of strength to achieve our limitless potential.
“Nowadays, professional skier is what I classify as my day job,” Peterson said. “That’s a really fun sentence to say and I pinch myself every time I do.”
Petersen, 30, has fought a lifelong battle with mental health, nearly ending his life multiple times before seeking help. He was diagnosed with type-two bipolar disorder, PTSD, depression, suicidal thinking, and post-concussion syndrome. With the support of a therapist, EMDR treatments, and brain rehab, Petersen forged a new path and started talking about his struggles.
Petersen garnered attention as an athlete turned mental health advocate through his 2022 release, “Ups and Downs.” The film chronicled the aftermath of a near-death experience Petersen suffered while skiing on Mt. Hood, Oregon. Following the accident, Petersen’s mental health went into a tailspin. “Ups and Downs” mines this ground, candidly approaching topics like PTSD, bipolar disorder, and suicidal ideation.
The mission of “Feel It All” chronicles a powerful, lasting cultural change of breaking down the stigma around mental health and suicide to create a culture that honors and prioritizes mental health in order to save lives and help the masses thrive as individuals, communities, and as a society.
In addition to these two public events, Peterson will be hosting similar events in our local schools throughout Hope Week, March 10-14 in conjunction with the Tahoe Truckee Suicide Prevention Coalition.
The film and Peterson’s presentation and the mission will be brought to Alder Creek Middle School, Truckee High School, North Tahoe High School, and North Tahoe Middle School.
