Kamisha Thomas and Aimee Wissman are extraordinary–they are brilliant artists and the founders of The Returning Artists Guild, a non-profit organization that supports artists that have been in prison and some who are still inside. But they have had long and difficult journeys to get to this point.
In this first episode of our four-part series, Aimee and ... Show More
Dec 2023
Call Declined: Life in Prison
Why is it important to learn about prison from people who have been directly impacted? Well, in this episode, Aimee and Kamisha share their own stories about incarceration – and what they tell us reveals a lot about community services, mental health and substance use treatment, i ... Show More
53m 21s
Dec 2023
Call Declined: Getting Out
Leaving prison can be overwhelming. The need to navigate societal and technological changes, rebuild relationships, find employment, and find housing can be disorienting and alienating. And the stigma we place on those who have been incarcerated is significant both in human inter ... Show More
45m 3s
Nov 2023
Bonus: Do my mental health struggles change how you see me?
In this bonus episode, we meet 17-year-old Caroline. She was hospitalized multiple times for self harm and attempting suicide. Now, she is doing a lot better, in therapy, and taking medication. Caroline wants to ask her mom Kellie: after everything we have been through, has your ... Show More
25m 23s
May 2022
Breaking Free from Hustle Culture
Before Shannon quit her job in talent management, work was so taxing that she would dream of being admitted to the hospital, just so she’d have a good excuse to not answer her email. In this episode, explore the dissonance of a society that asks us to choose between health, famil ... Show More
45m 26s
Sep 2023
Was the heartbreak worth it?
Greta and Corrine have been best friends for over a decade. They’ve been through a lot together, from leaving their small town, finding their queer identities, to now healing from their recent painful breakups. Today, they’re asking themselves: is it really better to have loved a ... Show More
46m 16s
Oct 2023
Why did you wait so long to get me help?
Since kindergarten, Athena and her parents have known about her learning differences, and those were treated early on. But her severe anxiety wasn’t. Today, she’s asking her mom Cassie: why was it so hard for you to get me the help I needed, and what took you so long?
Looking for ... Show More
40m 16s
Mar 2024
#321: Eating-Disorder Healing and the Importance of Community Support with Akiera Gilbert
Project HEAL CEO Akiera Gilbert joins us to discuss her relationship with food growing up, why she didn’t realize she had an eating disorder, how she finally began to find healing, the importance of community in disordered-eating recovery, what to do if community feels tricky to ... Show More
49m 7s
May 2024
The Big Silence: Destigmatizing Mental Health Issues with Karena Dawn
In honor of Mental Health month, we close out May with a new episode of the HEAL with Kelly Podcast. In this deeply moving conversation, I sit down with Karena Dawn, New York Times best-selling author of The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing and the v ... Show More
57m 24s
Sep 2023
How can I be a kid if I’m stuck with adult responsibilities?
16-year-old Alex lost his dad, Ted, to suicide when he was 11. While grieving and dealing with his own mental health struggles, Alex felt like he had to step up and help his mom, Tricia. Today, he’s asking her: how am I supposed to be a kid when you put the weight of adult respon ... Show More
43m 42s