260. you don’t have to be in crisis to need help (feat. hailey hardcastle)

if you want to learn more about how our generation can create lasting change in mental health, this episode is for you! today’s guest is hailey hardcastle—a gen z mental health advocate who helped pass landmark legislation in oregon allowing students to take mental health days off from school. she was honored by teen vogue as one of the "21 under 21: young women changing the world," and her ted talk on student mental health has been viewed more than 4 million times. fun fact: this episode was recorded live at the active minds 2026 mental health conference—the nation’s leading mental health conference for young adults! during this conversation, we discuss our personal mental health journeys, how hailey’s advocacy helped turn an idea into a state law, the most effective ways to advocate for gen z mental health, and so much more– including answering audience questions!  we talk about: 1:52 why hailey became a mental health advocate at a young age 4:50 how she helped passed a bill allowing student mental health days 7:34 effective ways to open up to your parents about your mental health 12:44 what stops people from asking for help with their mental health 19:04 maintaining our mental health as adults vs. as teens 21:50 the future of mental health policy + advocacy 23:54 advice for people wanting to become mental health advocates 25:22 finding local mental health advocacy opportunities 27:10 what motivates us to speak up about mental health 29:06 tips on pushing forward mental health legislation mentioned: • hailey hardcastle • hailey’s ted talk • active minds • mental health conference • house bill 2191 (student mental health days)  🍿 subscribe on youtube 💌 ask me a question or leave feedback on the podcast! @shepersistedpodcast shepersistedpodcast.com [e-mail]  © 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.