Letters to Strangers: Youth-to-Youth Mental Health with Diana Chao– Episode 253

There is a lot of psychological research that shows that there’s so much healing power in a secure relationship where you can speak and share how you feel. In this episode, Dr. Erin Elmore speaks with Diana Chao, founder and Executive Director of Letters to Strangers, a non-profit that seeks to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to affordable, quality mental health treatment for young people. Diana has a really unique story. She grew up with bipolar disorder and complex PTSD. After surviving a series of suicide attempts, Diana found healing from an unexpected source: writing.  In writing letters to strangers, Diana realized she was not alone and later founded the youth-run organization Letters to Strangers. Diana has been honored by two U.S. presidents at the White House, was the winner of the Princess Diana Awards in 2021, was the youngest-ever winner of the Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award and gave a TEDxTeen speech at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square to a standing ovation. In addition to mental health advocacy, Diana worked for NASA, published a novel at the age of 13, and received recognition from the U.S. Navy for her work on dengue fever. Diana is also an award-winning artist and conceptual photographer. Together Erin and Diana discuss the Letters to Strangers inception, details of the program, and ways for youth to get involved.

 

For more information about Letters to Strangers, please visit: https://www.letterstostrangers.org
For more information about the Youth-for-Youth Mental Health Guidebook, please visit: https://www.letterstostrangers.org/product-page/youth-for-youth-mental-health-guidebook

Connect with Letters to Strangers on Instagram at l2smentalhealth, or visit: https://www.instagram.com/l2smentalhealth/

Connect with Letters to Strangers on YouTube at L2SMentalHealth, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vFMrA--3_aC_qd9WPnB_A