Wish You Knew

In this episode, I, Mendi, had the opportunity to sit down with Chloe as she discusses her journey with friendship and self worth. She discusses the troublesome friendships she experienced in middle school, as well as the depression and suicidal thoughts she battled with at that time. She ventures from then to high school, and talks about how Hope Squad, a group at her school devoted to mental hea...

In this episode, Maadhav shares his experience with anxiety that began in middle school and the pressure he felt to live up to expectations. He opens up about constantly questioning himself, feeling misunderstood, and struggling to balance his own emotions with the image of success he thought he had to meet. Maadhav reflects on how that pressure began to affect both his mental and physical health,...

This episode mentions suicide and OCD if you need extra support, please make sure to take care of yourself or call 988 for a crisis hotline.

In this episode, Nailea shares her journey through self-isolation, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and how those experiences affected the way she saw herself and the people around her. She talks about the moment she realized that truly wanting to get better was the first step toward healing, and how she began to notice the support that had been there from family and friends all along. Nailea’s...

In this episode, I, Mendi, had the opportunity to sit down with Vale as she discusses her battle with cancer and isolation. When she was 13, Vale was diagnosed with cancer and fought all the way through the COVID pandemic. Because of the timing and her condition, she was very isolated from her peers and loved ones, and felt this distanced in a profound way. We invite you to listen to Vale tell her...

In this episode, Ezra opens up about how his parents’ divorce changed his life and left him feeling distant, overwhelmed, and unsure of how to cope. He shares how staying silent only made things heavier, and how learning to talk about what he was going through became the first step toward healing. Ezra’s story is an honest reminder that opening up can create space for connection, understanding, an...

In this episode, You Can Be an Advocate Too, Lauren shares how she used humor as her superpower to navigate her mental health journey. Through laughter, honesty, and self-advocacy, she learned that speaking up for herself — and for others — can make a real difference. Her story is a reminder that advocacy doesn’t always look serious or formal; sometimes it starts with finding your own voice, shari...

In today's episode, I (Ella) was able to sit down with Nora to hear about her mental health journey with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Nora shared how beneficial it is to explore your mental health to better understand and support yourself. I found her story and her advice on learning yourself very inspirational. I hope you enjoy listening!

In this episode, Amelia opens up about her journey of rediscovering herself after a period of struggle and isolation. She shares what it’s like to let go of who you thought you were in the past, and the courage it takes to embrace the person you’re becoming. Her story is an honest reminder that healing and growth often come from the moments we feel most lost. If you are a teen and you have a story...

In this special episode of Wish You Knew, we celebrate the amazing impact of last year’s hosts, Lizzy and Autumn, who bravely opened the door for honest conversations around teen mental health. Now, we’re excited to introduce you to the new voices ready to carry that mission forward: Ella, Mendi, and Juliana! Get to know this year’s hosts, hear what inspires them, and learn about their vision for...

In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Juliana to hear about her mental health journey and how beneficial it is to share your story and hear others. I believe it is a wonderful tool we all have access to in order to help our community simply by speaking about our mental health. I found her story and her takes on how beneficial creating a community is, very inspirational. I hope...

In today’s episode, I (Lizzy) had the privilege of sitting down with Ella to talk about her mental health journey. From navigating childhood as a child of divorce – often waiting in courtrooms from ages 6 to 15 for others to decide her future – Ella shares how a lack of communication in those formative years made it difficult to understand and process her emotions. But through years of reflection,...

In today’s episode, I (Lizzy) had the honor of speaking with Daniel about his mental health journey. You may have caught a glimpse of Daniel’s story at the One Thing I Wish You Knew event earlier this year, but trust me—this episode is worth the listen. Daniel opens up about a chapter of his past he’s no longer proud of: the process of losing himself. With so much anger built up inside, he felt th...

In today's episode, I (Lizzy) had the privilege of speaking with Destiney about her mental health journey. Tune in to hear her share a powerful glimpse into just some of the events that have shaped her into the inspiring person she is today – from moving between homes to helping raise her siblings and even experiencing homelessness, before someone stepped in to help. In Destiney’s own words, she “...

In today's episode, I (Lizzy) was fortunate enough to listen and reflect with Mendi about her mental health journey thus far. Relationships and communication play a large role in Mendi’s story : after losing a sister to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), Mendi often found herself feeling alone and wanting to escape her reality which manifested itself into panic disorder with situations of what s...

In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Gabriela to hear about her journey with recovering from her ACL injury. She spoke about how finding ways to cope with her mental health while also trying to heal her body. I found her journey working through mental health and her journey through recovery very inspirational. I hope you enjoy listening! If you are a teen and you have a story...

In today’s episode, I (Lizzy) was fortunate enough to talk with Maya about her journey with anorexia. Tune in for a view into her experience of living with an eating disorder, undergoing hospital and facility stays, the impact of societal norms / definitions revolving around body image, and more. Despite all of these struggles, Maya has been able to come out on the other side, if you will, with a...

Mental Health and Academics In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Neva to hear about her journey with mental health throughout school. She spoke about how finding ways to cope with her mental health has helped her and how creating a community is beneficial. I found her journey working through the stress of school and personal mental very relatable for many teens. I hope you enj...

In today’s episode, I (Lizzy) was fortunate enough to talk with Elie about his journey with and through DMDD: disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Listen in to hear about past experiences and how they have shaped him into the person he is today. From childhood struggles to altered memories — even to musical composition —and everything in between, there is something in this episode for everyone....

In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Edie to hear about her journey with mental health. She spoke about how finding ways to cope with her mental health has helped her and how much her support systems have helped her through tougher times. I found her journey working through with both anxiety and seasonal depression very relatable for many teens. I hope you enjoy listening! If...

In today’s episode I (Lizzy) was able to sit down with Chaya and learn more about her inspiring journey. Tune in to hear more about her experience being diagnosed with Bipolar and how her hospital stay impacted said journey and mindset surrounding mental health as a whole. It was incredible to see how she has overcome the stigma and has been able to come out of this part of her journey with a posi...

In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Erin and Violet to hear about their journeys with mental health. They spoke about how going through chronic pain affected their mental health and how much their support systems helped them overcome their struggles. I found their journey working through with both mental and physical health very inspiring. I hope you enjoy listening! If you a...

In today’s episode I (Lizzy) was able to sit down with Laya and learn more about her incredible journey. Listen in to hear more about her experience moving to America: leaving behind everything she had ever know for “the dream” and understanding the tolls this took on her mental health. This paired with overcoming school struggles creates a narrative that many can relate to. I found her story extr...

In today's episode, I (Autumn)  was able to sit down with Caroline to hear about her journey with mental health. she spoke about The importance of being patient with yourself while working through struggles. I found her journey with anxiety and depression as well as working through an eating disorder very inspiring. I hope you enjoy listening! If you are a teen and you have a story to share, or yo...

In today’s episode I (Lizzy) was able to sit down with Eva and learn more about her incredible journey. She highlighted the importance of community and shared the comfort that it can provide while going through something as difficult as chemotherapy. I found her story extremely inspiring and hope that you enjoy listening. If you are a teen and have (or know a teen who has) a story to share, please...