As the prevalence of mental health issues increases and affects an ever larger number of our friends and family, it becomes essential that we create spaces for folks to talk about how they overcame or persisted despite mental health challenges. Here, we’ve tried to create a safe space for people to come together and discuss their stories, experiences, triumphs and failures with managing their mental health issues.
Casey Hester
Struggling with anxiety and depression—especially anxiety—taught me that true strength isn’t about pretending to be okay; it’s about asking for help when you need it. As someone in long-term recovery from alcohol and opiates, I often heard the advice, ‘Your best thinking got you here. Read More>>
Rachel Forbes
Through honest, kind, and authentic connection. We live in a society that has historically praised individual achievement, though perhaps now we are re-remembering the most natural need we all carry: each other. Read More>>
Danesha Clayton
I’ve had seasons where depression and anxiety tested my focus and energy. But I learned to see those moments as part of my growth journey not the end of it. I leaned into therapy, prayer, movement, and structured routines to stay grounded. It reminded me how powerful consistency and grace are. Those experiences deepened my empathy and made me a better clinician. Read More>>
Meredith Randall
I think about my journey with mental health as a journey of overcoming. Through every phase of this process, I move a little closer to understanding what does and doesn’t work for me. Over the different seasons of my life, I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear. It’s messy and often moves in all directions at once. Read More>>
Morgen Horner
Honestly A huge part of my journey has been writing music about my mental health. It’s given me a outside look on my day to day struggles and as a creative outlet it has helped me process my mental health alongside the trauma that has happened in my life. Read More>>
Meesh
Two things have never been more true. I was born with an optimistic light that shined for a better world AND I’ve battled with depression, anxiety, and a highly sensitive body from a very young age. My light always lived in me but I didn’t always know how to access it. Read More>>
Taylor
The podcast has helped so much with my mental health, but it’s a double edged sword. I’ve been in therapy with the same therapist since 2020. He’s been immensely helpful in building my confidence and growing my emotional consistency. Unfortunately, I hit a wall in 2023, right around when I was starting the podcast. Read More>>
Wolf McNeil
Man I just stay prayed up and keep God first in everything I do. It’s a struggle every day to stay sane, but I have to see it through. Tattooing and fishing definitely helps my mind as well Read More>>
Kat Davis
I have dealt with mental health issues since before I even knew what they were. From depression to anxiety and periods of my life where I just felt lost, managing my mental health is a challenge I face on a daily basis. What helps me to overcome is remembering I don’t have to pretend I’m okay if I genuinely don’t feel that way. Read More>>
Berk Studios (Veronica Baty)
Working in the creative space can be challenging when you have mental health struggles with high highs and low lows. Sometimes I feel like I’m on top of the world with every opportunity available and other times I feel very isolated and alone in the creative space. Read More>>
Jessica Hudgins
As a 35-year-old esthetician, divorced mom of two, and owner of Meraki Skin Studio in Marion, NC, my journey hasn’t been easy—but it’s been incredibly meaningful. I’ve been diagnosed with AuDHD and C-PTSD, and I’m also a survivor of a domestic violent marriage. On top of that, I’ve experienced postpartum depression. Read More>>
Erika (RK) Padierna
The topic of mental health and the stigma surrounding it are something that have been important to me since I was very young, though I didn’t really know or understand that it was a far more personal issue until I was in university. Read More>>
Nina Livingston
Mental health has always been important to me because I have struggled with it throughout my whole life. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when I was about 11 or 12. Growing up I was constantly criticized for everything. What I wore, what I looked like, what I sounded like, even for my likes and dislikes. Read More>>
Kate Hendrickson
I have suffered from anxiety for as long as I can remember, but we didn’t call it ‘anxiety’ when I was younger. We called it nerves, or tummy issues, or shyness, or basic sleep troubles. As I got older, people talked about it more. It has certainly become more widely discussed and understood with the growth of social media. Read More>>
Abeeb Oki
The concept of overcoming or persisting, to keep moving forward despite the many shapes and sizes adversity takes, can easily be described as my life story. From the very beginning, I have always dealt with insecurities that have internalized themselves into my core being. Read More>>
Yuwei Li
I believe it is my passion and dedication to my career that have enabled me to overcome all difficulties and achieve my own goals. It is easy to complete a task, but it is extremely challenging to persist in doing one thing all the time. Of course, this includes both mental and physical issues. Read More>>
Kimara Nicholas
In 2006, I had a mental health breakdown, and since then, every day is a battle. My persistence can be attributed to a promise that I made to my children and to knowing that I owe it to myself to live my life to the fullest. Read More>>
Mikaela Helane
This question comes at a very intriguing time of my life. Let’s rewind back to last year: my business was starting to gain momentum, getting two to three bookings every week or so. Things were looking up for me and I was so excited to see what all I would accomplish in 2025. And then I had surgery. Read More>>
