TW: episode mentions suicide and suicide loss throughout. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, reach out the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline to get the support you need. If there is any immediate danger of harm, contact 9-1-1 or your local emergency department.

Suicide remains the second leading cause of death for young people in Canada, but persistent stigma and fear of getting it "wrong" keeps people from speaking openly about it.

For Suicide Prevention Month, we speak to mental health advocates Chris Coulter, Celia Owen, and Maddy Cunningham about suicide loss, talking to loved ones about mental health, and how we can all make a difference for someone who might be struggling.

Episode resources:The Mentor Well: https://www.thementorwell.com/

Information from the Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/suicide-prevention.html

Artist, advocate, and community builder Syndel Thomas Kozar joins us to talk about the power of community and connection, the impact of colonialism on Indigenous mental health, storytelling, and how reconnecting to culture supports mental wellbeing. Learn more about Syndel's work at Crafting Kinship.

For Pride Month, we're joined by advocates Jake Bradshaw and Rei Ku to discuss the importance of community connectedness and its relationship to 2SLGBTQ+ and mental health advocacy. 

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we welcome three guests from Jack.org’s youth network to share their own perspectives on the power of active listening and laying the foundation for help-seeking among young people. Mental health ambassadors Akuol Riak

Ashlinn Pennell, and Akib Hossain discuss their own roads to advocacy and their hopes for fostering more inclusive, open environments for youth who need support as young people leading that change. 

Movement and community are two of the most impactful factors on mental health. This month, Jack Ride combines both to bring Canadians together across the country to get in meaningful motion for youth mental health. Jack Ride ambassador Kyle Moore joins us this week to discuss hitting crisis as a young person struggling with undiagnosed OCD and anxiety in rural New Brunswick and how movement, awareness, physical activity, and connection have transformed his mental wellness.

Visit jack.org/ride to Get in Motion for youth mental health today.   

Eco-anxiety is on the rise among youth. Young people have more access to news than ever, and while knowledge is certainly power, the constant influx of headlines on climate change and global warming are understandably contributing to stress levels. In this episode we welcome both Indigenous knowledge keepers and youth advocates for their perspective on how we can address this rapidly evolving issue while protecting mental health.

Autistic individuals face unique challenges to their mental health that often stem from being misunderstood or misdiagnosed. Autistic advocate & mental health speaker Tanner Bergsma joins us to discuss how sensory overload and social overwhelm can take a toll on mental health, and how the mental health system and neurotypical allies can better support individuals on the spectrum.

Women are statistically more likely to have their physical symptoms attributed to "anxiety" or "stress," leading to years of delayed diagnoses and distrust in healthcare providers. Women’s health advocate Summar Bourada joins us to talk about her personal journey to diagnosis and becoming founder of gldn grl, an Ottawa based jewelry brand that raises awareness and funds for women’s reproductive and mental health.

Culturally responsive care is essential in providing youth with safe and effective mental health support. But what does this really look like in practice for Black communities? Mintikah English-Palmer, a mental health support worker for Black youth in Toronto’s Jane/Finch neighbourhood joins jack amplified to discuss the systemic barriers POC young people face, the power of representation in care, and importance of fostering Black joy as a form of healing.

Bullying has a deep impact on young people’s mental health, affecting self-esteem, stress levels, and overall well-being both online and offline. Open conversations about bullying and mental health help youth recognize harm, support one another, and build communities rooted in empathy and respect. Bullying Recovery Coach Rachel Weinstock joins jack amplified to explore how bullying shows up in daily life, the connection between bullying and mental health struggle, and what it looks like to move from bystander to supporter.