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Get To Know: David Woods Bartley

Although he didn’t know it at the time, the day David Woods Bartley found himself standing on the edge of the Foresthill Bridge in Auburn—planning to jump—would prove to only be the beginning of his journey, not the end. 

It had been a long and difficult road to that fateful day in August 2011. Bartley had spent his youth dealing with chronic depression, following a series of childhood traumas including the early loss of his father and sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted community leader. He later found solace in running an animal sanctuary for senior and special-needs pets, but the pressure of caring for over 100 animals took its toll on his already-tenuous mental health. “My self-care went out the window,” he recalls. Fortunately, first responders were able to bring Bartley down from the precipice and get him the help he so desperately needed. 

Bartley is now a public speaker and mental health advocate (davidwoodsbartley.com)—using stories of his experiences with animals to help destigmatize mental illness and reach out to those struggling to go from “mental hellness to mental wellness.” He also serves on numerous community and nonprofit boards, including the Placer County Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board (MHADAB), the National Storytelling Network’s Healing Story Alliance, and Bread of Life, a community-benefit educational organization. For Bartley, it’s all about spreading a message of hope. “My life was saved, and now my purpose is to be a beneficial presence in the world,” he shares. “I want people to know it’s possible to achieve mental health.”  

By Amber Foster


Q&A

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Extend the gift of compassion, patience, and understanding to yourself and others. 

What comes to you naturally?
Service. I feel most alive when I’m in service to another soul. It gives my life great meaning and leaves me feeling purposeful.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?
When someone uses a pronoun (i.e., he or she) in place of someone’s name when the person they’re referring to is standing next to them. 

Biggest life inspirations?
My greatest desire in life is to be a beneficial presence and use storytelling as a means to heal the wounds inflicted by mental illness and restore hope to those in need. 

Favorite humanitarian cause?
The worldwide effort to normalize the conversation around all forms of mental illness, and the global push to reduce the numbers of deaths by suicide. 

Best words of wisdom you’ve received?
My big brother, Major General John R. Bartley (Ret.), taught me the true meaning of servant leadership, the impact of remembering a person’s name, and the healing power of a good old-fashioned handwritten note.


Favorites

Author/writer

Irving Townsend (Separate Lifetimes)

Guilty pleasures
Blueberry muffins, fruit basket cake, and appetizers 

Meal in town
Mahi Mahi Burrito with a side of rice and beans at Dos Coyotes Border Café 

Local landmark
William Jessup University 

Movie
It’s a Wonderful Life

Musician/band
George Winston 

Annual event
Christmas lights in the Fab 40s 

Saying
“The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”—Thomas Paine 


Do you know someone in the community who makes a difference or is particularly interesting that we should Get to Know? Email their name, where they live, and why they should be featured to [email protected].