No Shame On U

In this episode of the No Shame On U podcast, Executive Director Wendy Singer sits down with Hafeezah Muhammad, founder and CEO of Backpack Healthcare. Backpack is an online therapy and psychiatry practice serving kids ages 4 and up, teens, young adults, and families.

Hafeezah's story began in October 2020, when her 6-year-old son told her he was struggling so much that he didn't want to live. Because he was on Medicaid, she couldn't find a provider who would see him, even though she worked for a national mental health company. Today her son is 12 and serves as Backpack's "Chief Child Innovator." Hafeezah saw a problem and is solving it. Backpack has served more than 6,000 patients.

Resources

• Backpack Healthcare: hellobackpack.com or backpackhealthcare.com, and the Hello Backpack app in the Apple and Google stores

• No Shame On U's free virtual resource library: noshameonu.org

• If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.

Wendy Singer sits down with Tracey Kite, a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience at JCFS Chicago and now in private practice, and a parent of two teens. Tracey shares her personal journey raising 17-year-old twins, one who identifies as trans male and one as non-binary, offering candid insight into what it's really like to support a child through gender transition. From navigating pronouns with extended family to finding community resources, Tracey gives parents a compassionate, practical roadmap, including exactly what to say when your child comes out to you.

In this episode, Gadi sits down with teen leaders Eden Gunsburg and Jack Gordon of The Balance Project. Hear about the organization's mission, what drew these young advocates to get involved, their personal mental health journeys, and why this work matters to them — and to all of us.

To learn more about The Balance Project go to: www.thebalance-project.org

In this episode of the No Shame on U podcast, host Gadi Kalman is joined by Ryan Lipsett, a college freshman mental health advocate from Illinois who is already making waves in the mental health community. Ryan shares his story with remarkable openness — from a "typical childhood" that shifted in middle school when body dysmorphia and isolation set in, to years of quietly living with depression and anxiety, to a pivotal moment when he finally asked his mom for help on what he feared might be one of his last days.

Ryan reflects on what it meant to finally be asked if he was okay, why that one question changed everything, and how his journey led him to advocacy work with NAMI's Ending the Silence program and a seat on NAMI's National Next Gen advisory board. He and Gadi also dig into the unique barriers men face when it comes to mental health — from toxic "man up" messaging to identities tied to performance and silence reinforced by peer culture.

The conversation turns to the state of mental health education in schools, where Ryan makes a compelling case for why a one-week mental health unit simply isn't enough, and what a real, consistent, clinician-informed curriculum could look like. Throughout, Ryan models exactly what he advocates for: honesty, vulnerability, and the belief that reaching out for help is the bravest thing you can do.

Whether you're a young person navigating your own challenges or someone who supports them, this episode is a reminder that you don't have to go public with your story, but getting help early can change everything.

In this episode, we sit down with Anusha Samani, founder of Mindzen, a dual-purpose mental health app designed to support young people's emotional growth while helping social workers detect mental health risks early. Anusha shares how watching youth labeled as "disruptive" go unseen — and her own experience of emotional struggle as a teen — inspired her to build something different.  We explore the Mindzen app's gamified approach to social-emotional learning, featuring an avatar named Koala, and how evidence-based tools work quietly in the background to flag students who may need support. Anusha also speaks candidly about the mental health stigma in her home country of Pakistan and why she sees global accessibility as central to Mindzen's mission. Plus, Anusha gets real about burnout, boundaries, and why rest isn't something to be ashamed of — a message that resonates far beyond the app itself.

Learn more about Mindzen at www.mymindzen.com

In this meaningful conversation, we sit down with Gadi Kalman, a 23-year-old psychology student and behavioral health technician who works with autistic children. Gadi opens up about his personal mental health journey, sharing the real strategies he uses to manage his anxiety and depression.

Beyond his academic and professional work, Gadi has built a community through his Instagram page, Gadi Speaks, where he shares inspirational messages with one simple goal: if he can help one person feel a little less alone or bring a smile to someone's face, he's making a difference.

This episode explores the intersection of lived experience and professional passion, and reminds us that sometimes the most powerful mental health advocacy comes from those brave enough to share their own stories.

Instagram: @gadispeaks

What do you do when depression has been your lifelong companion and the structure that kept you afloat suddenly disappears? For Anne Abel, the answer came from an unlikely source: Bruce Springsteen.

In this powerful episode, we dive into Anne's incredible story from her new memoir "High Hopes." At 59, she'd never been to a concert. At 60, she was boarding a plane to Australia alone—something that terrified her—to follow The Boss across eight concerts in five cities over 26 days.

After walking away from her teaching career due to increasing classroom violence, Anne faced a terrifying reality: without the structure of work, her severe recurrent depression could pull her into the abyss. She'd been hospitalized twice, endured three rounds of electroconvulsive therapy, and tried over 20 medications. But that night at her first Springsteen concert, something shifted. For three hours, his energy and humanity lifted her out of darkness in a way nothing else had.

Join us as Anne shares how an impulsive decision to chase that feeling across Australia became a journey of unexpected transformation. This isn't just a story about music—it's about the courage to reinvent yourself when everything familiar falls away, and finding hope in the most surprising places.

Tik Tok - @annesimaabel

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/annesimaabel

Instagram - @annesimaabel

Website: https://anneabelauthor.com/about/

In this episode of the No Shame On U Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Michele Nealon, a licensed clinical psychologist and President of The Chicago School, to explore how we can better support the people we care about who are struggling with mental health challenges. Drawing from her extensive experience in clinical practice, academic leadership, and global mental health advocacy, Dr. Nealon shares practical insights on recognizing the subtle signs of mental health struggles, having those difficult first conversations, and navigating resistance with compassion.

We dive deep into the most common mistakes people make when trying to help, effective frameworks for different relationships in your life, and how to maintain healthy boundaries while being supportive. Dr. Nealon introduces us to the CARE Model —a practical framework for approaching loved ones with concern:

• Choosing the right moment and setting,

• Acknowledging what you have noticed,

• Reflecting concern with compassion, and

• Engaging in supportive dialogue.

  This step-by-step approach helps take the guesswork out of those crucial conversations.

Whether you're concerned about a partner, child, friend, or family member, this episode provides actionable strategies for breaking through stigma and creating meaningful support that truly makes a difference. Join us for an honest conversation about mental health, resilience, and the power of informed compassion.

The Chicago School

Be Curious: Abby's Journey with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

In this episode of the No Shame On U podcast, we sit down with Abby Shapiro, a sophomore psychology major at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Growing up in Northbrook, IL, Abby courageously shares her journey living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and how it has shaped her life.

Abby offers valuable insights for friends and family supporting loved ones with mental health conditions, emphasizing the importance of staying curious, asking questions, and maintaining open communication. She also discusses the benefits of more intensive treatment options like Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) that played a crucial role in her own recovery process.

Join us for this candid conversation about mental health awareness, the power of vulnerability, and breaking down stigma surrounding OCD and other mental health disorders.