January 14, 2026 • 32 mins
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, and how they learned they are not alone.
You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.
"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr.
Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
We're all just humans,at the end of the day with human stories.
(00:03):
What you see at workis a very small fraction of who I am
as a person, the things that I'm goingthrough behind closed doors and at home.
And we should all be kind and empatheticbecause you never know what's going on.
Welcome to Hope StartsWith Us, a podcast by NAMI,
the National Alliance on Mental Illness,I'm your host, Dan Gillison, NAMI's CEO.
(00:25):
NAMI started this podcastbecause we believe that hope starts
with us.
Hope starts with ustalking about mental health.
Hope starts with us making informationaccessible.
Hope starts with usproviding resources and practical advice.
Hope starts with us sharing our stories,and hope starts
(00:47):
with us breaking the stigma.
If your loved one is strugglingwith a mental health condition
and have been looking for hope,we made this podcast for you.
Hope starts with all of us.
Hope is a collective.
We hope that each episodewith each conversation brings
you into that collectiveso you know you are not alone.
(01:10):
So our guest today is Samantha Vittengl.
Samantha is the director of publicrelations for Maybelline New York.
And she goes by Sam.
And to our audience, you're going to enjoythis conversation so very much.
Sam shared her story during L'Oreal WorldMental Health Day.
(01:31):
And it was a webinarthat we got to participate on.
And I was so fortunateto be included in that
and was so taken with Sam's Storythat we asked if she would talk to us
about her experienceand share her story with our listeners.
So, Sam, it'sso good to have you with us today.
(01:54):
Thank you.
Thank you for what you do.
And thank you for sharing your story.
So would you, open upand tell us a little bit about you,
and then we'll get right into it?
Yeah, that sounds great.
And thank you so muchfor having me on the podcast today.
I'm so excited to be here.
I'm Sam Vittengl, I oversee PRfor Maybelline, which includes our Brave
(02:16):
Together initiative, which is all arounddestigmatize anxiety and depression
and creating as many resources as possiblefor as many people as possible
around the world for the brand.
So, so excited to be on a brand that caresso deeply about mental health,
especially when it's such a passion ofmine to participate in that conversation.
(02:39):
And kind of diving right in.
You know, Dan mentioned we had a townhall recently where I discussed
some of my family's story, which isobviously very near and dear to my heart.
And it's somethingI haven't talked about openly a lot,
but have recognized how much power thereis behind sharing our stories.
So, yeah, I guess just to divein, you know,
(03:02):
I grew up in a familywhere mental health was very prevalent.
My grandfather was type two bipolar.
My father is type one bipolar.
So a lot of very intense,moments as a child.
And part of what that didwas really made me recognize
the power of mental illnessand the absolute need for resources
(03:26):
and support for not only the individualssuffering, but for their families as well.
Yeah. Thank you for sharing that.
And, as, as you, you know, matriculatedthrough your youngest years
because you are young now,but your younger years,
how did this experience impact your familyas you saw it, living in that time
(03:51):
as you were experiencing itwith your family?
Yeah.
I mean, it was very challenging, right?
Like, I also was the baby in my family.
So my siblings are both 11and 12 years older than me.
They were out of the house,and at college at the time where
a lot of my father'smental illness culminated.
But it took a heftytoll on my nuclear family
(04:14):
and then also myextended family as well. So
we were all,you know, very in the know
of what was going on.
And something I also say ismy mom is a mental health professional.
She worked as a counselorat my high school.
And so she was great about making surethat we had very raw and honest
(04:35):
conversations about what was going on,and also encouraged us to be educated on
everything that was happening.
So I remember being in,you know, middle school
and doing a paper on bipolar disorderand talking about what that looked like
and how you couldrecognize the signs and symptoms
and what kind of support was available.
And I think that was probablyone of the most jarring experiences
(04:57):
that I had as a kid was, A.) other kidsaround me are talking about things like,
you know, what they want to bewhen they grow up, or being a doctor,
or talking about some of their passions.
And here I was doing,my paper on just mental illness,
but it helped meto feel more grounded in the education,
because I fully understoodthat there was an imbalance
(05:17):
that was happening in my dad's brain.
I recognized that there were some thingsthat he could control and some things
that he couldn't. And,it really helped me to understand
the nuancesand the ins and outs of why
he was the way that he was.
Even though,you know, knowing that doesn't
necessarily changethe way that it affects you.
(05:40):
It helps you contextualize ita little bit in your brain.
So, yeah, I think thatthat was definitely a big part of it.
And then it created, a huge connectionbetween myself, my mom, my brother,
my sister of like,we have to stay connected
and we need to be very openand honest about,
if we see the signs of someone around usthat may be struggling,
(06:01):
we need to have those conversationson the front end to make sure that we're
getting the support that we need,so that we're not in a situation again of
feeling, you know, almost helplessthat this person is struggling
and you're doing your bestto try to help them,
but really they have to make that decisionfor themselves.
So we made a pact as a family thatif we noticed that someone was struggling,
(06:24):
we would have those conversationsand then we would then be open to support.
And I think that that smallbut mighty moment
really impacted my future and the waythat I've approached my own struggles
with mental health as well.
You know, Sam, as youas you talk about that,
you know, first of all, kudos to your momand to your family, your brother,
(06:45):
and your extended family, but to your momfor having those candid conversations.
And what you just shared in termsof--think about it, Dan, and listeners,
when other young peoplewere writing papers and talking about,
you know, what they wanted to bewhen they grew up or you know, saying
they want to be like this personor that person
and writing those kinds of stories, you'rewriting a story about mental health.
(07:09):
And, the, the, the impact, for you.
And it is so, it is so interestinghow you've navigated this.
We know something calledACES, adverse childhood experience
and what that looks like.
And it looks like your mom was thereto help you
navigate through that corridorof what we call ACES.
(07:31):
What was itlike you sharing your story
among your colleagues?
Because, you know,as you have been navigating this,
you know, we look at different thingsin different ways.
And sometimes it comes downto, you know, what we say,
meet people where they are,and nothing about us without us.
(07:52):
But sometimes people may not know.
So what was it like, Sam, to shareyour story, amongst your colleagues
and some of them may have been hearing itfor the first time on the town hall.
Yeah, they all were.
And it was terrifying.
I think it's easy to say on the backend I'm a mental health advocate,
(08:13):
I'm here to openly havethese conversations about what's going on,
especially when it's relatedto generalized issues
and all of those types of things,but once it starts to get personal,
oh man, is it intimidating.
So I certainly struggled.
I had the sweaty palms and kind of all ofthat happening before we got on the call.
(08:34):
But honestly,in the moment, you know, it's
so authentically minethat it just flowed very naturally.
And I think it also was, in a way,cathartic and liberating, like being able
to talk about these strugglesthat are going on to some of my coworkers
was really interesting.
(08:54):
I, you know, immediatelyfound a point of connection
with a couple of my coworkers who reachedout to me after the fact and said, hey,
I've struggled with something similarly.
Or I also have this type of a relationshipwith a family member.
So I think that immediate connectionwas just so powerful.
And then I think the other thing is thatit was a moment of healing for me.
(09:15):
I was able to sharesome of what I was going through,
and then also take a step backand recognize which is something
I try to do a lot at work,and I'm sure my team would admit,
but that we're all just humansat the end of the day with human stories.
And so what you see at workis a very small fraction of who I am
as a person, the things that I'm goingthrough behind closed doors and at home,
(09:39):
and as a result, like,we should all be kind
and empatheticbecause you never know what's going on.
And so, yeah, beingable to kind of create that framework
and have those conversations with peoplewho I've worked with for now, you know,
seven years was really,really interesting.
And I'm just so gratefulto have had that platform
(10:00):
and be able to be a catalystto that conversation and allow
other coworkers to feel confidentin sharing their stories
or reaching out or asking for support.
You know, you helpedso many people on that day, Sam,
and thank you so much,because it comes down to almost like
an activation or a campaign calledDid You Know?
And I watched the nonverbalsof your, of your, your peers,
(10:24):
your teammates, your colleaguesas we were in that town hall.
And it was so it was so refreshingbecause you helped them open up
and the stories in terms of experiences,it was about community
and it was about connecting.
And it was so authentic, as you said.
(10:46):
So, you know, I'm still, so,appreciative
of how you and your colleaguesjust had the real conversation
about navigating this.
So I think I rememberyou mentioning Family-to-Family as well.
Would you tell us a little bitabout your experience
with NAMI's Family-to-FamilyYeah, absolutely.
(11:07):
The thing about mental illness,specifically with bipolar one
is that the mania comes sporadicallyand it comes at the
most inconvenient of times.
And so my dad's illness,you know, really scaled over the past
15 years, I would say,getting more intense with every cycle.
(11:28):
And as a result,our family went through
some really challenging momentsand at that point in my life,
I had just moved to New York City,had just gotten my internship
at L'Oreal, was,you know, doing the best that I could
to make a life for myself and, you know,didn't have full access to health care,
(11:49):
which then obviously has a hand in mentalhealth. And,
was really, really struggling.
And so I got to a point where I recognizedthat no matter what I was doing myself,
it wasn't enough.
And so I started to reach out to,a couple of different places
to see what kind of resourceswere available to people like me,
(12:09):
who it was, I'm not struggling right nowwith this situation, personally,
but I have a family memberwho is, and that's affecting me so much.
And so what can I do for meor how can I feel less alone,
honestly, was like the main goal for me.
So I found the NAMI Family-to-Familysessions.
And I went to them in person in Manhattan,a couple weeks in a row actually,
(12:32):
and sat at a table with probably tenother people who were there
for the same reason, whether it was asister, a mother, a daughter, you know,
there was a couple of different frames,but we all sat there and were able
to share our lived experiences.
And I think the biggest takeawaythat I had from that was,
(12:54):
I'm not as aloneas I feel, that there are other people
who are out therethat are struggling in a similar way.
And you're,you know, it's rare to find someone
who's dealing with somethingthat's the exact same.
And so that wasn't my expectation goingin, but
just hearing about peoplesharing their stories and, you know,
one of the things that reallystuck with me was that,
(13:16):
one of the women whowas there was talking about her experience
and sharing thatthe way that people
would drum up a groundswell of supportif your significant other or family member
was dealing with cancer,compared to what that support looks like,
if you have someonewho's struggling with mental
health, is so disproportionate.
(13:40):
And so you're here dealing with somebodywho's dealing with a health issue
at the end of the day.
But the way that people would look at youor think about you
is just so entirely differentthan if you had a real,
quote unquote, normal health issuethat's happening.
And that was something that really hit me,was that, yeah, you know,
(14:00):
I remember growing up and,you know, sometimes my friends weren't
able to come over and spend time with mebecause my dad was so manic,
or there were constantly rumorsaround town
that he was doing drugs or other things.
And because people didn't knowor understand what mania was
and how that would make a person act.
(14:21):
And so recognizing the fact thatthese challenges can happen and,
and you can find support in theright places, but that not everyone's
going to understandwas super eye opening to me.
And I had finally felt in that momentthat it was kind of like this
for my people type of a situation,of these people truly understand
(14:42):
what I'm saying and going through,and I can find support
and connectionand empowerment within this table.
And so that's why I continue to go for,like I mentioned, several weeks after
and then was lucky enough to get myself,you know,
full time health care and have been seeinga therapist ever since.
So I'm so forever gratefulfor the NAMI Family-to-Family support.
(15:05):
And that's another reasonwhy it's so near and dear to my heart
to support in another way,from the Maybelline family.
Well, thank you.
Thank you for sharing that.
And as you thinkabout Family-to-Family and
going through thatcourse and that work there,
you carry a lot with you,you carry some lessons learned.
(15:26):
And as again,I want to go back to the town hall,
you have some colleagues that were sharingfor the first time as well and,
you know, and are navigating things,are they any little nuggets
that you learned in Family-to-Familythat you've been able to share with them
or that have createda way for you to communicate with them,
(15:49):
as a result of, you know,you taking the Family-to-Family course?
Yeah.
I think the biggest one was just thatmy lived situation
and my experienceswith mental health and with my family
don't have to define me.
That this is-- just because I'min this cycle doesn't mean I'm stuck in it
(16:15):
and that I can be a change makerto have those conversations
to pivot the waythat we're discussing and to be,
at the end of the day and advocate for,you know, open connection
with the people around me.
And I think that that wasdefinitely as a result of
the Family-to-Family moment,because of the huge impact
(16:38):
that I felt on myselfwhen others started sharing their stories.
And on my last one,I was the last to speak.
I was just sitting there handscrossed in my lap, listening to everyone,
honestly in awe of how openand vulnerable people were willing
to be about their experiences.
But the way that it pinged me inmy chest made me recognize that there's
(17:00):
so much power to being that catalyst,to having that conversation, to--
and it feels maybea little bit uncomfortable
on the front end of itto like actually just release and do it.
But then once you do,I feel like the weight off of
your shoulders is lessened,the way that you just feel
so much more acceptedand open and connected is
(17:25):
by far worth any stress or anxietyleading up to that moment.
I hope that everyone is hearingwhat you're sharing in terms of,
you know, the stressand the bit of anxiousness
that a person can feelright before they share their story,
and then whatit feels like on the other side of that.
Sam, that is such a great illustration.
(17:47):
And thank you for sharing that as well.
And, you know,there are a few things that you said
that I want to repeat for our,for our audience, and our listeners.
Don't have to--it doesn't have to define me.
Be a changemaker,be an advocate, have open discussions.
This is sowonderful what you shared
in terms of some of your learnings.
(18:08):
Before we go to a question here about whatyou wish more people understood,
I want to come back to whatyou, as a director of PR for L'Oreal
and what you all are doing ondestigmatizing worldwide mental health,
and give you an opportunity to tell usa little bit about that, that work
and what L'Oreal is intentionallydoing to actually destigmatize
(18:29):
mental health or mental illness.
Excuse me.
Sure. Yeah.
The work for us at Maybelline started,you know, actually in 2019,
right before Covid,where we decided that as a brand
that is really accessible to all andencourages creativity and individualism,
that there's so much to a personbeyond just what you see on the outside.
(18:54):
So we did a ton of researchand insights into
how mental healthhas an impact on the individual,
what the current climate is,and where people are experiencing it
the most, which as we know, it'sa epidemic at this point.
It's everywhereand everyone feels it to a certain extent.
So some of thatwork started and then in 2020, Covid hit
(19:15):
and it couldn't have been more synergisticthat we had already begun
this groundwork to kind of bring this out.
But we were finally in a good placein 2020 to start to release,
you know,some of the work that we've done.
So we partnered with a couple of differentorganizations to dive into, you know,
(19:35):
what exactly is going on in the climateas it relates to mental health?
Who are most affected by itthat are our consumers,
and how can we kind of bridgethose things,
and then ultimately provide accessto resources and support
because that is, at the end of the day,the most important thing. So
fast forward to now in 2025,we have relationships with obviously NAMI,
but also the Jed Foundation, CrisisText Line, to just work, to try to create
(20:00):
as many resources as possible.
So there's a couple of waysthat we've done that.
One, we have a text linewith, Crisis Text Line.
You can text together to 741741to get support
24 seven if you're struggling.
We also have our relationship with you alland all the resources that you have
(20:21):
and have worked to make sure thatthose resources are
bolstered by our supportand also with our,
you know, social scale, like we have over12 million followers on Instagram.
And so as we can share those resourcesoutwardly and help to share the messaging,
that's the other angle as well.
And then with the Jed Foundation,we work to create a training
(20:44):
that we've used to disburseat both like college levels,
but also now is available digitallyand it's called the Brave Talk Training.
And brave stands for, it's an acronym thatstands for Be present the Right setting.
Ask questions,Validate feelings, and Encourage action.
And so what that doesis it helps to guide people through
(21:06):
how to jump startthat difficult conversation with someone
who they recognize may be strugglingor even within themselves.
Right? And so how do I approach?
Something is going on here.
What do I do about it, and how can I thenpoint them in the direction of ultimately
getting the help that they need?
And a lot of that was created withthe understanding that younger generations
(21:28):
go to friends for supportbefore they go anywhere else.
So if I'm a friend andmy friend is struggling, they come to me.
It can be very overwhelming.
What do I say?
What do I do?
Where do I tell them to go?
Because I can listen to you,but I also have my boundaries and limits.
I'm not a therapist, you know.
So at the end, we promoteobviously like the NAMI resources
(21:49):
as well as some of our other partnersto make sure
that they feel fully supported andlike they have the things that they need.
And so that's somethingthat we're continuing
to evolve over time and scaleboth at the college level,
but also recognizingthat mental health is generational.
So a lot of what you'll see from usin the next couple of years will be beyond
the college generation.
(22:09):
How do we spread outto caretakers, family members,
all that kind of good stuffto make sure that everyone is as supported
as they can be.
This is fantastic.
And there's a few things I want to say.
And I'll go to that last statementyou made, you know,
NAMI has diversified our helplineand now we have,
we have our youth and young adultoption on our helpline,
(22:31):
we have our standard option,and then we also have a caregiver, family
caregiver option on our helplinebecause we've seen this manifestation
of more caregiversneeding support,
needing resources, needing information.
So thank you for that.
And I want to say this about Maybellineto, to our audience.
(22:51):
You know, there's brands out therethat are out there.
But there's also brands that care.
And you've heard me say many timesif you've listened to any of our podcasts.
People don't care how much you knowuntil they know how much you care.
Maybelline cares.
You're listening.
You've heard what they're doing.
They began this work in 2019, 2020. Andthey are continuing to do it now.
(23:16):
You know, something I've also saidis that, you know,
the older I get, the lessI listen to what people say.
And I watch what they do.
Well,we are seeing what Maybelline is doing.
It is real, it's tangible.
It is helping people.
It's changing the narrative.
So I wanted to say kudos to you, Sam,as the director of PR for Maybelline
(23:38):
and to the Maybelline team.
Your partnership is incredible.
We so appreciate it.
And we so appreciate what you're doingbecause you are impacting
people's lives in so many waysand so many positive ways.
So just wanted to say that andwe're still talking,
(23:59):
but I just wanted to have that momentbecause there's a lot of times,
we're always just doing the workand we never pause for a second
to actually let folksknow what we think of what they do.
And I wanted to make sure that on behalfof NAMI, you know, what we thought of what
Maybelline is doing. So thank you.
And you know what do you wish, Sam, morepeople understood about the experience
(24:21):
of living with or caring for someonewith a mental health condition?
Probably the biggest thing isthat you can love someone deeply
and still feel exhausted, confused,or overwhelmed by what's going on.
And those feelingsdon't cancel each other out.
So caring for someone with a mental healthcondition often means
(24:44):
holding empathy and burnoutat the exact same time.
And I think that that's somethingthat people don't talk about enough
is that there's this constant,for me at least,
this constant cycle of grief, of whereI'm feeling sad, angry,
you know, upset, all of the things.
(25:04):
And it just kind of cycles over and over.
Specifically in a situationof where the person that I love is,
you know, strugglingto get the support that they so deserve.
And also kind of the helplessnessthat comes with that situation of
I can't love them into getting the supportthat they need.
(25:25):
I can't force them beyond that threshold.
That's something that they have to decidefor themselves.
And so, yeah, I would say thathelplessness is very challenging.
But at the end of the day,it's made me also recognize that, like,
I can control what I can controland having to put up some
pretty healthy boundaries to make surethat I'm taking care of myself.
(25:49):
In a way that works good for me,and managing
those two things kind of together.
Sam, thank you.
And control what I can control--thisgoes to self-care.
So Sam, for our audience,you mentioned holding empathy,
the cycle of grief,feeling sad, angry, upset,
(26:09):
that the person I loveand that helplessness of wanting
to help that person that you love,but they've got to be willing
to meet you halfwayand that kind of thing.
And the last thing, and I'll come back toit again, control what I can control.
That also goes to self-care.
Sam, how do you manage self-care for youso that you have the energy to manage
(26:33):
those exhausting times?
Yeah.
Self-care has been a journey for me,to say the least, in the past
couple of years.
But I think, you know, for me,I recognize that consistent
and regular therapy is so important,and that's something that I prioritize.
(26:54):
So I block my calendarand I tell my teams,
you know, I'm going to be out forthis one hour of the week.
And I make that time for myselfto make sure that I'm able
to effectively process my emotionsand feelings in a timely manner.
Because if you don't and they sit there,they fester.
It can be like a soda bottle.
(27:14):
It just gets shaken up.
It builds, it builds until it explodes.
And I've been there beforeand that didn't work for me.
So prioritizingthat time is really important.
And then also developinghealthy boundaries
within all of my relationships, honestly.
So paying attentionto what relationships bring me joy
where I need to be a little bit morecautious of my mental bandwidth and time
(27:37):
and how I can protect myselfin certain situations.
And so, you know, certainrelationships will have different
boundaries than others.
And I think at first,sometimes people can feel
that a bitwhen you develop those, but eventually,
if they're the right boundaries,they kind of settle right into place.
And then the only differenceis that you feel better about what
(27:59):
you've done,and the people who are important to
you will also respectthose boundaries as well.
Yeah, they will meet you where you are.
They will meet you where you are.
So, you know, relationshipsthat bring you joy,
setting boundaries, consistent and regulartherapy and being disciplined about that
therapy and that hour away from workor that hour away
(28:23):
from something elsethat and making sure you do that so
these are fantastic nuggets, Sam.
We appreciate it so much.
So, one of the things that we liketo do is,
before we conclude, like to ask a questionfor every one of our podcast guests:
the world can be a difficult place,and sometimes it can be hard
(28:45):
to hold on to hope,really hard to hold onto hope.
That's why, with each episode,we dedicate the last couple of minutes
of the podcast to a special segment calledHold On to Hope.
Can you tell us, or would you tell us,excuse me,
would you tell us, Sam, what helpsyou hold on to hope?
For me,it kind of ties back to the control,
(29:07):
because when you grow upwith mental illness around you,
you realize pretty quicklywhat you can't control.
And so hope for me comes from focusing onwhat I can control, how I show
up, how I take care of my mental health,and how I support others
even in small actions like checking in,listening, sharing resources.
(29:28):
All of that adds up.
So for me, it's really about making surethat I can continue
the conversation with people around me,make them feel accepted,
that I'm open and that I'm listening,and I'm here for them
no matter what their challenges look like.
Wow, Sam, this is powerful.
Is there anything as we getready to wrap up that you'd like to
(29:49):
share in additionor anything that you have thought about
as we've been having a conversationthat, you know, you're saying,
oh, I'd like them to know this.
I wish I'd mentioned this.
Just wanted to make surewe gave some time for that
if in fact there is anything elseyou'd like to tell our listeners.
Yeah, I think the only thing is,my one last statement would be like,
you are not alone.
(30:13):
That no matter what struggleyou're going through, how isolating
it may feel, or how challengingit may be day in and day out,
there's certainly somebody aroundwho is struggling with something similar.
And so the secondthat you can find the courage to open up,
you'll find the courage to growfrom that experience as well.
(30:35):
And that is just,I think the most important thing
to keep in mindat times where things can feel very dark
and heavy is that you're not alone,and there's someone there who can help.
Thank you, thank you.
Sam, you're a busy executiveand you're a caring executive.
You can do both and be both.
And we just want to say thank you again.
(30:55):
And, as we, as we wrap this up,I just wanted to again
say thank you to youfor giving us your time and your talent
on the podcast and in the communityand in the partnership.
So to all of our listeners,this has been Hope Starts with Us,
a podcast by NAMI,the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
(31:15):
If you are looking for mental healthresources,
you are not alone, as Sam mentioned.
To connect with the NAMI HelpLineand find local resources,
visit NAMI.org/help.
Text "NAMI"to 62640 or dial 800-950- NAMI.
Or if you are experiencingan immediate suicide, substance use,
(31:39):
or mental health crisis,please call or text 988
to speak with a trained support specialistor visit 988lifeline.org.
I'm Dan Gillison, your host.
Thanks for listening and please be well.
We're all just humans,at the end of the day with human stories.
(00:03):
What you see at workis a very small fraction of who I am
as a person, the things that I'm goingthrough behind closed doors and at home.
And we should all be kind and empatheticbecause you never know what's going on.
Welcome to Hope StartsWith Us, a podcast by NAMI,
the National Alliance on Mental Illness,I'm your host, Dan Gillison, NAMI's CEO.
(00:25):
NAMI started this podcastbecause we believe that hope starts
with us.
Hope starts with ustalking about mental health.
Hope starts with us making informationaccessible.
Hope starts with usproviding resources and practical advice.
Hope starts with us sharing our stories,and hope starts
(00:47):
with us breaking the stigma.
If your loved one is strugglingwith a mental health condition
and have been looking for hope,we made this podcast for you.
Hope starts with all of us.
Hope is a collective.
We hope that each episodewith each conversation brings
you into that collectiveso you know you are not alone.
(01:10):
So our guest today is Samantha Vittengl.
Samantha is the director of publicrelations for Maybelline New York.
And she goes by Sam.
And to our audience, you're going to enjoythis conversation so very much.
Sam shared her story during L'Oreal WorldMental Health Day.
(01:31):
And it was a webinarthat we got to participate on.
And I was so fortunateto be included in that
and was so taken with Sam's Storythat we asked if she would talk to us
about her experienceand share her story with our listeners.
So, Sam, it'sso good to have you with us today.
(01:54):
Thank you.
Thank you for what you do.
And thank you for sharing your story.
So would you, open upand tell us a little bit about you,
and then we'll get right into it?
Yeah, that sounds great.
And thank you so muchfor having me on the podcast today.
I'm so excited to be here.
I'm Sam Vittengl, I oversee PRfor Maybelline, which includes our Brave
(02:16):
Together initiative, which is all arounddestigmatize anxiety and depression
and creating as many resources as possiblefor as many people as possible
around the world for the brand.
So, so excited to be on a brand that caresso deeply about mental health,
especially when it's such a passion ofmine to participate in that conversation.
(02:39):
And kind of diving right in.
You know, Dan mentioned we had a townhall recently where I discussed
some of my family's story, which isobviously very near and dear to my heart.
And it's somethingI haven't talked about openly a lot,
but have recognized how much power thereis behind sharing our stories.
So, yeah, I guess just to divein, you know,
(03:02):
I grew up in a familywhere mental health was very prevalent.
My grandfather was type two bipolar.
My father is type one bipolar.
So a lot of very intense,moments as a child.
And part of what that didwas really made me recognize
the power of mental illnessand the absolute need for resources
(03:26):
and support for not only the individualssuffering, but for their families as well.
Yeah. Thank you for sharing that.
And, as, as you, you know, matriculatedthrough your youngest years
because you are young now,but your younger years,
how did this experience impact your familyas you saw it, living in that time
(03:51):
as you were experiencing itwith your family?
Yeah.
I mean, it was very challenging, right?
Like, I also was the baby in my family.
So my siblings are both 11and 12 years older than me.
They were out of the house,and at college at the time where
a lot of my father'smental illness culminated.
But it took a heftytoll on my nuclear family
(04:14):
and then also myextended family as well. So
we were all,you know, very in the know
of what was going on.
And something I also say ismy mom is a mental health professional.
She worked as a counselorat my high school.
And so she was great about making surethat we had very raw and honest
(04:35):
conversations about what was going on,and also encouraged us to be educated on
everything that was happening.
So I remember being in,you know, middle school
and doing a paper on bipolar disorderand talking about what that looked like
and how you couldrecognize the signs and symptoms
and what kind of support was available.
And I think that was probablyone of the most jarring experiences
(04:57):
that I had as a kid was, A.) other kidsaround me are talking about things like,
you know, what they want to bewhen they grow up, or being a doctor,
or talking about some of their passions.
And here I was doing,my paper on just mental illness,
but it helped meto feel more grounded in the education,
because I fully understoodthat there was an imbalance
(05:17):
that was happening in my dad's brain.
I recognized that there were some thingsthat he could control and some things
that he couldn't. And,it really helped me to understand
the nuancesand the ins and outs of why
he was the way that he was.
Even though,you know, knowing that doesn't
necessarily changethe way that it affects you.
(05:40):
It helps you contextualize ita little bit in your brain.
So, yeah, I think thatthat was definitely a big part of it.
And then it created, a huge connectionbetween myself, my mom, my brother,
my sister of like,we have to stay connected
and we need to be very openand honest about,
if we see the signs of someone around usthat may be struggling,
(06:01):
we need to have those conversationson the front end to make sure that we're
getting the support that we need,so that we're not in a situation again of
feeling, you know, almost helplessthat this person is struggling
and you're doing your bestto try to help them,
but really they have to make that decisionfor themselves.
So we made a pact as a family thatif we noticed that someone was struggling,
(06:24):
we would have those conversationsand then we would then be open to support.
And I think that that smallbut mighty moment
really impacted my future and the waythat I've approached my own struggles
with mental health as well.
You know, Sam, as youas you talk about that,
you know, first of all, kudos to your momand to your family, your brother,
(06:45):
and your extended family, but to your momfor having those candid conversations.
And what you just shared in termsof--think about it, Dan, and listeners,
when other young peoplewere writing papers and talking about,
you know, what they wanted to bewhen they grew up or you know, saying
they want to be like this personor that person
and writing those kinds of stories, you'rewriting a story about mental health.
(07:09):
And, the, the, the impact, for you.
And it is so, it is so interestinghow you've navigated this.
We know something calledACES, adverse childhood experience
and what that looks like.
And it looks like your mom was thereto help you
navigate through that corridorof what we call ACES.
(07:31):
What was itlike you sharing your story
among your colleagues?
Because, you know,as you have been navigating this,
you know, we look at different thingsin different ways.
And sometimes it comes downto, you know, what we say,
meet people where they are,and nothing about us without us.
(07:52):
But sometimes people may not know.
So what was it like, Sam, to shareyour story, amongst your colleagues
and some of them may have been hearing itfor the first time on the town hall.
Yeah, they all were.
And it was terrifying.
I think it's easy to say on the backend I'm a mental health advocate,
(08:13):
I'm here to openly havethese conversations about what's going on,
especially when it's relatedto generalized issues
and all of those types of things,but once it starts to get personal,
oh man, is it intimidating.
So I certainly struggled.
I had the sweaty palms and kind of all ofthat happening before we got on the call.
(08:34):
But honestly,in the moment, you know, it's
so authentically minethat it just flowed very naturally.
And I think it also was, in a way,cathartic and liberating, like being able
to talk about these strugglesthat are going on to some of my coworkers
was really interesting.
(08:54):
I, you know, immediatelyfound a point of connection
with a couple of my coworkers who reachedout to me after the fact and said, hey,
I've struggled with something similarly.
Or I also have this type of a relationshipwith a family member.
So I think that immediate connectionwas just so powerful.
And then I think the other thing is thatit was a moment of healing for me.
(09:15):
I was able to sharesome of what I was going through,
and then also take a step backand recognize which is something
I try to do a lot at work,and I'm sure my team would admit,
but that we're all just humansat the end of the day with human stories.
And so what you see at workis a very small fraction of who I am
as a person, the things that I'm goingthrough behind closed doors and at home,
(09:39):
and as a result, like,we should all be kind
and empatheticbecause you never know what's going on.
And so, yeah, beingable to kind of create that framework
and have those conversations with peoplewho I've worked with for now, you know,
seven years was really,really interesting.
And I'm just so gratefulto have had that platform
(10:00):
and be able to be a catalystto that conversation and allow
other coworkers to feel confidentin sharing their stories
or reaching out or asking for support.
You know, you helpedso many people on that day, Sam,
and thank you so much,because it comes down to almost like
an activation or a campaign calledDid You Know?
And I watched the nonverbalsof your, of your, your peers,
(10:24):
your teammates, your colleaguesas we were in that town hall.
And it was so it was so refreshingbecause you helped them open up
and the stories in terms of experiences,it was about community
and it was about connecting.
And it was so authentic, as you said.
(10:46):
So, you know, I'm still, so,appreciative
of how you and your colleaguesjust had the real conversation
about navigating this.
So I think I rememberyou mentioning Family-to-Family as well.
Would you tell us a little bitabout your experience
with NAMI's Family-to-FamilyYeah, absolutely.
(11:07):
The thing about mental illness,specifically with bipolar one
is that the mania comes sporadicallyand it comes at the
most inconvenient of times.
And so my dad's illness,you know, really scaled over the past
15 years, I would say,getting more intense with every cycle.
(11:28):
And as a result,our family went through
some really challenging momentsand at that point in my life,
I had just moved to New York City,had just gotten my internship
at L'Oreal, was,you know, doing the best that I could
to make a life for myself and, you know,didn't have full access to health care,
(11:49):
which then obviously has a hand in mentalhealth. And,
was really, really struggling.
And so I got to a point where I recognizedthat no matter what I was doing myself,
it wasn't enough.
And so I started to reach out to,a couple of different places
to see what kind of resourceswere available to people like me,
(12:09):
who it was, I'm not struggling right nowwith this situation, personally,
but I have a family memberwho is, and that's affecting me so much.
And so what can I do for meor how can I feel less alone,
honestly, was like the main goal for me.
So I found the NAMI Family-to-Familysessions.
And I went to them in person in Manhattan,a couple weeks in a row actually,
(12:32):
and sat at a table with probably tenother people who were there
for the same reason, whether it was asister, a mother, a daughter, you know,
there was a couple of different frames,but we all sat there and were able
to share our lived experiences.
And I think the biggest takeawaythat I had from that was,
(12:54):
I'm not as aloneas I feel, that there are other people
who are out therethat are struggling in a similar way.
And you're,you know, it's rare to find someone
who's dealing with somethingthat's the exact same.
And so that wasn't my expectation goingin, but
just hearing about peoplesharing their stories and, you know,
one of the things that reallystuck with me was that,
(13:16):
one of the women whowas there was talking about her experience
and sharing thatthe way that people
would drum up a groundswell of supportif your significant other or family member
was dealing with cancer,compared to what that support looks like,
if you have someonewho's struggling with mental
health, is so disproportionate.
(13:40):
And so you're here dealing with somebodywho's dealing with a health issue
at the end of the day.
But the way that people would look at youor think about you
is just so entirely differentthan if you had a real,
quote unquote, normal health issuethat's happening.
And that was something that really hit me,was that, yeah, you know,
(14:00):
I remember growing up and,you know, sometimes my friends weren't
able to come over and spend time with mebecause my dad was so manic,
or there were constantly rumorsaround town
that he was doing drugs or other things.
And because people didn't knowor understand what mania was
and how that would make a person act.
(14:21):
And so recognizing the fact thatthese challenges can happen and,
and you can find support in theright places, but that not everyone's
going to understandwas super eye opening to me.
And I had finally felt in that momentthat it was kind of like this
for my people type of a situation,of these people truly understand
(14:42):
what I'm saying and going through,and I can find support
and connectionand empowerment within this table.
And so that's why I continue to go for,like I mentioned, several weeks after
and then was lucky enough to get myself,you know,
full time health care and have been seeinga therapist ever since.
So I'm so forever gratefulfor the NAMI Family-to-Family support.
(15:05):
And that's another reasonwhy it's so near and dear to my heart
to support in another way,from the Maybelline family.
Well, thank you.
Thank you for sharing that.
And as you thinkabout Family-to-Family and
going through thatcourse and that work there,
you carry a lot with you,you carry some lessons learned.
(15:26):
And as again,I want to go back to the town hall,
you have some colleagues that were sharingfor the first time as well and,
you know, and are navigating things,are they any little nuggets
that you learned in Family-to-Familythat you've been able to share with them
or that have createda way for you to communicate with them,
(15:49):
as a result of, you know,you taking the Family-to-Family course?
Yeah.
I think the biggest one was just thatmy lived situation
and my experienceswith mental health and with my family
don't have to define me.
That this is-- just because I'min this cycle doesn't mean I'm stuck in it
(16:15):
and that I can be a change makerto have those conversations
to pivot the waythat we're discussing and to be,
at the end of the day and advocate for,you know, open connection
with the people around me.
And I think that that wasdefinitely as a result of
the Family-to-Family moment,because of the huge impact
(16:38):
that I felt on myselfwhen others started sharing their stories.
And on my last one,I was the last to speak.
I was just sitting there handscrossed in my lap, listening to everyone,
honestly in awe of how openand vulnerable people were willing
to be about their experiences.
But the way that it pinged me inmy chest made me recognize that there's
(17:00):
so much power to being that catalyst,to having that conversation, to--
and it feels maybea little bit uncomfortable
on the front end of itto like actually just release and do it.
But then once you do,I feel like the weight off of
your shoulders is lessened,the way that you just feel
so much more acceptedand open and connected is
(17:25):
by far worth any stress or anxietyleading up to that moment.
I hope that everyone is hearingwhat you're sharing in terms of,
you know, the stressand the bit of anxiousness
that a person can feelright before they share their story,
and then whatit feels like on the other side of that.
Sam, that is such a great illustration.
(17:47):
And thank you for sharing that as well.
And, you know,there are a few things that you said
that I want to repeat for our,for our audience, and our listeners.
Don't have to--it doesn't have to define me.
Be a changemaker,be an advocate, have open discussions.
This is sowonderful what you shared
in terms of some of your learnings.
(18:08):
Before we go to a question here about whatyou wish more people understood,
I want to come back to whatyou, as a director of PR for L'Oreal
and what you all are doing ondestigmatizing worldwide mental health,
and give you an opportunity to tell usa little bit about that, that work
and what L'Oreal is intentionallydoing to actually destigmatize
(18:29):
mental health or mental illness.
Excuse me.
Sure. Yeah.
The work for us at Maybelline started,you know, actually in 2019,
right before Covid,where we decided that as a brand
that is really accessible to all andencourages creativity and individualism,
that there's so much to a personbeyond just what you see on the outside.
(18:54):
So we did a ton of researchand insights into
how mental healthhas an impact on the individual,
what the current climate is,and where people are experiencing it
the most, which as we know, it'sa epidemic at this point.
It's everywhereand everyone feels it to a certain extent.
So some of thatwork started and then in 2020, Covid hit
(19:15):
and it couldn't have been more synergisticthat we had already begun
this groundwork to kind of bring this out.
But we were finally in a good placein 2020 to start to release,
you know,some of the work that we've done.
So we partnered with a couple of differentorganizations to dive into, you know,
(19:35):
what exactly is going on in the climateas it relates to mental health?
Who are most affected by itthat are our consumers,
and how can we kind of bridgethose things,
and then ultimately provide accessto resources and support
because that is, at the end of the day,the most important thing. So
fast forward to now in 2025,we have relationships with obviously NAMI,
but also the Jed Foundation, CrisisText Line, to just work, to try to create
(20:00):
as many resources as possible.
So there's a couple of waysthat we've done that.
One, we have a text linewith, Crisis Text Line.
You can text together to 741741to get support
24 seven if you're struggling.
We also have our relationship with you alland all the resources that you have
(20:21):
and have worked to make sure thatthose resources are
bolstered by our supportand also with our,
you know, social scale, like we have over12 million followers on Instagram.
And so as we can share those resourcesoutwardly and help to share the messaging,
that's the other angle as well.
And then with the Jed Foundation,we work to create a training
(20:44):
that we've used to disburseat both like college levels,
but also now is available digitallyand it's called the Brave Talk Training.
And brave stands for, it's an acronym thatstands for Be present the Right setting.
Ask questions,Validate feelings, and Encourage action.
And so what that doesis it helps to guide people through
(21:06):
how to jump startthat difficult conversation with someone
who they recognize may be strugglingor even within themselves.
Right? And so how do I approach?
Something is going on here.
What do I do about it, and how can I thenpoint them in the direction of ultimately
getting the help that they need?
And a lot of that was created withthe understanding that younger generations
(21:28):
go to friends for supportbefore they go anywhere else.
So if I'm a friend andmy friend is struggling, they come to me.
It can be very overwhelming.
What do I say?
What do I do?
Where do I tell them to go?
Because I can listen to you,but I also have my boundaries and limits.
I'm not a therapist, you know.
So at the end, we promoteobviously like the NAMI resources
(21:49):
as well as some of our other partnersto make sure
that they feel fully supported andlike they have the things that they need.
And so that's somethingthat we're continuing
to evolve over time and scaleboth at the college level,
but also recognizingthat mental health is generational.
So a lot of what you'll see from usin the next couple of years will be beyond
the college generation.
(22:09):
How do we spread outto caretakers, family members,
all that kind of good stuffto make sure that everyone is as supported
as they can be.
This is fantastic.
And there's a few things I want to say.
And I'll go to that last statementyou made, you know,
NAMI has diversified our helplineand now we have,
we have our youth and young adultoption on our helpline,
(22:31):
we have our standard option,and then we also have a caregiver, family
caregiver option on our helplinebecause we've seen this manifestation
of more caregiversneeding support,
needing resources, needing information.
So thank you for that.
And I want to say this about Maybellineto, to our audience.
(22:51):
You know, there's brands out therethat are out there.
But there's also brands that care.
And you've heard me say many timesif you've listened to any of our podcasts.
People don't care how much you knowuntil they know how much you care.
Maybelline cares.
You're listening.
You've heard what they're doing.
They began this work in 2019, 2020. Andthey are continuing to do it now.
(23:16):
You know, something I've also saidis that, you know,
the older I get, the lessI listen to what people say.
And I watch what they do.
Well,we are seeing what Maybelline is doing.
It is real, it's tangible.
It is helping people.
It's changing the narrative.
So I wanted to say kudos to you, Sam,as the director of PR for Maybelline
(23:38):
and to the Maybelline team.
Your partnership is incredible.
We so appreciate it.
And we so appreciate what you're doingbecause you are impacting
people's lives in so many waysand so many positive ways.
So just wanted to say that andwe're still talking,
(23:59):
but I just wanted to have that momentbecause there's a lot of times,
we're always just doing the workand we never pause for a second
to actually let folksknow what we think of what they do.
And I wanted to make sure that on behalfof NAMI, you know, what we thought of what
Maybelline is doing. So thank you.
And you know what do you wish, Sam, morepeople understood about the experience
(24:21):
of living with or caring for someonewith a mental health condition?
Probably the biggest thing isthat you can love someone deeply
and still feel exhausted, confused,or overwhelmed by what's going on.
And those feelingsdon't cancel each other out.
So caring for someone with a mental healthcondition often means
(24:44):
holding empathy and burnoutat the exact same time.
And I think that that's somethingthat people don't talk about enough
is that there's this constant,for me at least,
this constant cycle of grief, of whereI'm feeling sad, angry,
you know, upset, all of the things.
(25:04):
And it just kind of cycles over and over.
Specifically in a situationof where the person that I love is,
you know, strugglingto get the support that they so deserve.
And also kind of the helplessnessthat comes with that situation of
I can't love them into getting the supportthat they need.
(25:25):
I can't force them beyond that threshold.
That's something that they have to decidefor themselves.
And so, yeah, I would say thathelplessness is very challenging.
But at the end of the day,it's made me also recognize that, like,
I can control what I can controland having to put up some
pretty healthy boundaries to make surethat I'm taking care of myself.
(25:49):
In a way that works good for me,and managing
those two things kind of together.
Sam, thank you.
And control what I can control--thisgoes to self-care.
So Sam, for our audience,you mentioned holding empathy,
the cycle of grief,feeling sad, angry, upset,
(26:09):
that the person I loveand that helplessness of wanting
to help that person that you love,but they've got to be willing
to meet you halfwayand that kind of thing.
And the last thing, and I'll come back toit again, control what I can control.
That also goes to self-care.
Sam, how do you manage self-care for youso that you have the energy to manage
(26:33):
those exhausting times?
Yeah.
Self-care has been a journey for me,to say the least, in the past
couple of years.
But I think, you know, for me,I recognize that consistent
and regular therapy is so important,and that's something that I prioritize.
(26:54):
So I block my calendarand I tell my teams,
you know, I'm going to be out forthis one hour of the week.
And I make that time for myselfto make sure that I'm able
to effectively process my emotionsand feelings in a timely manner.
Because if you don't and they sit there,they fester.
It can be like a soda bottle.
(27:14):
It just gets shaken up.
It builds, it builds until it explodes.
And I've been there beforeand that didn't work for me.
So prioritizingthat time is really important.
And then also developinghealthy boundaries
within all of my relationships, honestly.
So paying attentionto what relationships bring me joy
where I need to be a little bit morecautious of my mental bandwidth and time
(27:37):
and how I can protect myselfin certain situations.
And so, you know, certainrelationships will have different
boundaries than others.
And I think at first,sometimes people can feel
that a bitwhen you develop those, but eventually,
if they're the right boundaries,they kind of settle right into place.
And then the only differenceis that you feel better about what
(27:59):
you've done,and the people who are important to
you will also respectthose boundaries as well.
Yeah, they will meet you where you are.
They will meet you where you are.
So, you know, relationshipsthat bring you joy,
setting boundaries, consistent and regulartherapy and being disciplined about that
therapy and that hour away from workor that hour away
(28:23):
from something elsethat and making sure you do that so
these are fantastic nuggets, Sam.
We appreciate it so much.
So, one of the things that we liketo do is,
before we conclude, like to ask a questionfor every one of our podcast guests:
the world can be a difficult place,and sometimes it can be hard
(28:45):
to hold on to hope,really hard to hold onto hope.
That's why, with each episode,we dedicate the last couple of minutes
of the podcast to a special segment calledHold On to Hope.
Can you tell us, or would you tell us,excuse me,
would you tell us, Sam, what helpsyou hold on to hope?
For me,it kind of ties back to the control,
(29:07):
because when you grow upwith mental illness around you,
you realize pretty quicklywhat you can't control.
And so hope for me comes from focusing onwhat I can control, how I show
up, how I take care of my mental health,and how I support others
even in small actions like checking in,listening, sharing resources.
(29:28):
All of that adds up.
So for me, it's really about making surethat I can continue
the conversation with people around me,make them feel accepted,
that I'm open and that I'm listening,and I'm here for them
no matter what their challenges look like.
Wow, Sam, this is powerful.
Is there anything as we getready to wrap up that you'd like to
(29:49):
share in additionor anything that you have thought about
as we've been having a conversationthat, you know, you're saying,
oh, I'd like them to know this.
I wish I'd mentioned this.
Just wanted to make surewe gave some time for that
if in fact there is anything elseyou'd like to tell our listeners.
Yeah, I think the only thing is,my one last statement would be like,
you are not alone.
(30:13):
That no matter what struggleyou're going through, how isolating
it may feel, or how challengingit may be day in and day out,
there's certainly somebody aroundwho is struggling with something similar.
And so the secondthat you can find the courage to open up,
you'll find the courage to growfrom that experience as well.
(30:35):
And that is just,I think the most important thing
to keep in mindat times where things can feel very dark
and heavy is that you're not alone,and there's someone there who can help.
Thank you, thank you.
Sam, you're a busy executiveand you're a caring executive.
You can do both and be both.
And we just want to say thank you again.
(30:55):
And, as we, as we wrap this up,I just wanted to again
say thank you to youfor giving us your time and your talent
on the podcast and in the communityand in the partnership.
So to all of our listeners,this has been Hope Starts with Us,
a podcast by NAMI,the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
(31:15):
If you are looking for mental healthresources,
you are not alone, as Sam mentioned.
To connect with the NAMI HelpLineand find local resources,
visit NAMI.org/help.
Text "NAMI"to 62640 or dial 800-950- NAMI.
Or if you are experiencingan immediate suicide, substance use,
(31:39):
or mental health crisis,please call or text 988
to speak with a trained support specialistor visit 988lifeline.org.
I'm Dan Gillison, your host.
Thanks for listening and please be well.
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