
Join Mental Health America as we have open conversations about mental health. We're a group of people who want to change the way our communities talk about mental health. On this podcast, we share our lives, fight in the open, and work together to just figure things out.
Episodes

Aug 9, 2023
Aug 9, 2023
23 min
Theresa has a conversation with Kristen Abell about her journey discovering how she found out she has autism. Kristen shares when she first realized she might be autistic and how the label helped with validation. They talk about what it’s like being autistic in social situations, learning how to mimic other people and finding resources.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Aug 2, 2023
Aug 2, 2023
27 min
Theresa brought on Suzi Craig so she can share her personal experience with menopause and mental health. Suzi explains how menopause symptoms can be confusing for women and how she handled them. They compare the difference and similarities to puberty and menopause, exploring hormone replacement therapy and starting the menopause conversation early so you can have the tools for when it comes.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jul 26, 2023
Jul 26, 2023
29 min
Allissa Torres is back to talk with Kojo Sarfo about how BIPOC folks can find community online. They discuss Kojo’s platform and his goal of bringing people together and promoting mental health awareness. They discuss the importance of finding community for BIPOC folks, being a champion for equity and ways of finding groups of people with shared interests and experiences online.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jul 19, 2023
Jul 19, 2023
27 min
Theresa is joined by Khendra Lucas to discuss how to create safety in your community. Khendra has experience helping create safe spaces in her community in Memphis, Tennessee and the focus of reframing the “dangerous” label Memphis has been given. They talk about helping others in your community with resources, making connections online with people in your area and defining what safety means to you.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jul 12, 2023
Jul 12, 2023
26 min
Allissa Torres opens up a conversation with Megan Bryant about reconnecting with your culture. They each share ways they connect with their culture and feel a sense of community with the people around them. They talk about how culture impacts mental health, how going to community events is an easy way to connect with your culture, next steps on how to navigate the mental health system and how providers can create more culturally responsive environments.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jul 5, 2023
Jul 5, 2023
22 min
Theresa and America are back to start a new series surrounding community. They each share their particular connection with their community and some feelings of not belonging. They talk about ways of finding community, their draw to their culture’s music and food and looking for the positives where community and culture intersect.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jun 28, 2023
Jun 28, 2023
43 min
America got to have a meaningful conversation with Em Skehill and Luis Cornejo about gender identity and culture. Em and Luis share how their queerness opened up new possibilities for them and how it exists outside of the binary system. They talk about how they each navigated their gender identity in their respective cultures and how we’re seeing more visibility and representation but yet it’s still not safe for everyone.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jun 21, 2023
Jun 21, 2023
35 min
America and Em are joined by Phii Regis to have a conversation about what it means to be Nonbinary. Phii takes us through their journey about when they started expressing their gender and when Phii started really focusing on their queer identity. They talk about why Phii identifies as Nonbinary Transfem and what that means, Phii’s ongoing safety concerns about being nonbinary out in the world and being your authentic self.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jun 14, 2023
Jun 14, 2023
30 min
Em Skehill takes over this week with Schroeder Stribling to talk about being confused about the concept of gender. They were both assigned female at birth and they have both spent a lot of time thinking about the concept of gender expression and identity. They talk about reclaiming the word “queer”, Schroeder shares experiences growing up around gay culture and the spectrum of sexuality, sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org

Jun 7, 2023
Jun 7, 2023
35 min
Theresa speaks with Cate Desjardins, who provides LGBTQ+ Competent Therapy, to help us better understand gender. Cate explains how they help explore people’s curiosity and why they want to help deepen people’s understanding of gender among other things. They talk about Cate’s research project, choosing what gender best fits you and attempting to be wide open to the experiences of the people you love.
To take a mental health screen, or to find mental health information and resources, visit mhascreening.org
To submit questions, comments or ideas about future topics on the podcast, contact podcast@mhanational.org
