Better Together - Mental Health

play Play Highlights

Mental Health
Storytelling Summit

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Recorded May 5, 2021

In a series of candid conversations in May 2021, Better Together uncovered what creators need to know to make content that captivates audiences and captures the complexity of the human experience—all through the lens of mental health storytelling.

Developing Mental Health Storylines

Lisa Ling hosts a dynamic conversation with the award-winning and renowned, Executive Producers Chuck Lorre & Kenya Barris. They will go deep on their creative process and how they develop authentic characters and storylines that take on important and relatable issues like mental health in their hit sitcoms.

Recorded May 5, 2021

Characters Managing Mental Health Conditions

Lisa Ling sits down with a powerhouse panel of creatives to discuss how their projects portrayed characters living with mental health conditions in a nuanced and high impact way. The discussion will delve into what happens behind the scenes to bring these powerful stories to life and how these stories can challenge stereotypes and normalize the conversation around mental health.

Recorded May 10, 2021

Stories of Racial Trauma and Mental Health

Lisa Ling and Actress, Regina Hall sit down for a one-on-one to talk about her role in “The Hate U Give”. The film explores racial trauma and how it can affect the emotional wellbeing of an entire community. Regina will discuss the impact of the film, the challenges of portraying roles relating to racial trauma , and how she takes care of her own emotional wellbeing through it all.

Recorded May 10, 2021

Stories of Racial Identity and Mental Health

Hill Harper facilitates a thoughtful conversation with a group of groundbreaking creatives about the importance of expanding portrayals of mental health in diverse communities. The conversation will look at trailblazing content that’s opened up dialogue about racial stereotypes, discrimination and systemic oppression and the toll that these factors can take on mental health.

Recorded May 10, 2021

Hill Harper & Sheila Nevins Deep Dive on Documentary Filmmaking and Mental Health

Hill Harper sits down for a one-on-one with the award-winning, legendary filmmaker Sheila Nevins. They will discuss Each and Every Day, her powerful new MTV documentary film, which tells the story of nine young people who found hope and help after reaching a point of crisis.

Recorded May 10, 2021

The “Reality” of Mental Health

Tanika Ray hosts a dynamic panel of content creators and cast members discussing the role of reality TV in normalizing the conversation about mental health. The panelists will delve into the power of a genre that shows real people dealing with real issues that audiences can relate to and learn from.

Recorded May 10, 2021

Stories of Substance Misuse on Screen

Lisa Ling hosts a panel about how accurate and authentic depictions of substance misuse on screen can challenge misconceptions and create empathy. This discussion will reveal what happens behind the scenes to bring eye-opening portrayals of addiction to the screen in ways that can shift the narrative on substance use disorder.

Recorded May 10, 2021

Lisa Ling & Ally Sheedy Discuss the Evolution of Youth Mental Health on Screen

Lisa Ling is joined by Ally Sheedy for a look back at the iconic coming-of- age film, The Breakfast Club, which broke boundaries and inspired a more honest conversation about the emotional struggles of young people. They will discuss the ways in which that film paved the way for content creators to tell authentic stories that reflect the challenges of young people today while showing the power of peer support.

Recorded May 10, 2021