In Depth: Coping with mental health

LOS ANGELES - Segment One:      

Hal is joined by mental health advocate Victoria Garrick, who suffered from mental health issues during her career as a USC volleyball player. She discusses her struggle with the pressures of both college and sports, and how she turned her experience into a desire to help others with mental health battles. She says the stressors on young athletes are especially challenging. Garrick also shares her reaction to the suicide of Stanford soccer player Katie Meyer and her hopes that the tragedy will serve as an incentive for others to get help.
            
Segment Two:  

Dr. Carrie Jurney runs the group "Not One More Vet" or NOMV. She talks to Hal about how her group came about from the increase in suicides by veterinarians. Jurney says that veterinarians are beset with stressors, from financial challenges, overwork – even before the pandemic- and the emotional wounds of not being able to save their patients, or having to euthanize them. Jurney says that the workload and burdens have become even greater since the COVID pandemic.

She says that vets need help, not just from her organization, but from the public.  She asks for people to have kindness and patience when dealing with their veterinarian.  She also warns that many vets are the victims of cyberbullying, and asks people to defend them online as well.

Segment Three:    

Hal interviews Ari Hirt, the CEO of Mind Md, and RN Jessie Martori, the co-founder.  They show Hal what the storefront clinic in Beverly Hills is intended to do. Mind MD is a walk-in mental health facility that allows people in crisis to be seen immediately and get help.  The clinic develops short and long-term treatment modalities for patients.

Hirt says that for patients who are worried that they can’t afford the care, that it’s important to start somewhere, and to prioritize their health. The clinic is working to get insurance to cover more of the treatment.  Martori says the goal is to have more of these clinics spread out across the region and ultimately across the country.

Segment Four: 

Hal sums up by sharing the Suicide Prevention Lifeline number 800-273-8255  and website SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.

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