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Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness | Episode 1: The Storm

The Storm, the first episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, focuses on young people with mental illness, their families, friends and advocates.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness | Episode 2: Resilience

In Resilience, the second episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, our “heroes” speak about finding help and inpatient and/or outpatient treatment.

Any Given Day | Dimitar: Does Anyone Need Punishment So Severe That It Leads To Suicidal Thoughts?

Witness with devastating intimacy the ways in which America’s carceral system so often takes the place of mental healthcare in Any Given Day

Any Given Day | Angela: They Got an Income Limit on Low Income Housing?

For Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, managing their mental illness is a cyclical process of triumph and struggle.

Any Given Day | Margaret Describes How Depression Feels

Maragret Bryne profoundly captures her experiences of living with depression in Any Given Day

The Seven Pillars of Wellness

Music producer Princeton Brown walks you through his seven pillars of wellness and discusses the importance of finding a balance with each.

Give Yourself A Hug

Isn’t great when a friend gives you that hug you didn’t even know you needed? Do that for yourself. Take a moment and a few breaths to let yourself know that you are taking care of yourself.

NBA Player’s Mom Speaks Out About Family Loss

Kate Okongwu, mother of NBA Atlanta Hawks player Onyeka Okongwu, is sharing her family’s past experience of loss to connect with those experiencing grief now. When Onyeka was 13 years old, his older brother Nnamdi died suddenly.

Explore the Mental Health Continuum

Just as human bodies vary in degrees of physical health, our mental health is no different. Explore the mental health continuum…

Black Gay Thirty: Kyle

Kyle discusses his journey to thirty and the trials, the tribulations and the trauma which led him to find self care as a drag queen.

Black Gay Thirty: Chris

In Episode One, Xavier sits down with Chris to discusses his anxieties, his self-care (or lack thereof) and what his hopes are as he leaves the purgatory of age 29 and heads into his 30s.

A Mother & Daughter’s Testimony of Building Bridges

Growing up in the streets of San Diego, Samira grew up in a culture of stress, violence, and gang warfare. It was normalized, she states, to be part of a gang and it cycled through generations of people who would be born into that way of living. “There were only two outcomes if you stay in that lifestyle – death or prison.” According to a recent report by the CDC, gun violence is the leading cause of death amongst youth, and per a recent report in JAMA Pediatrics, 62% of these youth deaths occur in impoverished counties.

How Do I Start a Conversation about Mental Health?

Speaking up can be hard. Matt and Faiza talk to guests about what mental health is and how to open up about our emotions and experiences. Check out Well Being’s Mental Health Language Guide for more resources.

The Importance of Feeling Seen

Alonzo discusses the hardships he faced as a child who didn’t quite “fit in,” and how he felt seen for the first time at a talent show.

Finding Healing For Mental Illness

“For me, it’s about starting a social movement around mental health. That’s really why I wrote the book. It’s why I started MindSite News, and why I’m so excited about a new documentary, executive produced by Ken Burns, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, a film by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers, premiering on PBS on June 27 & 28 at 9 pm ET.”

May 10, 2022 PRESS RELEASE

NowThis will highlight youth mental health issues utilizing content from the upcoming PBS documentary, HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: YOUTH MENTAL ILLNESS, which premieres in June and is executive produced by Ken Burns, directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers and produced by WETA Washington, D.C. 

Allow Yourself to Feel Emotions

Alonzo explains the importance of introspection, and allowing oneself to embrace and feel emotions in order to be fully present and less-inhibited.

“Black Boy Destiny” – Alonzo

Alonzo’s uplifting single, “Black Boy Destiny,” was written to inspire all young black men to rise against the odds and fight for their dreams.

Self-Care for Golfers: Arrival at the Course

Golf evangelist Bradford Wilson offers tips to make sure you’re well-equipped to play your best round when you get to the course.

Self-Care for Golfers: Driving to the Course

Golf evangelist Bradford Wilson offers tips for getting motivated to play your best round while you’re headed to the course.

Alonzo’s Self-Care Tip: Brain-Body Workout

Alonzo shares his tip for what to listen to at the gym to combine two workouts — mental and physical — into one.

Facts & Figures: Military & Veteran Mental Health in Rural America

Almost a 1/4 of vets live in rural areas. Many experience rural health care challenges intensified by combat-related injuries and illnesses.

Self-Care for Golfers: The Morning of Your Round

Here are a few self-care tips to help you get into the swing of things on the morning of your round of golf.

Alonzo’s Self-Care Morning Routine

Here’s Alonzo with a few suggestions on how to create a morning routine that grounds you before you check your phone.

Stretching Self-Care

Rooted & Rising’s Vaughn Dabney soulfully practices self-care from his mobile home (van).

Be Better. Eat Better

We should all be trying to take steps to eat healthier. Your body will feel better, your mind will be clearer, and you’ll probably have a fun time experimenting with some new recipes.

A Judge’s View On Youth Mental Health & The Justice System

Judge Nan Waller wants to change the way things are done in the legal system. Instead of judging a book by its cover, she likes to ask herself first “what don’t I know about this person in front of me, and why?

Facts and Figures: Cost-Limiting Access to Care in Rural America

A look at how income inequality between rural and urban areas impacts access to health care across the Unites States.

Finding Healing For Mental Illness

Dr. Insel offers a comprehensive plan for what he describes as “our failing system,” in a plan for families trying to discern the way forward.

Wait Lists for Mental Health Services

Student counselor Julie Hill talks about community-based and in-patient mental health facilities operating above capacity.

A National Youth Mental Health Emergency

There’s a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Student counselor Julie Hill walks through the patterns she is seeing.

Unique Situations for Students

Denise Senter discusses how current stressors are putting students at higher risk for depressions.

Student Support Networks

Ashtyn Robertson discusses how to find a support network when students are struggling with their mental health.

Talking from Personal Experiences

Nikhil Gloyeske explains how he helped get his local elected officials talking about youth mental health initiatives.

Youth Homelessness

Homelessness has been on the rise during the pandemic and can be noted as much more visible in many urban areas. The unfortunate collateral damage of the pandemic has caused many to be in this circumstance, including many young people under the age of 24. Even before the pandemic 1 in 10 young people ages 18-24 experienced homelessness.

Facts & Figures: Health Inequity Among Rural Minorities

Statistics and overview of higher rates of cancer, suicide and mental health issues among rural ethnic minorities.

MARCH 2, 2022 PRESS RELEASE

WETA Washington, D.C., the flagship public media station in the nation’s capital, announced today that KEN BURNS PRESENTS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: YOUTH MENTAL ILLNESS A FILM BY ERIK EWERS AND CHRISTOPHER LOREN EWERS, a documentary about the mental health crisis among youth in America, will premiere on PBS stations nationwide on June 27 and 28, 2022 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness | Film Teaser

Premiering June 27 & 28 on PBS, the film gives voice to the experiences of young people who struggle with mental health challenges and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy.

Michael Pollock, CEO of the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance

PBS Newshour Student Reporter Alexandra Malan talks to Michael Pollock, CEO of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance about youth mental health as part of the Well Beings Tour. Michael Pollock, CEO of the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance PBS Newshour Student Reporter Alexandra Malan talks to Michael Pollock, CEO of the Depression and Bipolar […]

Inspirational Quotes by Trailblazing African-Americans

We’re closing out this Black History Month in a motivational mood. With a collection of uplifting quotes by defiant and adventurous African-Americans.

Mom & Daughter Talk Mental Health

Part of the Hiding in Plain Sight blog series Written by Kee Dunning, author & psychotherapist providing crisis intervention February 24, 2022 / Forbes Talking to others about your mental health isn’t an easy feat, especially if that person is your parent. Zion Williams, a high school student and Season 1 host of PBS NewsHour Student Reporting […]

Facts & Figures: Chronic Disease in Rural America

Chronic disease is linked to a disproportionally large number of deaths in rural America when compared to urban areas.

Facts & Figures: COVID-19 in Rural America

The negative impacts of COVID-19 on unemployment and mental health are more pronounced in rural areas of the U.S.

Facts & Figures: Access to Health Care in Rural America

Lack of facilities, patient education and physicians have led to a health care access crisis in rural parts of the U.S.

8 1/2 Songs About Forgiveness

A playlist of songs about mistakes and forgiveness — whether forgiving others, or practicing a little self-care and forgiving yourself.

10 Emotionally Raw and Revealing “Song Exploder” Episodes

In this Optimisticle, we’ll look at some of the artists who were willing to talk to Song Exploder about how they were able to channel their pain and emotional trauma into musical magic.

Autism, Hope & Resilience

My kids tell people what their life is like and what they wished other people knew about what it is like to have a mental struggle. A lack of understanding is a common theme. For a client with autism, this is especially true. What is autism? Autism is a disorder characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and often non-verbal communication. Autism occurs on a spectrum thus it has a variety of presentations.

Living a Full & Productive Life with Schizophrenia

Brandon was 18 years old when he experienced his first episode of psychosis. “At first, I didn’t want to take medication. I didn’t want to engage in treatment. I didn’t want to admit that I had this serious mental illness, but my family’s unconditional love helped me to get to a place where I could accept it, and that acceptance has made a huge difference in my ability to move on and do things that I care about in my life.”