AFSP Podcast Channel

Faith and mental health are often discussed separately. But houses of worship can provide resources for those experiencing mental health challenges – even if you’re not religious.  On this episode of Strong Talk we’re joined by Monty Burks, the Director of the Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He works with faith-based communities across the country to deliver s...

Every day in the United States, 17 veterans die by suicide — roughly double the rate of the general population. What's driving this crisis, and what can we do to stop it? Today, host Vic Armstrong brings together three advocates from different veterans' mental health organizations who are approaching this problem from different angles. Dan Miller is a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant...

A trip to the barbershop can lead to a lot more than a fresh cut. It's also an opportunity to connect, engage with your community and be heard. After 30 years behind the chair, Jimmy Evans recognized the unique opportunity he and his fellow barbers had to help those struggling in silence. So he created the Barbershop Therapy Foundation, an organization that trains barbers in marginalized comm...

In this special episode, we celebrate the work of two exceptional researchers being honored at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s  2026 Research Awards Dinner: Dr. Jane Pearson, Special Advisor to the Director for Suicide Research at the National Institute of Mental Health and the recipient of the 2026 AFSP Lifetime Achievement Award  Dr. Holly Wilcox, Professor, Department of Mental...

The LGBTQ+ community isn’t a monolith. It includes people from different generations, genders, races, classes, and experiences, each with their own relationship to mental health care. In this episode, host Vic Armstrong brings together three advocates from different organizations on the front lines of LGBTQ+ mental health to examine what the community needs most right now. Dr. Ronita Nath is Vice...

Our first impression of mental health often comes from family and culture. But what if that impression doesn't work for you? How can you adopt a healthier relationship with mental health while maintaining a connection to your culture? In today's episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with Sahaj Kohli — therapist, author, and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, the first and largest mental health...

Although a traumatic brain injury can profoundly change someone's life, it doesn't have to be the end of the story. In this episode, Dr. Jill speaks with Dr. Lisa Brenner, a Board-Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist and leading expert on traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this episode, Dr. Jill and Dr. Brenner explain why people who've suffered TBIs can subsequently experience depre...

Grief is a complex emotion, and for many people, it can often be accompanied by feelings like shame or guilt. But grief can also co-exist with positive emotions like joy — and that’s okay. Everyone grieves differently, and grief can look different from moment to moment. It can also be a motivator to take action. In today’s episode of Strong Talk , passionate mental health advocateApril Simpkins op...

Mental health conversations are becoming more common in the Black community, but systemic barriers still limit access to care. In this Black History Month episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with Shahem McLaurin — a Black, genderqueer, licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and influencer — about the root causes of mental health disparities, and how a strong community can solve them.  Shahem a...

When parents and children are raised in different cultures, they often have very different relationships with mental health—a generational gap that can make communication and understanding difficult. In this episode, host Vic Armstrong speaks with three members of UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative, an organization dedicated to bridging these divides in AAPI communities. Dr. Lily Chen is...

If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ll notice more and more mental health professionals sharing advice. And while much of it is helpful, it raises an important question: where’s the line between content and care?  Today, Vic sits down with Shani Tran, a licensed professional clinical counselor, author, and content creator, to explore this phenomenon. In their conversation, Shani shares how...

Do you know how many teenagers use AI chatbots for companionship? It’s more than you think. Today, Robbie Torney, Senior Director of AI Programs at Common Sense Media, tells us about his research and why his organization rates the use of chatbots by teens as "unacceptably risky,” in part due to cases that have led to suicide. He also shares practical advice for parents who want their kids to...

We’ve all heard the saying: “men don’t cry.” In today's Elevating Voices roundtable, we hear from three men who prove that being vulnerable and showing emotion is not only acceptable, but healthy. Dan Egan, who lost his father to suicide, sits on AFSP’s National Loss & Healing Council; Anthony Gaddy, a passionate guitar player, is the President and CEO of the Upstate New York Black Chambe...

A few years ago, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman learned that a growing number of young, Black people were dying by suicide. To learn more, she and the Congressional Black Caucus empowered a working group of experts to publish a landmark report titled “Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America.” Today, we discuss its findings and recommendations for supporting young Black pe...

When Dr. Jill started researching suicide 40 years ago, the consensus in the scientific community was that suicide could not be prevented. Now we know that this is false. In this episode, Dr. Jill and AFSP Senior Manager of Research and Dissemination Chris Munden discuss some of the research that has shown suicide may be prevented, at least sometimes, and they also share some of the practical meth...

Most of the mental health care provided in the United States is in English. Yet many people in the US don’t speak English fluently. So, what happens when they need help? That’s the problem our guest, Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, has been solving since he created Georgia’s first Spanish-speaking mental health clinic back in 1999. But it’s not just about language. As Dr. Mancini explains, if you want ment...

Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, for a conversation with Founder and Executive Director of Wellness Action Recovery, Inc., Fonda Bryant. In this episode of Strong Talk podcast, Vic talks with Fonda about her history with suicidality, and how lived experience has informed her suicide prevention ad...

In the latest episode of Strong Talk podcast, AFSP Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, talks with AFSP Minnesota Chapter volunteer Ray Stenglein about mental health and suicide prevention in the construction industry. In 2016, Ray lost his 16-year-old daughter Annika to suicide. In his conversation with Vic, Ray shares how he has transformed his tragic loss...

The podcast is now in session! Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, as he speaks with Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren about her role as the pioneer of America’s first Mental Health Court in 1977, creating a human rights model dedicated to the decriminalization of persons living with mental illness.  Throughout t...

In this episode of the Strong Talk, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, speaks with Pastor Dr. François Tchidjé about their shared experience in a unique suicide prevention training conducted in Africa by AFSP and Soul Shop for Black Churches. In March of 2022, AFSP partnered with Soul Shop Movement to conven...

As the first Asian American male to anchor a daily, national cable news show (at CNN Worldwide), Richard Lui knows what it’s like to achieve great success while occupying space in a complex cultural environment. In this episode of Strong Talk , Vic talks with MSNBC / NBC News journalist Richard Lui, author of Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness , about topics including: the chall...

We all know him as Leon, the outspoken and hilarious character on Curb Your Enthusiasm , his appearances in the Barbershop and Spiderman film series, Real Husbands of Hollywood , and as a wildly talented comedian. But J.B. Smoove also has a lot to say about mental health. In this two-part episode of the Strong Talk podcast hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President f...

We all know him as Leon, the outspoken and hilarious character on Curb Your Enthusiasm , his appearances in the Barbershop and Spiderman film series, Real Husbands of Hollywood , and as a wildly talented comedian. But J.B. Smoove also has a lot to say about mental health. In this two-part episode of the Strong Talk podcast hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President f...

In this episode, in recognition of Men’s Mental Health Month, Vic and his guest Keon Lewis discuss why men are often unwilling to talk about mental health, the need to create more safe spaces to address men’s mental health concerns, and the unique challenges faced by men of color. About Our Guest: Keon Lewis first became aware of the need for suicide prevention and support for those affected when,...

In this episode, Vic and his guest, Pata Suyemoto, discuss her lived experience and the unique challenges in seeking mental health care for Asian Americans and how it all motivated her to become a nationally recognized DEI expert.