On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Nikkole Vanderwege who shares her experience with being a caretaker for her great grandma, processing grief, dealing with depression and a dual diagnosis, surrounding yourself with supportive people and how being creative positively impacts her mental health. Learn more about Nikkole by visi…

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Alisha Gibson, the Connection Director at Venture Christian Church! Alisha is an avid reader, foodie, history-lover, and practices yoga regularly. On today’s episode, she’ll be sharing about her experience with panic attacks, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and OCD as well as the positive bene…

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Alexandra Gonzalez, a 23-year-old Bay Area resident who currently works at CDFI, a community-centered organization that helps to strengthen local and underestimated business owners and build sustainable communities. Alexandra shares a bit about what it was like growing up in a household wher…

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Iman Rahman (she/they), a 23-year-old Bay Area resident since middle school, who plans to share about her experience with chronic illness, being disabled and the impact both of those have had on their mental health. In addition, Iman talks about becoming an advocate within the disabled commu…

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Arielle Tan, an international student at San Jose State University. Arielle enjoys all things creative including painting and singing and will be sharing a bit about her family life, the views on mental health in Singapore, her ADHD diagnosis and what it was like becoming an international st…

*Trigger Warning* This episode contains a discussion on grief, deceased loved ones, suicidal thoughts and details about self-harm. Please listen at your own discretion and skip this episode if this topic is triggering for you. On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Alexandria Geremew, a Bay Area native and dog training business o…

*Trigger Warning* This episode contains a discussion on grief, deceased loved ones suicidal thoughts and details about self-harm. Please listen at your own discretion and skip this episode if this topic is triggering for you. On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we continue our chat with Alexandria Geremew, a Bay Area native and dog trainin…

CW: Sexual Assault On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Matsuko Estrada Nakamatsu, an 18-year-old Gunn High School graduate from Palo Alto. Matsuko enjoys watching anime, eating ramen and painting. She’ll be sharing a bit about her experience with ADHD, growing up around the machismo culture, the aftermath of her sexual assault and how t…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Tiffany Truong, a recent University of San Diego graduate and native of San Jose who shares a bit about her upbringing and how growing up in an Asian American household impacted her mental health and life choices. She hopes to inspire those who come from similar upbringings and shed light on the strug…

CW: suicidal ideation and self-harm On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Paola Avalos, a 22-year-old business student at San Jose State University who is sharing a bit today about her experience with depression, the stigma around mental health within the Mexican-American culture and how finding friends in college made a difference in her…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Maritza Peralta, a 24 year old Masters in Social Work student at San Jose State University and a Case Manager for the Mental Health Association of San Mateo County. She’s here to talk about her own mental health journey with Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder, what it’s like working in the…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Michael Gallegos, a 23-year-old student at Mission College in Santa Clara. He’ll be sharing about the struggles of finding peace after he lost his father, and discussing his experience within the vocational program called Year Up, and how they helped provide him with the tools needed to find a purpose…

CW: brief mention of suicidal thoughts On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Stephen He who talks about his experience with autism and how to be an advocate for others who have autism. You can learn more about Stephen through his Instagram HERE. Thank you for listening to the To Be Honest podcast! We hope to be an open platform to youth a…

CW: self-harm On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Kaylyn Sangston, who is a 17 year old student at Notre Dame High School in San Jose. Kaylyn chats about her experience with depression from a young age, her mom's breast cancer diagnosis and her ADHD diagnosis. You can learn more about Kaylyn through her Instagram HERE. Thank you for lis…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast, we chat with Alicia Allan, a third year Public Health student at San Jose State University. Alicia is also minoring in Child and Adolescent Development and has a passion for community health promotion and education. On this episode, Alicia will be sharing a bit about her upbringing, her mental health and her pass…

CW: Suicidal ideation, eating disorder On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Ananya Anand, a senior at Cupertino High School, who shares her recovery journey battling Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Anorexia Nervosa. Ananya also talks about her experiences as a young woman in the South Asian community. You can…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Emma Boyd, a 17-year-old queer student in the South Bay who is going to share their personal experience with mental health during the pandemic as well as their upbringing and how that impacts their present life. Emma is also really interested in behavioral health in general and finds it really interes…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast we chat with Valerie Braylovskiy, a Bay Area native and current student at Pomona College! Throughout our conversation, Valerie shares her personal experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), her transition to college and managing her anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Valerie also talks about pursuing …

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we chat with Raul Romero, a new resident of the Bay Area who talks about grieving the loss of his father who passed away in January 2021. Raul shares his journey with mental health as he navigated the grieving process as well as how turning to exercise as an outlet helped him through the difficult times.…

On this episode of the TBH Podcast, we're chatting with Faustine Wang and Sasha Afroz of Artruism which is a student-run initiative that provides a platform for artists to connect and serve the community. These two have created such a cool, creative community through Artruism and invite all young artists to join them! Learn more about Artruism, get…

CW: Suicide On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Cameron Rivera (he/they), a 16-year-old Bay Area resident who shares their experience with depression and anxiety as well as their aspirations to become a filmmaker! At the end of the episode, Cameron shares their Instagram if anyone would like to be friends: @https.cameronrivera Thank yo…

CW: Sexual Assault On this episode of the To Be Honest podcast, we chat with Dianne Chung who will be sharing about her experience with sexual assault and trauma as well as how her life experiences overlap with growing up within a Korean-american family. Dianne is a 2019 graduate of UC Berkeley where she studied biology, peace and conflict studies …

On this episode of the TBH podcast we talk with Katlyn Leonardich, a sophomore at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose who would like to bring more social and emotional learning to schools. She also has experience with autism, anxiety, ADHD and depressive psychosis and is on the podcast to talk about her journey with mental health! If you'd like to…

On this episode of the TBH podcast we talk with Esha K., a San Francisco Bay Area native, who is an alternative-rock/indie vocalist and songwriter with extensive experience within the music industry. Esha is passionate to use her position as a woman in the music industry - and as a person of color - to bring a fresh perspective and sound to the alt…

CW: suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance use On this episode of the TBH podcast we talk with Rea Kapur, a disabled 22-year-old queer woman of color with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, and ADHD. From the age of 11, Rea struggled with self harm, suicidal ideation, panic attacks, and more. As a teenager, she was in and out of psych wards an…

On this episode of the TBH podcast we talk with Edie Ye, a mental health professional who works with the mental health and intellectual and developmental disability population. She is also a graduate student in a Masters of Social Work program. Throughout the episode we discuss her decision to work in the mental health field, the importance of unpa…

On this episode of the TBH podcast we talk with Matthew Gonzales, a 14-year-old from San Jose who shares his struggles with mental health as a result of the passing of his mom four years ago. Matthew chats about the importance of talking to a therapist or trusted friends about your emotions and why opening up is crucial to recovery. Thank you for l…

On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Jessica Zhang, a 24 year old student in the Bay Area for graduate school, pursuing a PhD in biology. Outside of academics, she enjoys fighting and martial arts, hiking outdoors, and finding nice spots to eat and drink coffee. She also happens to struggle with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, an…

CW: self-harm, restraints, and a mention of suicide. On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Sarah Manning who shares her experience with Long-term Residential Treatment, coping skills and tools she's developed to help her understand that her mental health challenges are not a burden to anyone, and her passion for education! At the end of …

CW: Suicidal ideation, gun violence and addressing anti-Asian hate On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we continue our conversation with Alex Spielmann (they/he) who is an 18 year old queer and trans Asian American from the Bay Area. Alex uses spoken word to express their frustration with the systems of oppression that affect them and many…

On this episode of the To Be Honest Podcast, we talk with Alex Spielmann (they/he) who is an 18 year old queer and trans Asian American from the Bay Area. Alex uses spoken word to express their frustration with the systems of oppression that affect them and many other people. They are studying Sociology at De Anza College, and are hoping to become …

On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Vivian Leon, Mimi Mier-Rosales and Zabreen Shaikh, three members of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco's (MHASF) TAY Action Team (TAT)! In part 2 of the chat with the TAT, we cover how to reach out for help when it's needed, the importance of self-care and what everyone's looking forward …

On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Vivian Leon, Mimi Mier-Rosales and Zabreen Shaikh, three members of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco's (MHASF) TAY Action Team (TAT)! In part 1 of the chat with the TAT, we cover what they do as a team, how they each got involved with MHASF and their personal experiences with mental hea…

CW: substance use and suicide On this episode of the TBH podcast, we chat with Pia Cruz! Pia is a local student and member of The LGBTQ Youth Space Speakers Bureau. We chat about her mental health during puberty and her transition as well as her experience with seeking professional help. She also shares her past experience with a substance use diso…

On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk to Caroline Zhang! Caroline is a Palo Alto High School student, artist and creator of Z Magazine. We discuss Caroline's recent decision to start therapy as well as her passion for art and why she started Z Magazine. Z Magazine is a digital arts and culture magazine that provides Bay Area youth with an acc…

CW: Eating disorders On this episode of the TBH podcast, we talk with Katerina Salsman who is a local artist as well as a Nutrition Coach and Personal Trainer. She talks about her experience with depression, anxiety and eating disorders. We also talk about her journey with health and fitness and the importance of taking care of both your mind and b…

In this episode of the To Be Honest podcast, we talk with Katie Williams a local social worker who is passionate about behavioral health. Katie holds a masters degree in social work from Sacramento State and is currently accruing hours towards her license in clinical social work. She currently works full time in the social services dept at Regional…

In this episode of the To Be Honest podcast, we chat with Jannet Ly (the Co-Founder of PUL Technologies) who shares her experience with mental health and alcoholism (Content Warning: alcohol use is discussed throughout the duration of this episode). Jannet touches on her experience with depression and anxiety, her prior dependence on alcohol and ho…

In this mini-episode, we're talking to Yuliya Sivan a local youth who shares her personal experience with Trichotillomania, a mental health condition in which one experiences, "recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body, despite trying to stop" (Mayo Clinic). Yuliya shares how Trichotilloman…

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Julia Steele, a local singer and songwriter! Julia shares background on the car accident that triggered her mental health issues and how music plays an important role in her recovery process. Fun fact: Julia is also the creator of the TBH Podcast Intro music. To learn more about Julia, you can follow her on…

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Annie Xu, a local from Saratoga, CA. who is now a student at Rice University and the creator of The Chaotic Calm Podcast! To learn more about Annie and listen to The Chaotic Calm Podcast, please visit Spotify or join The Chaotic Calm community on Instagram and Facebook! Thank you for listening to the To Be …

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Mai Abe, a board certified music therapist and founder/creator of Creative Vibes Music Therapy. If you're interested in Mai's services, please visit creativevibesmt.com or check out Creative Vibes on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube! Thank you for listening to the To Be Honest podcast! We hope to be an open pla…

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Ruben Escalante who is the Studio Manager and Program Mentor at DMCStudio, a program of MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana) as well as an Art Curator for Emo Kids of Color! Ruben shares their experience working with youth in the community, the impact of stigmas around behavioral health in …

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Amy Kaur, a recent San Jose State University graduate and mental health advocate who talks to us about the impact changes and life transitions have on one's mental health as well as the importance of mental health among recent graduates and individuals new to the workforce. She is also a member of the To Be…

Today on the podcast, we are talking with Jenn Johal, MPH, a Community Education Trainer and certified Mental health first aid trainer for Crisis Support Services of Alameda County. Through her work, she provides both suicide prevention trainings as well as mental health first aid trainings which equip adults with the knowledge and information need…

Welcome to the To Be Honest podcast! In this introduction episode, host Avery Cruz introduces the podcast, the To Be Honest campaign and what we hope to accomplish. This podcast is for YOU and we hope that we can reduce the stigma around behavioral health together. If you have a story to share or a unique perspective and are interested in becoming …

Admit it - you've lied to someone you love. Come to confessional with a special episode of To Be Honest LIVE, where guests come clean about their exploits, taking us all on a roller coaster ride from raunchy to heart-warming. At the end of the day, Christina and Rachel believe they're the Jerry Springer of Podcasts - always a message to go home wit…

Launch & load your latest version of Sims, the architect is in town! Rachel & Xtina chat with Kit about gaming, when it's time to lock your social media life down, and a lie that only a true friend would tell. Come see our live show at the Pocket Theatre on Sunday, Jan 21st! Tickets: http://bit.ly/HonestLive Intro/Outro by Uncle Milk.…

Say goodbye to Applebees, 2017, and your run-of-the-mill threesomes. Wolf and RoRo join your hosts Xtina and Rachel for the kickoff of #ToBeHonestPodcast's second season. We discuss a pilot idea to get RoRo a long-term relationship and how Wolf got buddied...but not in the fun way. Wolf and RoRo team up (in more ways than one) to deliver to Rachel …