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Boston Marathon Survivor Manya Chylinski on Turning Trauma into Mental Health Advocacy (E29)
She Survived the Boston Marathon Bombing, Now She's Changing the Mental Health Landscape After Tragedy
In this gripping episode of "The Empathic Leader" podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller speaks with Manya Chylinski, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing who turned personal trauma into national advocacy.
Though Manya walked away without visible injuries, the psychological impact was deep and largely ignored. In this conversation, she opens up about the emotional aftermath, her struggle with invisibility as a trauma survivor, and how that pain became the driving force behind her advocacy.
Manya shares how surviving the Boston Marathon bombing led her to advocate for mental health reform, resulting in the Post-disaster Mental Health Response Act of Rep. Ayanna Pressley. She opens up about the emotional toll of being an “invisible” survivor, the power of being believed, and how sharing her story—first anonymously, then on global stages—helped her heal. She and Dr. Melissa also discuss workplace trauma, leadership failures, and why empathy isn’t optional in recovery or leadership.
Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader
Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M
Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:
► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528
► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg
► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader
CONNECT WITH ME:
► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq
► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy
► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/
Connect with Manya Chylinski:
Website: https://manyachylinski.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mschylinski/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/manyachylinski/
About Manya:
Manya Chylinski is a keynote speaker, communications expert, and passionate advocate for mental health awareness. A survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, Manya turned her personal trauma into a mission to champion psychological recovery and reshape how we approach leadership, empathy, and crisis response.
With a background in writing, research, and marketing, she helps individuals and organizations understand the emotional impact of trauma and build resilience during times of change. Manya has spoken on prominent stages like TEDx and SXSW, and has been featured on CBS, NPR, and in The Boston Globe.
As the catalyst behind the Post-disaster Mental Health Response Act, Manya equips organizations with tools to create compassionate, trauma-informed workplaces—before, during, and after crisis. Her honest, grounded approach inspires audiences to lead with empathy and support healing through visibility and validation.
► About Dr. Robinson-Winemiller:
What do empathy and a treadmill have in common? Both need action to deliver results.
Quiet quitting. Resenteeism. Post-pandemic stress. AI. Modern leaders face challenges unimaginable in the past, and the pace of change is relentless. The old command-and-control leadership style is obsolete. Leaders today must evolve or risk irrelevance. But leadership now goes beyond dashboards and spreadsheets—so, what’s the answer?
Melissa Robinson-Winemiller is the answer. With over 20 years of leadership experience, two doctorates (including one focused on empathy in leadership), an MBA, and multiple certifications in change management and DEI, she helps leaders achieve greater profits, retention, productivity, and innovation.
Her mission? To elevate leadership through the often-overlooked power of EQ and empathy. As a coach and consultant, Melissa draws on expertise, data-driven insights, and proven results to guide leaders through today’s complexities.
► Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide professional, medical, or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional or licensed provider with any specific and personal questions you may have regarding personal or professional concerns.
View all episodes
By Dr. Melissa Robinson-WinemillerShe Survived the Boston Marathon Bombing, Now She's Changing the Mental Health Landscape After Tragedy
In this gripping episode of "The Empathic Leader" podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller speaks with Manya Chylinski, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing who turned personal trauma into national advocacy.
Though Manya walked away without visible injuries, the psychological impact was deep and largely ignored. In this conversation, she opens up about the emotional aftermath, her struggle with invisibility as a trauma survivor, and how that pain became the driving force behind her advocacy.
Manya shares how surviving the Boston Marathon bombing led her to advocate for mental health reform, resulting in the Post-disaster Mental Health Response Act of Rep. Ayanna Pressley. She opens up about the emotional toll of being an “invisible” survivor, the power of being believed, and how sharing her story—first anonymously, then on global stages—helped her heal. She and Dr. Melissa also discuss workplace trauma, leadership failures, and why empathy isn’t optional in recovery or leadership.
Subscribe to the Show ► @theempathicleader
Grab my #1 bestselling book “The Empathic Leader” here: https://a.co/d/8IfKm3M
Listen in any of your favorite podcast platform:
► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-empathic-leader/id1796715528
► SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ChVQGgl5l1jqAfxdoR0EG?si=1wRZC3DbS9KvhLYTggkuhg
► AMAZON: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0158b2cb-7bec-4135-a2c0-2f594d21109b/the-empathic-leader
CONNECT WITH ME:
► Instagram: @empathyqueen.eq
► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eqviaempathy
► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainer/
Connect with Manya Chylinski:
Website: https://manyachylinski.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mschylinski/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/manyachylinski/
About Manya:
Manya Chylinski is a keynote speaker, communications expert, and passionate advocate for mental health awareness. A survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, Manya turned her personal trauma into a mission to champion psychological recovery and reshape how we approach leadership, empathy, and crisis response.
With a background in writing, research, and marketing, she helps individuals and organizations understand the emotional impact of trauma and build resilience during times of change. Manya has spoken on prominent stages like TEDx and SXSW, and has been featured on CBS, NPR, and in The Boston Globe.
As the catalyst behind the Post-disaster Mental Health Response Act, Manya equips organizations with tools to create compassionate, trauma-informed workplaces—before, during, and after crisis. Her honest, grounded approach inspires audiences to lead with empathy and support healing through visibility and validation.
► About Dr. Robinson-Winemiller:
What do empathy and a treadmill have in common? Both need action to deliver results.
Quiet quitting. Resenteeism. Post-pandemic stress. AI. Modern leaders face challenges unimaginable in the past, and the pace of change is relentless. The old command-and-control leadership style is obsolete. Leaders today must evolve or risk irrelevance. But leadership now goes beyond dashboards and spreadsheets—so, what’s the answer?
Melissa Robinson-Winemiller is the answer. With over 20 years of leadership experience, two doctorates (including one focused on empathy in leadership), an MBA, and multiple certifications in change management and DEI, she helps leaders achieve greater profits, retention, productivity, and innovation.
Her mission? To elevate leadership through the often-overlooked power of EQ and empathy. As a coach and consultant, Melissa draws on expertise, data-driven insights, and proven results to guide leaders through today’s complexities.
► Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide professional, medical, or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional or licensed provider with any specific and personal questions you may have regarding personal or professional concerns.