Mental Health Momentum

Jo Dailami: You Can Heal from Trauma. But it Requires this One Thing

In this episode of the Silicon Slopes Mental Health Momentum podcast, host Dr. David Morgan sits down with speaker, advocate, entrepreneur, and women’s empowerment leader Jo Dailami for an honest conversation about trauma, healing, resilience, and reclaiming personal power. Jo opens up about reaching a breaking point in her late 20s and realizing she could no longer survive using destructive coping mechanisms. She shares how seeking help transformed her understanding of pain—not something to run from, but something to move through with support, courage, and intention. Together, Dr. Morgan and Jo explore the psychological impact of societal conditioning on women, the importance of reframing limiting beliefs, and why healing often begins the moment someone realizes they do not have to face pain alone.  The discussion also dives into the gender pay gap, emotional empowerment, trauma recovery, resilience, and the ongoing work required to build mental wellness over time. This episode reminds us that healing does not mean life becomes free of anxiety, fear, or hardship. Instead, resilience comes from learning how to hold those experiences differently, respond with strength, and continue moving forward. Listeners will gain insight into: * PTSD and trauma recovery * Emotional resilience and self-worth * Women’s empowerment and mental health * Reframing limiting beliefs * Healing through support and therapy * The connection between empowerment and wellness * Why resilience is built—not inherited If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, trauma, self-doubt, or feeling trapped by your past, this conversation offers hope, perspective, and practical encouragement for the healing journey ahead.

Charlynn Shields: What Addiction and Suicide Taught Me About Mental Health

What happens when the person trying to save someone else forgets to save themselves? In this episode of the Mental Health Momentum Podcast, host Dr. David Morgan sits down with Charlynn Shields to discuss care giving, addiction, suicide loss, grief, and the long journey toward healing. Charlynn shares how growing up in a small rural community shaped her early understanding of mental health, where struggles were often hidden instead of discussed. She opens up about losing her ex-husband to suicide after years of supporting him through addiction and mental health challenges, and the emotional aftermath that followed, including guilt, isolation, and learning that someone else’s mental health crisis is not your fault. Throughout the episode, Charlynn reflects on the invisible emotional burden caregivers often carry, why mental health conversations remain difficult in many communities, and how storytelling can help reduce stigma and create connection.  Her work today at the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation is rooted in one mission: making mental health more visible, approachable, and supported for everyone. What You’ll Learn in This Episode * The hidden emotional toll of being a caregiver * Why grief after suicide can feel isolating and overwhelming * The difference between supporting someone and carrying responsibility for their choices * How rural communities often struggle with mental health stigma * Why caregivers must prioritize their own mental health * The role storytelling plays in breaking mental health stigma * How Charlynn transformed personal loss into purpose-driven advocacy This episode is an honest reminder that healing is possible, support matters, and every brain is worthy of care. Listen now.

Michael Batt: Why Tracking Your Mental Health Might Change Everything

In this episode of the Silicon Slopes Mental Health Momentum Podcast, host Dr. David Morgan sits down with entrepreneur and mental health innovator Michael Batt.  Michael didn’t start in mental health. Instead, he built a career scaling multi-billion-dollar real estate ventures and leading operations across industries from ranching to retail to radio. But like so many leaders, his turning point wasn’t professional—it was deeply personal. After witnessing the impact of mental health challenges across his employees, family, and his own life, Michael made a bold decision: step away from traditional success and build something that actually helps people navigate their mental health journey. That decision led to Healthy Mind Map, a research-backed platform designed from lived experience. Michael challenges the traditional model and introduces a new approach: What if individuals had the same clarity about their mental health as they do about their finances or fitness? We live in a world full of distractions—social media, work, constant noise. But as Michael points out, those distractions often mask deeper issues instead of solving them. What This Episode Explores: * Why mental health affects everyone but most people still don’t act on it * The hidden flaw in therapy: why 50 minutes a week isn’t enough * How “recency bias” distorts how we think we’re doing mentally * Why tracking your mental health like data can unlock real progress * The shift from passive therapy → active ownership * How technology can bridge the gap between sessions and real life This episode is a wake-up call for leaders trying to support teams, parents navigating mental health with their kids, or anyone who’s ever asked: “Is this actually working?” Watch if You Want To: * Take control of your mental health journey * Understand how to make therapy more effective * Learn practical ways to track progress and outcomes If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re truly making progress—or just going through the motions—this episode will change how you think about mental health. Hear an honest, stigma-free conversation about mental health.

Celeste Merrill: Mental Health Isn't a Crisis to Manage. It's a Skill to Build

What does it take to recognize you need help and finally ask for it? In this episode of Mental Health Momentum, Dr. David Morgan, a licensed psychologist and host, sits down with Celeste Merrill, a human-centered strategist and mental health advocate, to talk about her own journey through crisis and recovery in her 30s.Celeste opens up about growing up in a family and era that didn't talk about mental health, missing the signs in herself for years, and the pivotal moment a trained-therapist friend intervened. From there, the conversation expands into something bigger: why our culture still treats mental health like a problem to fix rather than a foundation to build and what it would look like to change that.Dr. Morgan shares his own reflections as a psychologist trained in the "deficit model," and together they explore the gap between crisis intervention and genuine mental wellness and the peer-to-peer support systems that might help bridge it.Mental health conversations change lives — this one is proof.

Amelia Larson: We Plan for Everything—Except the One Thing Guaranteed to Happen

What happens when we don’t plan for the inevitable?  Most families plan for weddings. For college. For retirement. But when it comes to aging, decline, and end-of-life decisions? Silence. And that silence comes at a cost. In this episode of the Silicon Slopes Mental Health Momentum Podcast, host Dr. David Morgan sits down with Amelia Larson, a founder, operator, and advocate working at the frontlines of one of life’s most emotionally complex realities: end-of-life care and decision-making. “A lot of families just avoid this topic as a whole… and then a crisis happens, and they’re forced into decisions they weren’t ready for,” Amelia says.  She has built her career helping families navigate these moments amid real-time crises. Through her work as CEO of A Life for Seniors, she’s seen what happens when decisions are made under pressure, without preparation, and without support. Amelia’s approach is simple but powerful: Replace confusion with clarity. Replace pressure with preparation, and replace isolation with guidance. Her work blends healthcare expertise, lived experience, and human-centered design to help families make better decisions without losing dignity along the way. She’s also building a health tech platform designed to lower the barrier to asking for help, make care options more transparent, and give families access to tools before they’re in crisis. This episode also challenges the way we think about care systems: * Why the “nicest-looking facility” isn’t always the right choice * How healthcare systems prioritize process over people * What families should actually look for when evaluating care * Why trust—not convenience—is the real currency in healthcare decisions And, addresses the mental health challenges no one talks about, such as:  * The emotional weight carried by the “sandwich generation” * The stress of making life-altering decisions with limited time and clarity * The silent anxiety around death, aging, and loss * Why avoidance creates more trauma—not less Who Should Watch This Episode? If you are: * A caregiver or supporting aging parents * A healthcare or mental health professional * Part of the “sandwich generation” balancing family and career * A leader thinking about the human side of systems and decision-making This conversation will change how you think about care, planning, and responsibility.