Hope Starts With Us

As part of Eating Disorder Awareness Week, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. is joined by Johanna Kandel (National Alliance for Eating Disorders) and Alexandra Miles (Project Blackbird). Together, they discuss stigma facing those living with eating disorders, barriers to recovery, and what each guest wishes people knew about eating disorders. 

Connect with National Alliance for Eating Disorders at https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/

Find Project Blackbird online at https://www.projectblackbirdinc.org/

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

In the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, many of us have questions about how we can best support those who have lost their homes, their memories, and their places in the world. This episode of “Hope Starts With Us” features NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. in conversation with NAMI West Los Angeles CEO Erin Raftery Ryan and Stella Mental Health Chief Psychologist Shauna “Doc” Springer. Through their conversation, the group shares stories from the fires, how to support our neighbors after traumatic events, the idea of ‘bright siding,’ and more. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

In this episode, guest host Darcy Gruttadaro is joined by NAMI’s new Mental Health Equity Director, Stephanie Robertson. During their discussion, listeners will learn about the Community Health Equity Alliance (CHEA) and the Crisis Can't Wait campaign, Black History Month, mental health equity, and actions NAMI is taking to expand access to care for mental health conditions. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

In 2023, NAMI produced the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Lexicon Guide. In this episode, NAMI CEO Dan Gillison, Jr. is joined by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth to explore why the language we use to talk about schizophrenia and psychosis matters. Throughout their conversation, listeners will learn about the impact using empathetic language can benefit individuals living with schizophrenia and psychosis, as well as how this guide can support the cultural shift away from mental health stigmas. 

Listeners can find the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Lexicon Guide at nami.org/sczlexicon

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

As NAMI approaches its fiftieth anniversary as the nation’s largest grassroots mental health advocacy organization, NAMI’s Chief Development Officer is chatting with our Chief Innovation Officer, Darcy Gruttadaro. Throughout their conversation, listeners will hear about NAMI’s updated strategic priorities, our plans for growing our impact in 2025, and how we plan to expand our impact for individuals and loved ones experiencing mental illness. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

In this episode, NAMI Ambassador and Licensed Professional Counselor Elise Banks-Lovely joins NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. to discuss NAMI’s past. Recorded at NAMICon 2024 in Denver, Colorado, Elise and Dan reminisce on the nine years Elise has served as a NAMI Ambassador and the growth the alliance has experienced. As we wrap up this year, we’re looking forward to the new ways we can expand the alliance and increase access to mental health care for all. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

NAMI’s National Director of Government Relations, Policy, and Advocacy, Jen Snow, talks with NAMI Greater Los Angeles County Executive Director Traute Winters about suicide prevention. During the holidays, many of us enjoy time with family and friends, but for many others, these can be trying times of increased loneliness. In this episode, listeners will hear a discussion about seasonal depression, suicide prevention, and how we can combat loneliness. This episode also features a discussion about the legislative progress being made in California and an overview of the work it took to get there. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

During National Veterans and Military Families Month, Major General Gregg Martin and NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. come together to talk about what it means to be a leader – and how a leader can be changed by a late-onset mental health diagnosis. Listeners will hear General Martin talk about his mental health story, leadership and living with a mental illness, and what being an advocate for mental health means to him. Recorded in Denver at NAMICon 2024, this conversation about mental health, military service and veterans, and family support is timeless. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

Art can help us process past experiences, explore our emotions, and expand our perspectives. In this episode, NAMI CEO Dan Gillison is joined by NAMI Ambassadors and artists Alex Alpert and Pepper Auerbach, as well as The Franklin Institute’s Dr. Jayatri Das. Together, they discuss how art impacts mental health, as well as the connection between physical and mental health. Alex and Pepper will have artwork presented in The Franklin Institute’s upcoming exhibition, “Body Odyssey,” in part about how science can help all of us find balance in our mental and physical health.  

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.

As we look ahead to the TCS New York City Marathon, we are in awe of the athletes that have trained so hard and are about to take on the grueling 26.2 mile course through the five boroughs of New York. In this episode we will talk to Race Director Ted Metellus, who has made history as the first Black race director of an Abbott World Marathon Major, and we will explore how he is working to bring fitness and running to the Black community. We’ll also speak to Jeffrey McEachern, a Peloton Tread instructor, mental health advocate, and marathon runner, who is bringing awareness and raising funds for important organizations serving marginalized communities – and is about to take on his second New York City Marathon. We will discuss how running has changed our guests’ mental health and their lives. 

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

"Hope Starts With Us" is a podcast by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is hosted by NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. 

Co-executive produced by Traci Coulter and Connor Larsen.