Hope Starts With Us

Anyone starting a business can expect to run into some hurdles along the way. Our guest for this episode, Michelle Hammer of clothing brand Schizophrenic.NYC, is a business owner living with schizophrenia and advocating for mental health. During this episode, listeners will hear from Michelle about her experiences receiving mental health diagnoses, what prompted her activism, how she navigates being a business owner, and what she w...

Kristen Doute joins NAMI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christine Crawford to explore her first year of parenthood and the highs and lows that came with it. Throughout their conversation, Kristen and Dr. Crawford discuss Kristen’s experiences with mental health, infertility, and new motherhood. From making the decision to become a parent to understanding how one’s identity may change after parenthood, many parents may see th...

Did you know that the NAMI HelpLine is staffed by trained volunteers? In this episode, hear from two volunteers, Jessica Clementino and Inigo San Gil, and National Director of NAMI HelpLine Services Megan Rochford about why the NAMI HelpLine is so critical. Listeners will also learn about the impact of the HelpLine, why NAMI launched the new Family Caregiver HelpLine option, the experience of volunteering, and more. 

Are you in...

Through the Community Health Equity Alliance (CHEA), NAMI is working to reduce mental health crises nationwide, especially in Black/African Ancestry communities. One component of increasing access to mental health care and trust in mental health care systems is increasing representation among providers. By partnering with the Young Doctors Project, NAMI is helping to Pack the Pipeline with diverse mental health professionals. This ...

This episode highlights mental health systems and caregiving for loved ones with mental health conditions. As NAMI recognizes Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month this July, Dr. Glenda Wrenn Gordon and Christopher Hampton join NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. to discuss the NAMI Family Caregiver HelpLine and Crisis Can’t Wait materials, as well as exploring advice about navigating mental health ...

Kody Green joins “Hope Starts With Us” to share his story of living with schizophrenia. From diagnosis to incarceration to his thriving present-day life, this episode will explore the impact of Kody’s experiences on how he has evolved over the years. As a content creator with a following of two million across platforms, Kody’s story resonates with so many who want to feel community with someone who lives wit...

In honor of Pride Month, this episode explores mental health for LGBTQ+ young people. NAMI’s Chief Advocacy Officer Hannah Wesolowski is joined by Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen (The Trevor Project) and Taylor Locke (NAMI Next Gen, NAMI New York State). Together, the trio discusses recent research from The Trevor Project about mental health among LGBTQ+ youth, the importance of supportive adults for LGBTQ+ young people, how communitie...

In this key episode, NAMI explores how becoming a parent brings many changes to anyone’s life. To add to the changes, balancing new or forthcoming parenthood with mental health conditions might feel difficult. 

Guest host Barb Solish, NAMI’s National Director of Innovation, is joined by Kate Kennedy-Lynch, NAMI Director of External Relations, and Alessandra Torresani, actress, podcast host, and NAMI Ambassador. They...

Joshua Bassett, popular musician and actor best known for his role in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” joins the podcast for an exploration into coming of age under constant evaluation. Joshua’s new book, “Rookie: My Public, Private, and Secret Life,” was released this week, published as Mental Health Awareness Month begins. As a young person struggling with anxiety and addiction, Joshua...

This episode of “Hope Starts With Us” features NAMI’s Director of Field Resource Development Mary Sorensen. Through this conversation, listeners will learn about NAMIWalks, NAMI’s community-driven fundraising event happening nationwide. This discussion will highlight the importance of community mental health events, the power of coming together with our neighbors, how to get involved, and more. 

 Si...

For the 100th episode of “Hope Starts With Us,” NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. is joined by outgoing Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth and Dr. Christine Crawford, our incoming chief medical officer. Together, the trio explores the past and future of mental health care. During their conversation, they cover pressing topics in mental health care today, the futures they hope for, and how NAMI is guiding the path fo...

In this two-part episode, we explore the experience of living with bipolar disorder in recognition of World Bipolar Day on March 30. NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. talks with four incredible people with bipolar disorder diagnoses to understand how they manage their mental health, how it fuels their work, and ways they push against mental health stigma. In part one, we’re joined by filmmaker Paul Dalio and NAMI Board of Dire...

NAMI released its third annual workplace mental health poll yesterday. In this episode, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. is joined by Brit Wanstrath, manager of workplace mental health for NAMI. As they explore the key findings from the poll release, listeners will find out what makes employees feel comfortable talking about mental health at work, the scale of burnout impacting American workers, the importance of mental health workp...

In honor of National Criminal Justice Month, “Hope Starts With Us” is guest hosted by NAMI’s Chief Advocacy Officer Hannah Wesolowski in conversation with NAMI’s Director of Criminal Justice Policy and Initiatives Shannon Scully. The two explore NAMI’s advocacy to end the criminalization of mental illness and creating avenues for help, not handcuffs. Through this episode, listeners will learn about our...

From February 23 through March 1, 2026, NAMI joins the National Alliance for Eating Disorders in challenging stigma about eating disorders and supporting recovery. In this episode, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. is joined by McCall Dempsey, founder of Southern Smash, and Alexandra Miles, Founder and CEO of Project Blackbird. They will explore the connections between their work engaging young people, embracing self-acceptance as p...

At this year’s Big Game, NAMI extended our partnership with Dan Marino’s Stay Healthy Zone and announced a new yearlong partnership with Off The Field NFL Wives Association. In this episode, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. talks with President of Off The Field NFL Wives Association, Tenisha Patterson Brown. They discuss what led her to mental health advocacy, the unique experiences of NFL players and their spouses, care...

At NAMI, we know that sharing stories about mental health conditions helps reduce stigma still held by far too many. In this episode, NAMI CEO Dan Gillison is joined by award-winning documentary producer-writer-director Frank Kosa. Frank is also an executive producer of the podcast “Brain Stories,” which demonstrates commitment to changing mainstream culture by creating awareness and caring for people living with mental...

Sharing your mental health story takes strength, resilience, and courage – and it is so worth it. Every person’s mental health story has power: Power to create change, reduce stigma and discrimination, and build community. In this episode, NAMI CEO Dan Gillison joins Maybelline New York’s Samantha Vittengl as she shares how mental health has touched her life, how her family navigated the process of finding help, a...

In this episode, NAMI CEO Dan Gillison explores NAMI's accomplishments throughout 2025 in conversation with retiring Chief Innovation Officer Darcy Gruttadaro and Chief Advocacy Officer Hannah Wesolowski. Together, they discuss growth in NAMI's initiatives focused on youth mental health, success in our advocacy efforts, and the importance of our grassroots community. Listeners will also hear about the significant amount of bipartis...