You’d be hard-pressed to come by someone who hasn’t struggled with their mental health at some point in their life. But for so long, topics like depression were taboo. Especially coming from an immigrant family, we were NOT allowed to discuss our issues publicly. Therapy? Out of the question. The good news is — things are changing, and we all need to lean on each other for comfort and support. It’s time to normalize the conversation on mental health, and my guest in this episode, Karena Dawn, is committed to speaking up against “The Big Silence”. 

Karena Dawn is a mental health advocate and co-founder of Tone It Up, the leading women’s fitness community. She is also a New York Times best-selling author, NAMI board advisor, and founder of the mental health nonprofit foundation, The Big Silence. For more than a decade, Karena Dawn has empowered millions of women around the world to live their healthiest and happiest lives. Her lifelong passion for fitness, mindfulness, and spiritual empowerment has made her a leader in the wellness space. She has been featured in Forbes

for creating a “fitness empire” and on the Create & Cultivate 100 List honoring women who are masters in their field. She has also headlined the POPSUGAR Play/Ground Festival and has been a keynote speaker at the PoWer Up Women’s Conference. She is a mindful meditation coach for Chopra Global, and a regularly featured speaker and instructor for TED Women, and other national platforms.

What we get into in this episode…

- Normalizing conversations around mental health

- Loving people for who they are

- Advice for moms on navigating mental health with their kids

- How to hold space for others and what that really means

- Leveraging your hardest times to create a better way forward 

- How to reach out to others when you need support 

- How to be of support to those who need it

Be sure to also check out…

- Grab a copy of Karena Dawn’s new book, The Big Silence

- Find her on Instagram @karenadawn @the.big.silence

- If you or a loved one is struggling, text HERO to 741741 for 24/7 crisis support

- You may also like episode 67, Bravely Talking About Your Mental Health Challenges with Mike Johnson

- Or episode 65, Transforming Loss, Cancer, & Big Trauma Into Fuel for Kindness with Mike Kim

- And don’t miss episode 37, a solocast I did on Embracing the Duality of Your Emotions and Normalizing Emotional Health

Before you go - to celebrate @thebravetable reaching 10K followers, I've extended our giveaway to win an Apple iPad or a $150 gift certificate to a spa of your choice! It's SO simple to enter - all you need to do is write a 5-star review for The Brave Table on iTunes. Once you write your review, don’t forget to press “send”. Then, take a screenshot of your review and upload it to thebravetable.com/giveaway. Good luck and see you next time!