In this episode, Pranjal speaks with 19-year-old youth speaker Lawrence C. Harris about overcoming childhood abuse, building resilience, and learning self-love. Lawrence shares how journaling, imagination, and small daily actions helped him survive, and how he now uses his story to inspire others. We also talk about how to support friends in abusive situations and the importance of reconnecting with yourself after trauma.

Follow Lawrence on social media @lawrencec.empowers or visit lawrencecharris.com. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, help is out there.

In this episode, Pranjal speaks with Dr. Elyn Saks, Distinguished Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry at USC and author of the acclaimed memoir The Center Cannot Hold. Dr. Saks shares her journey living with schizophrenia while building a groundbreaking career in mental health law. Together, they explore the challenges of navigating treatment, the importance of peer support, and what needs to change in the U.S. mental health system to better support people with serious mental illness. Whether you're new to understanding schizophrenia or deeply familiar, this episode offers insights into the lived experience, the science, and the policy—through the eyes of someone who's shaped all three.

Struggling to find the right therapist? In this episode of Not Another Depressed Teen, Pranjal chats with Andrea Muraskin, NPR contributor and mental health advocate, about overcoming barriers to accessing therapy. Andrea shares tips on navigating insurance, telehealth, community resources, and finding affordable options.

Here is the link to Andrea's original article on finding a therapist: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/07/02/1185661348/start-therapy-find-therapist-how-to

Here is a link to Andrea's Instagram if you would like to dm her with questions: https://www.instagram.com/andreamuraskin?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==