

Hope Starts With Us
National Alliance on Mental Illness
On this podcast, Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), brings important mental health topics to light, one conversation at a time. Hope starts with us sharing our stories. Hope starts with us breaking the stigma. Hope starts with us sharing resources and practical advice. If you or a loved one is struggling with a mental health condition and are looking for hope, this podcast is for you.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 28, 2023 • 53min
Pride & LGBTQ+ Mental Health – Episode 24
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, guest host Matt Raymond, NAMI communications director, fills in for NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. to speak with Rosemary Ketchum (former board member of NAMI Greater Wheeling, W.Va., and first openly transgender official to be elected in West Virginia) and Frank Grimsley (body-positive, queer content creator, brand collaborator, licensed therapist, school social worker and TV personality, as featured on Netflix’s ‘The Circle’ and ‘How to Get Rich’) in honor of Pride Month about LGBTQ+ mental health. Tune in to hear more about LGBTQ+ creativity, self-care, suicide prevention and policies for support!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.

Jun 14, 2023 • 28min
Maternal Mental Health & Bipolar Disorder – Episode 23
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with actor, mental health advocate and NAMI Ambassador Alessandra Torresani about her journey with maternal mental health and bipolar disorder. Tune in to hear more about Alessandra’s journey balancing self-care with motherhood, decisions about medication during pregnancy, and living with a mental health diagnosis and stigma. 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.

May 31, 2023 • 2min
Taking a Break
We're taking a break for Memorial Day, but we'll be back on June 14!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.

May 17, 2023 • 27min
Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health – Episode 21
In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with NAMI National Board Member and Cambodian American Connie Mom-Chhing about Asian American and Pacific Islander mental health, the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and rising hate crimes against the AAPI community.“It was like a perfect storm from our perspective that hit our communities because of the combined effects of the increase in racial discrimination, the social isolation and with already existing underutilization of mental health care among the AAPI community,” she says.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.

May 3, 2023 • 46min
More Than Enough – Episode 20
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with Mayan Lopez about NAMI’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Month, “More Than Enough,” and how she is using her show “Lopez vs. Lopez” to combat stigma and have important conversations about mental health in Latinx communities and across generations. 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.

Apr 19, 2023 • 39min
Stress, Anxiety and Coping – Episode 19
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with author, clinical psychologist and leading anxiety researcher Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary about how we can cope with stress and anxiety during Stress Awareness Month and beyond. Tune in to hear about the role technology can play with stress and anxiety, how we can harness difficult emotions for good, and how we can cope through healthy practices like mindfulness and meditation.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.

Apr 5, 2023 • 49min
PTSD & Sexual Assault – Episode 18
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with professional basketball player Imani McGee Stafford and NAMI senior manager of corporate communications April Cisneros about Sexual Assault, Awareness and Prevention Month. Tune in to learn about Imani and April’s stories, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and how we can support people who experience sexual violence. 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.

Mar 22, 2023 • 32min
Leading the Way to More Help, Less Handcuffs – Episode 17
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with former Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton about how the mental health field and the legal system can continue to work together to ensure people living with mental health conditions receive more help and less handcuffs. Tune in to hear about Justice Stratton’s work with NAMI, mental health advocates and criminal justice reform — and learn more about how you can get involved.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.

Mar 8, 2023 • 53min
International Women’s Day: Gender & Mental Health – Episode 16
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with actor and advocate Jamie Gray Hyder and NAMI ambassador Elise Banks about gender and mental health in honor of International Women’s Day. Tune in to hear about unique challenges women face, how we can support teenage girls, 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.

Feb 22, 2023 • 35min
Vicarious Racism & Trauma – Episode 15
In this episode of NAMI’s podcast, NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. speaks with founder and CEO of Hurdle Health Kevin Dedner about how people of color are affected by seeing hate crimes, police brutality and other acts of racism in the news, online and in the media. Tune in to learn more about vicarious trauma, advice for coping and supporting loved ones, and proposed policy ideas for systemic solutions. 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.


