Hope Starts With Us: NAMI’s New Podcast

When it comes to mental health, we have to meet people where they are, not where we want them to be.

That’s why, here at NAMI, we are constantly looking to build strategic partnerships and find innovative ways of spreading information to those who need mental health resources the most. From pulpits to barbershop chairs, from classrooms to military communities, we’re committed to providing mental health support to all who need it.  

One of our latest initiatives to do just that is through starting NAMI’s national office’s first-ever podcast, which I have the sincere honor of hosting. The podcast will focus on one of NAMI’s essential values — hope. It is also a call to action and unity…hope starts with all of us, together — sharing our stories, offering practical advice, breaking the stigma.  

We hope this podcast encourages you, inspires you, helps you and brings you further into the collective to know: you are not alone.  

Episodes will air every other Wednesday and will be available on most major directories and apps. 

Check out our first episode, where I speak with NAMI board member and psychiatrist Dr. Glenda Wrenn Gordon about her experience navigating the mental health system not only as a practitioner, but as a mom. After discovering one of her children had been struggling with thoughts of suicide and tried to take his life, getting support and advocating for her loved one wasn’t always easy. Dr. Wrenn Gordon shares what she learned, how her family found healing, and what tips she has for others going through a similar situation: 

Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. is the chief executive officer of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Prior to his work at NAMI, he served as executive director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) in addition to several other leadership roles at various large corporations such as Xerox, Nextel, and Sprint. He is passionate about making inclusive, culturally competent mental health resources available to all people, spending time with his family, and of course playing tennis. You can follow him on Twitter at @DanGillison.