Our first impression of mental health often comes from family and culture. But what if that impression doesn't work for you? How can you adopt a healthier relationship with mental health while maintaining a connection to your culture?

In today's episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with Sahaj Kohli — therapist, author, and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, the first and largest mental health and wellness organization for children of immigrants. Vic and Sahaj discuss the impact of growing up bicultural and the tension between Western individualism, which emphasizes self-reliance and personal autonomy, and Eastern collectivism, which prioritizes interdependence and collective responsibility. Sahaj also shares tips on how to manage your mental health without familial support, along with advice for therapists on how to be more culturally responsive toward their clients. Because regardless of your background or upbringing, you deserve care.

To learn more about Brown Girl Therapy, visit https://sahajkaurkohli.com/brown-girl-therapy

To learn more about AFSP, visit afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

Although a traumatic brain injury can profoundly change someone's life, it doesn't have to be the end of the story. In this episode, Dr. Jill speaks with Dr. Lisa Brenner, a Board-Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist and leading expert on traumatic brain injury (TBI).

In this episode, Dr. Jill and Dr. Brenner explain why people who've suffered TBIs can subsequently experience depression and suicidal ideation, along with the techniques and therapies that have been proven to help. They also share practical advice for those whose loved ones are coping with a TBI, as well as guidance for therapists working with TBI patients.

The Brain Injury Association of America: https://biausa.org

VA’s TBI Treatment page: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/tbi/treatment.asp

VA Brain Health Coordinating Center: https://www.research.va.gov/resources/bhcc

TBI Toolkit: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/tbi_toolkit

Concussion & CTE Foundation: https://concussionandcte.org

To learn more about AFSP, visit afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

Grief is a complex emotion, and for many people, it can often be accompanied by feelings like shame or guilt. But grief can also co-exist with positive emotions like joy — and that’s okay. Everyone grieves differently, and grief can look different from moment to moment. It can also be a motivator to take action.

In today’s episode of Strong Talk, passionate mental health advocateApril Simpkins opens up to host Vic Armstrong about losing her daughter, former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, to suicide. April shares her difficult and inspiring journey through loss, which included shame, guilt, and even reclaiming experiences of joy along the way. She also discusses turning her pain into purpose by publishing her late daughter’s posthumous memoir framed with her own perspective as a mother, founding the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation, and becoming the CEO of Paragon Strategy Partners, an HR consulting firm with a focus on mental well-being in the workplace.

Check out April Simpkins and Cheslie C. Kryst’s book By the Time You Read This here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/By-the-Time-You-Read-This/April-Simpkins/9781637633007

To learn more about AFSP, visit afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

Mental health conversations are becoming more common in the Black community, but systemic barriers still limit access to care.

In this Black History Month episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with Shahem McLaurin — a Black, genderqueer, licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and influencer — about the root causes of mental health disparities, and how a strong community can solve them.

Shahem also shares their journey through graduate school, where they confronted the inequities baked into social work, and turned an insult into a brand: Dr. Durag.

To learn more about Shahem, visit https://www.5hahem.com

To learn more about AFSP, visit https://afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

When parents and children are raised in different cultures, they often have very different relationships with mental health—a generational gap that can make communication and understanding difficult. In this episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with three members of UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative, an organization dedicated to bridging these divides in AAPI communities.

Dr. Lily Chen is a first-generation Chinese immigrant, public health nurse, and mother of five who founded UCA WAVES based on the mental health struggles she experienced and observed in her community.

Dr. Jennifer Tu is a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at UCLA and secretary of the UCA WAVES board. Her passion for mental health advocacy was sparked by the loss of a friend to suicide during college.

Naialie Lor is a pre-nursing student at UNC Chapel Hill, majoring in medical anthropology and a former summer intern at UCA WAVES. She brings the perspective of second-generation AAPI youth navigating cultural expectations and generational differences.

In this roundtable discussion, they share their own experiences, explore the unique mental health challenges facing AAPI communities, and discuss how UCA WAVES is using both data and storytelling to solve them

To learn more about AFSP, visit https://afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ll notice more and more mental health professionals sharing advice. And while much of it is helpful, it raises an important question: where’s the line between content and care?

Today, Vic sits down with Shani Tran, a licensed professional clinical counselor, author, and content creator, to explore this phenomenon. In their conversation, Shani shares how she started posting on social media, the significant boundaries between her real and online self, and why none of the mental health content on social media counts as therapy.

Check out The Shani Project at: https://www.theshaniproject.com

To learn more about AFSP, visit https://afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

Do you know how many teenagers use AI chatbots for companionship? It’s more than you think. Today, Robbie Torney, Senior Director of AI Programs at Common Sense Media, tells us about his research and why his organization rates the use of chatbots by teens as "unacceptably risky,” in part due to cases that have led to suicide. He also shares practical advice for parents who want their kids to maintain a healthy relationship with AI chatbots.

Check out Common Sense Media’s most recent risk assessment on AI chatbots here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ai-ratings/ai-chatbots-for-mental-health-support

To learn more about AFSP, visit https://afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

We’ve all heard the saying: “men don’t cry.” In today's Elevating Voices roundtable, we hear from three men who prove that being vulnerable and showing emotion is not only acceptable, but healthy.

Dan Egan, who lost his father to suicide, sits on AFSP’s National Loss & Healing Council; Anthony Gaddy, a passionate guitar player, is the President and CEO of the Upstate New York Black Chamber of Commerce; and Eh Doji Kyi is a recent college graduate who encourages other male students to share their feelings.

Each of these men come from different backgrounds and generations, but they share a safe space called Brotherhood United, where they can open up, ask for help and shed some tears with other men. It sounds simple, but as you’ll hear, the results are transformative.

To learn more about AFSP, visit https://afsp.org

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.

The podcast is produced by Hueman Group Media.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the interviewees and do not reflect the positions or opinions of the producers or any affiliated organizations.