Episode 105 - Mental Health, Faith, and Humor with Amber Weigand-Buckley

Date: May 27, 2026 Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Amber Weigand-Buckley   Story Highlights: In this bold, laugh-out-loud, and deeply moving episode of The Women Behind the Words, host Debbie Dufek sits down with Amber Weigand-Buckley, multi-award-winning author, founding editor of the multi-award-winning Leading Hearts magazine, and unapologetic mental health advocate. Amber is a self-described #shortyellowpencilgirl, and she shows up to this conversation exactly as she is: funny, raw, real, and fully unfiltered. Amber opens up about navigating life with what she affectionately calls her "full alphabet soup" of mental health challenges, and how instead of hiding that part of her story, she has leaned into it with sticky notes, humor, and a whole lot of grace. This conversation covers the heart and humor behind her newest book, what it means to be a woman of faith who also wrestles with mental health, and why she believes God wired our brains not as a bug, but as a feature. In this episode, Debbie and Amber explore: How humor became one of Amber's most powerful tools for mental health advocacy The story behind Leading Hearts magazine and what it means to build a platform rooted in purpose What it looks like to be a woman of faith who lives openly with mental health challenges The meaning behind the #shortyellowpencil movement and why sticky notes have become her signature Her journey to becoming a #1 Amazon bestselling author and what she hopes readers take away Why being named one of Listen Linda's Top 6 Women to Watch in 2026 and being featured twice on Times Square billboards is about so much more than recognition Her podcast #RandomDevoThoughts and how she keeps showing up for her community, one devotional thought at a time Whether you have personally walked through mental health challenges, love someone who has, or simply need a reminder that God can use every messy, beautiful, complicated part of your story, this episode will meet you right where you are. Amber's voice is one of hope, honesty, and holy laughter, and this conversation is one you will not want to miss.   About Our Guest: Amber Weigand-Buckley is a multi-award-winning, #1 Amazon bestselling author and the founding editor of the multi-award-winning Leading Hearts magazine (leadinghearts.com). Named one of Listen Linda's Top 6 Women to Watch in 2026, she has been featured twice on Times Square billboards, first as part of that recognition, and then with her latest book featured solo. A self-described #shortyellowpencilgirl, Amber navigates life with humor, raw vulnerability, and zero apology as she lives openly with a full range of mental health challenges. Her fourth book, #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem One Sticky Note at a Time (Abundance Books, May 2026), is a humor-based memoir that makes the case that laughter and mental health advocacy are a perfect pair. She also hosts the podcast #RandomDevoThoughts with Amber, where she delivers bite-sized devotional encouragement to her growing community. Amber believes God wired our brains not as a bug, but as a feature, and she has built an entire platform to prove it.   Book Spotlight: #Sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem One Sticky Note at a Time by Amber Weigand-Buckley  If you have ever felt like your brain was working against you, Amber Weigand-Buckley wants you to know you are not alone, and she has the sticky notes to prove it. In her fourth book, Amber pulls back the curtain on life with mental health challenges in the most disarming way possible: with honesty, wit, and the kind of laughter that only comes from someone who has been in the thick of it. This is not a clinical guide. It is not a tidy, step-by-step recovery plan. It is a real, human, sometimes messy memoir-style journey through the moments that make mental health hard, and the faith, community, and humor that make it survivable. Through short, sticky-note-sized reflections and personal stories, Amber invites readers into the #shortyellowpencil sisterhood, a community of women who show up for each other, imperfections and all. Readers will find: Relatable, humor-laced stories that normalize the mental health conversation Faith-centered reflections that remind us God is present in the hard days, not just the healed ones A message of community and belonging for women who have ever felt like "too much" or "not enough" Encouragement to embrace the brain God gave you, alphabet soup and all This book is perfect for women who want to feel seen, readers who appreciate honest storytelling, and anyone who has ever needed a good laugh in the middle of a hard season. A #1 Amazon bestseller, it is proof that vulnerability and humor are not opposites. They are companions.   Connect with Amber: Website: shortyellowpencilrx.com Leading Hearts Magazine: leadinghearts.com Instagram: @shortyellowpencilrx and @barefacedgirl Podcast: #RandomDevoThoughts with Amber   Closing Thought: Amber Weigand-Buckley's story is a powerful reminder that the parts of us we are most tempted to hide are often the very parts God wants to use. She did not wait until she had it all figured out to show up and speak up. She picked up a short yellow pencil, grabbed a sticky note, and started writing her truth, and in doing so, she built a sisterhood. Your story matters. Your brain matters. And there is a community of women out there, sticky notes in hand, ready to cheer you on.