jack amplified.

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 w...

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, aware...

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 issu...

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 wom...

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,...

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 dai...

Growing up online shapes how young people see themselves, often fueling comparison and unrealistic expectations. Open conversations about body image and eating disorders can help youth build healthier relationships with their bodies and self-worth. Guests Kenzie Brenna and Gabriela Bonilla-Gauthier join jack amplified to discuss the prevalence of eating disorders in the “always on” digital age, an...

The transition from fulltime student to career professional can be daunting. Imposter syndrome, burnout, and employment uncertainty amidst rising competition across the job market can impact mental health in the workplace. Employers play a vital role in shaping healthy early career experiences and providing support to young employees. Hear from guests Denis Trottier, Chief Mental Health Officer at...

Combatting the youth mental health crisis in Canada starts with understanding the data. Michael Cooper, vice president of development and strategic partnerships for Mental Health Research Canada joins jack amplified for conversation on what the latest research is telling us, what surprises experts about self-stigma, and why engaging youth is critical to creating meaningful solutions.

TW: mentions of suicide loss Voicing struggle helps us navigate grief after loss and build resilience. On this episode of jack amplified, we welcome Celia Owen, mental health advocate & Amazing Race Canada alum, who shares her experience processing the loss of her father and the power sharing her story has on her advocacy work. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text...

We are more than our academic performance. Guests Lily Baker, Karl Zhu and Brooklyn Ranta reflect on their experiences as students and explore the impact of academic pressure on youth mental health, as final exam season rapidly approaches. We unpack how expectations from school, family, and yourself can lead to stress, burnout, and self-worth struggles—and how young people are learning to redefine...

Men in Canada die by suicide three times more often than women.  That’s often because of the intense societal pressure they face to keep silent about struggle. In honour of Men’s Health Awareness Month, we welcome guests Isaiah Neil and Sachin Latti to discuss their personal journeys with depression and anxiety, Isaiah as a student athlete and Sachin through his work in law enforcement.  They talk...

Early intervention starts with giving youth the literacy they need to understand their mental health and engage in conversations that normalize and validate their complex emotions. On this week’s episode of jack amplified, Jack Talks speaker Liv Miller touches on her journey becoming a mental health advocate as a teenager with the Bridges of Hope project, inspiring fellow young people to get proac...

This week, host Michael Braithwaite chats with Jack.org Youth Ambassador and Chapter Leader Leyan Al-Mashita to explore the healing power of community and the unique role youth-led, inclusive spaces like Jack Communities play in providing young people with the tools to take care of their mental health — and each other. They discuss what is needed for youth to feel connected to and supported in the...

Introducing jack amplified : the new podcast from Canada’s leading youth mental health charity, Jack.org. In honour of World Mental Health Day, host Michael Braithwaite chatted with former Jack Talks speaker & Chapter member Samarah Maqbool to discuss how belonging can be a powerful tool of prevention against declining mental health amongst young people. Samarah tells us why community engageme...

Conversations rooted in empathy. Mental health advocacy fueled by action. Impact driven by youth. This is Jack Amplified.  jack amplified digs into the issues that matter to people who are shaping youth mental health in Canada. Hosted by Michael Braithwaite, Jack.org ’s President & CEO, the podcast cuts to the heart of the youth mental health crisis through informative, stigma-busting conversa...