What does mental health really mean? Ashley sits down with Starr Cunningham, President & CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, to talk about why mental health lives in the grey, how to identify your early warning signs (hello, green/yellow/red), and why language and community—especially kindness—change the game. Starr shares her lived experience, the Foundation's community-driven grant model, and two easy ways to get involved: the Holiday Black-Tie Gala (Nov 22) and the Messages of Kindness campaign.

Our Guest Today:

Starr Cunningham (she/her) — President & CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. Former broadcaster (23 years on TV). Mental health advocate with lived experience. Values: community, compassion, accountability.

Key Takeaways:

• Mental health isn't black + white; your early warning signs are individual.

• Build a circle of trust that can reflect what they notice—kindly.

• Lead with language like "I've noticed…" to start safer conversations.

• Community solutions work best when communities define the need.

• You can support the work right now via Gala tickets and Messages of Kindness.