Susan Ashby talks about the tragedy of losing her son Jay to mental illness, how treatment and education was limited when trying to help Jay, and how she and her husband Hank use the loss of Jay to help other families like themselves

Victoria Alonso talks about running away from home as a teen, the onset of her schizophrenia, how she manages and what she does to live life to the fullest

Danielle Hark shares about the multitude of mental illnesses she lives with and how she manages and overcomes by using photography and other forms of creativity

Barb Smith talks about losing her brother to suicide and channeling her grief to help her heal and to help the world around her

Matthew Shaffer shares about the great obstacle of his life, once being ashamed of being gay and being inauthentic. He turns the liability of his former shame into an asset by telling others that it's okay to be you and to live your truth … and here's how

Gina Walker, talks about her battle with the life-threatening condition, accreta, that she developed with her last child. After nearly dying and losing her baby, her life changed focus and she tells us how.

Shannon Ackerman, a junior in high school talks about the grief process after a suicide loss; the anxiety, bulimia, and suicidal thoughts that she suffered with in the aftermath; how she overcame; and how she uses her experiences to help others

Matt Pappas discusses surviving his past as a sexual abuse survivor and how he thrives as an advocate and ally for men and women who have had to deal with similar traumatic experiences

Mike Veny talks about some of his difficulties of living with clinical depression and how it has informed his work as a drummer/artist and as an advocate

Rodney Walker, a product of Chicago's public housing system, shares his journey from the foster care system to a master's degree at Yale University. He talks about his keys to persistence and perseverance and his focus on helping youth.