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What happens when traditional mental health therapies fail? How might creative approaches unlock healing when nothing else works? Brian Higgins, Executive Director of Mental Healthy FIT, knows this territory intimately.

From experiencing homelessness while battling PTSD, depression, and addiction to founding an innovative mental health nonprofit, Brian's journey reveals powerful truths about human connection. "Mental health can be hereditary, but it's not contagious," he shares, highlighting how stigma prevents authentic engagement with those struggling most.

The conversation explores how the FIT approach—Films, Ideas, and Tips—transforms mental health conversations through creativity. Brian explains that while people may not relate to specific traumatic experiences, everyone understands fundamental emotions like fear, pain, and love. By communicating through creative mediums, connections form where clinical approaches often fail.

Particularly insightful is Brian's LEAP method (Listen, Empathize, Agree, Partner), offering a framework anyone can use to support others through mental health challenges. The discussion delves into workplace applications, examining disclosure concerns and how organizations can create psychologically safe environments where vulnerability isn't just permitted but modeled from leadership down.

Brian's practical tools—like "Thinkalopes" containing tips to boost serotonin—provide accessible entry points for immediate mental health support, while his insights on the biological stress response help listeners understand their own reactions to overwhelming situations.

Whether you're struggling personally, supporting someone who is, or seeking to create healthier workplace cultures, this conversation offers both compassionate understanding and practical strategies. Join us to discover how creative approaches to mental health might just provide the connection we're all seeking.

www.https://mentalhealthyfit.org/

https://mentalhealthyfit.org/focus-on-fests/

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What if the very shield we create to protect ourselves from judgment is the same barrier preventing our most meaningful connections? In this thought-provoking conversation with Alysha Turner, business development professional and host of the Popping Perfectionism podcast, we explore the hidden costs of perfectionism in our professional and personal lives.

Perfectionism isn't just about high standards—it's about the harsh self-criticism that follows when we inevitably fall short. Drawing from Brené Brown's research and her own experiences, Alysha unpacks how perfectionism functions as a shield against vulnerability while simultaneously blocking authentic connection and growth. She shares her personal journey through divorce, revealing how embracing vulnerability rather than hiding behind perfection ultimately led to deeper relationships and greater resilience.

The workplace manifestation of perfectionism—imposter syndrome—affects professionals across industries but disproportionately impacts women in male-dominated fields. We examine how the pressure to prove one's belonging can intensify perfectionist tendencies, creating a cycle that limits authentic contribution and personal fulfillment. Alysha introduces "excellentism" as a healthier alternative—maintaining high standards while responding to inevitable shortcomings with self-compassion rather than harsh criticism.

Beyond theory, we dive into practical strategies for building genuine connections in today's digital-first workplace. From creating intentional spaces for interaction to focusing on being interested rather than interesting, Alysha offers actionable insights for fostering community despite physical distance. Her concept of "connectionism"—the belief that our shared experiences of vulnerability unite us more powerfully than our successes—provides a compelling framework for reimagining workplace culture.

Whether you're navigating a challenging work environment, leading a team through uncertainty, or simply tired of perfectionism's exhausting demands, this conversation offers fresh perspective and practical wisdom. Join us to discover how embracing imperfection might be your greatest leadership asset and the key to more meaningful connection.

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@utwomenleaders

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The journey from voiceless child to powerful advocate isn't linear, but for Carin Crowe, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake Area, it began with a petition at age eight. When she received a response from President Jimmy Carter telling her children like her would change the world, she discovered her voice – and decades later, leads an organization with deep connections to Carter's legacy.

In this illuminating conversation on the Elevate podcast from Women's Leadership Institute, Crowe reveals how growing up in an unstable home environment ultimately shaped her leadership philosophy centered on empathy and intentional listening. With adventure-seeking in her personal life (skydiving and bungee jumping among her hobbies), she brings that same boldness to breaking barriers in Utah's leadership landscape, where women executives remain underrepresented.

Habitat's work extends far beyond building homes. Through zero-percent interest mortgages calculated at 30% of family income, critical home repairs affecting health and safety, and distribution programs serving unsheltered community members, they're addressing housing insecurity at multiple levels. Crowe explains how homeownership creates paths to intergenerational wealth that historically have been less accessible to marginalized communities, particularly single mothers and people of color who make up the majority of their program applicants.

What makes their approach unique is the requirement for families to complete 225 hours of "sweat equity," literally picking up hammers to help build their own homes. This partnership model, combined with foundational values of equity and inclusion dating back to Habitat's origins in the racially integrated Koinonia Farm of the 1940s, creates what they call their "beloved community" – a term borrowed from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with whom early Habitat founders collaborated.

For women aspiring to create change, especially in conservative environments, Crowe offers powerful advice: "Start where you are, use what you have, and don't ask for permission." Whether volunteering on a construction site, supporting their ReStore, or contributing financially, everyone can play a role in keeping "the nails and the hammers swinging" toward a more equitable housing future.

https://www.habitatsaltlake.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carin-crowe-459b6291/

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