#62 Peer-Based Mental Health with Dr. Hayley Watson

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Dr. Hayley Watson, clinical psychologist and founder of Open Parachute, to explore how schools can meaningfully address student mental health without overburdening teachers. They unpack the developmental science behind peer-based mental health education and discuss how a preventative, skill-based approach can empower both students and educators.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why traditional therapy alone can’t meet the scale of the youth mental health crisis.
• How peer-driven, documentary-style lessons create authentic, relatable entry points for mental health discussions.
• The power of practicing emotional regulation, communication, and critical thinking in a classroom setting.
• Why teachers don’t need to be mental health experts to facilitate meaningful conversations.
• The developmental need for adolescents to learn from peers rather than adult authority figures.
• How Open Parachute equips educators with ready-to-use, non-clinical mental health lessons.
• What happens when we avoid the “can of worms” — and why we must open it with care and structure.
• Building a culture of self-reflection in schools to shape future generations of emotionally aware adults.

Guest Bio: Dr. Hayley Watson is a clinical psychologist specializing in adolescent mental health and the founder of Open Parachute. Her organization provides documentary-based mental health education programs for schools globally, helping students build emotional resilience and social-emotional skills through authentic peer storytelling.

Host Bio: Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and an advocate for global competence, digital literacy, and education reform. As a former classroom teacher, he brings deep experience and thoughtful insight to conversations that bridge practice and possibility in today’s schools.

Episode Links:

• Try Open Parachute for free: https://openparachuteschools.com
• Connect with Hayley on LinkedIn: Dr. Hayley Watson