How Do We Talk About Mental Health?

A Conversation with Brad Feld – Author, Venture Capitalist, and Mental Health Advocate

Elizabeth and Sheila invite Brad Feld to join them in a candid conversation about destigmatizing mental health. Brad Feld – entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and a co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars, has been very public about his struggles with OCD and depression and is a longtime mental health advocate.

In this episode, Elizabeth and Sheila get his take on if, when, and how to reveal one’s mental health story. In the spirit of Brad’s new book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, Elizabeth shares some of the lessons she’s learned from her decade-long relationship with Brad as a mentor and investor. She asks him to open up about a cause that Sheila, Elizabeth, and Brad care deeply about – mental health. 

In this episode, we explore:

(01:16)    Introducing Brad Feld – entrepreneur, author, venture capitalist, and a co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars (07:58)    Brad Feld discusses his personal experiences with OCD (10:25)    The insidiousness of the link between obsessive and compulsive thoughts and behavior (16:21)    When, if, and how to reveal your mental health story (20:04)    Digging into the root causes vs. just moving dirt around (25:25)    Dealing with the shame associated with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges (29:30)    The importance of self-awareness and therapy: Spend some time on “Planet Yourself” (33:07)    Elizabeth’s experiences with a close friend and mental health issues (36:30)    Brad’s philanthropic efforts in Boulder, CO (40:20)    Destigmatizing mental health issues (45:30)    What is the line between supporting and enabling? (50:57)    Supporting others by just being present for them (53:08)    Brad’s new book is Give First: The Power of Mentorship. If you like the book, make some music about it! (55:14)    Closing thoughts