292: A Conversation on Child Stars & Mental Health in the Entertainment Industry - with Carly Gilmore, AMFT & Shannon Amabile, LMFT & Founder of The Happy Byrd

Shannon Amabile is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Los Angeles and the founder of The Happy Byrd, a private practice specializing in the mental health and creative support of entertainment professionals. She is also the co-founder of Starlight Support, a mobile therapy service that brings clinical care and mental health resources directly to set for child actors and their families. With complex experience and a passion for fostering safe and collaborative environments, she is dedicated to helping creative people overcome challenges, harness their talents, and achieve their goals with lasting success.

Carly Gilmore is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#144088) who grew up in Burbank, CA, surrounded by the entertainment industry. Growing up in Burbank, it was as normal to be attending acting classes after school as it was to be attending sports after school. She has used her knowledge and experience from being a part of that world to begin creating space for services that would have benefitted her during that time. She received her BA in Psychology and Human Development from Eckerd College and MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine. Carlypractices at The Happy Byrd under the Supervision of Shannon Amabile and is currently taking new clients. 

In this episode, we dive into the unique mental health challenges faced by child actors and young professionals in the entertainment industry. Our guests share clinical insights on working with child actors, the emotional toll of early fame, identity development under constant judgment and scrutiny, and the high expectations placed on young performers.

We explore how early exposure to performance and public life can lead to anxiety, perfectionism, and identity confusion, and why both advocacy and specialized mental health support are critical in this space. From working with clients in the industry to systemic change, we discuss the evolving role of mental health professionals on set and what it truly means to prioritize the wellbeing of child stars.

Whether or not you're in the mental health field or entertainment business, this episode is a reminder that mental health shows up in every field and deserves to be supported.

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WEBSITE: hhttps://thehappybyrd.com/

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