While hanging out with Audacy backstage at this year's Leading Ladies, Kelsea Ballerini talked about the Feel Your Way Through Fund and the work they do on behalf of mental health.

“So I wrote a book of poetry a couple years ago called Feel Your Way Through, and it talked a lot about my personal mental health journey. And then I decided to start a fund, and called the Feel Your Way Through Fund,” Kelsea shared.

“Every year a portion of ticket sales, and different events goes into that fund and goes out to different organizations and foundations that I feel really passionate about and really lucky to able to come alongside and help support… Over the years it’s been Porter’s Call, it’s been The Loveland Foundation, it’s been The Trevor Project, and I’m always open to learning more and hearing more.”

Audacy's I’m Listeninginitiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

While hanging out with Audacy backstage at this year's Leading Ladies, Kelsea Ballerini talked about the Feel Your Way Through Fund and the work they do on behalf of mental health.
“So I wrote a book of poetry a couple years ago called Feel Your Way Through, and it talked a lot about my personal mental health journey. And then I decided to start a fund, and called the Feel Your Way Through Fund,” Kelsea shared.
“Every year a portion of ticket sales, and different events goes into that fund and goes out to different organizations and foundations that I feel really passionate about and really lucky to able to come alongside and help support… Over the years it’s been <a href="https://www.porterscall.com/">Porter’s Call</a>, it’s been <a href="https://thelovelandfoundation.org/">The Loveland Foundation</a>, it’s been <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, and I’m always open to learning more and hearing more.”
Audacy's <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening">I’m Listening</a> initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening/im-listening-take-control-of-your-mental-health-today">here</a>.

It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's I’m Listening aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal and share their own stories. Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's I’m Listening aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal and share their own stories. Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening/im-listening-take-control-of-your-mental-health-today">here</a>.

I'm Listening

It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's I’m Listening aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal and share their own stories. I'm Listeningis a 365-day-a-year initiative that aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there.

It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's I’m Listening aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal and share their own stories. I'm Listening is a 365-day-a-year initiative that aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there.

Kelsea Ballerini on 'Feel Your Way Through'

While MeghanTrainor is all about that bass, she’s also all about conversations surrounding mental health. The 30-year-old mom of two recently opened up to Audacy about the importance she places on tending to her own mental heath along with some of the boundaries she keeps.

“Mental health was always very important to me before [my kids] were born, but now that they’re here, mental health is number one for me,” she shared. “I have to think about that visual when you’re on an airplane and you put on your mask first and then you put on the kids mask ‘cause if you don’t take care of yourself, how are you gonna take care of someone else? I want to be the best I can be for them.”

In order to be her best, Trainor has set some personal boundaries for herself, especially when it comes to social media. The “Been Like This,” singer shared she does her best to protect herself from the haters and not give any energy to negative comments by avoiding them all together.

“I don’t go digging for comments, I don’t sit there for a long time going through trying to figure out how people feel about me because I know not everyone is going to love me,” she said. “I don’t search me, I don’t take the time to do that.”

By being open about her own struggles with mental health, Meghan hopes to let others know they aren’t alone — just like another star did for her when she was in the depths on anxiety. “When I heard CarsonDaly talk about his panic attacks, that was the only thing that made me feel like I wasn’t crazy,” she shared. “Hearing someone explain exactly what I felt… made me feel so seen and so not alone that I was like, ‘I gotta talk about what I went through.’”

She concluded, “I think the more we talk about it, the more people we’re helping and that’s such a gift.”

Hear more encouragement from Trainor by checking out the clip above surrounding Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative.

Audacy'sI’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

While Meghan Trainor is all about that bass, she’s also all about conversations surrounding mental health. The 30-year-old mom of two recently opened up to Audacy about the importance she places on tending to her own mental heath along with some of the boundaries she keeps.
“Mental health was always very important to me before [my kids] were born, but now that they’re here, mental health is number one for me,” she shared. “I have to think about that visual when you’re on an airplane and you put on your mask first and then you put on the kids mask ‘cause if you don’t take care of yourself, how are you gonna take care of someone else? I want to be the best I can be for them.”
In order to be her best, Trainor has set some personal boundaries for herself, especially when it comes to social media. The “Been Like This,” singer shared she does her best to protect herself from the haters and not give any energy to negative comments by avoiding them all together.
“I don’t go digging for comments, I don’t sit there for a long time going through trying to figure out how people feel about me because I know not everyone is going to love me,” she said. “I don’t search me, I don’t take the time to do that.”
By being open about her own struggles with mental health, Meghan hopes to let others know they aren’t alone — just like another star did for her when she was in the depths on anxiety. “When I heard Carson Daly talk about his panic attacks, that was the only thing that made me feel like I wasn’t crazy,” she shared. “Hearing someone explain exactly what I felt… made me feel so seen and so not alone that I was like, ‘I gotta talk about what I went through.’”
She concluded, “I think the more we talk about it, the more people we’re helping and that’s such a gift.”
Hear more encouragement from Trainor by checking out the clip above surrounding Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative.
Audacy's <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening">I’m Listening</a> initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening/im-listening-take-control-of-your-mental-health-today">here</a>.

Meghan Trainor on Parenting, Social Media, and More

RachelPlatten is reflecting on her battle with postpartum depression and offering hope to those experiencing the same.

“First of all, there’s nothing wrong with you,” she said when asked what she would want to tell fellow Moms struggling. “It’s normal and it’s so common.”

Platten, a mother of two, has been open about her own journey with postpartum depression in 2022, a struggle that she fought to overcome and hopes she can inspire others to do the same.

“I didn’t know this, but one in three women experience it,” she shared. “There is support and there is help — please be brave enough to ask for it and you will be echoed with so much support because you’re not alone.”

She continued, “You are loved and it’s ok Mama — I just wish I could hug all of them and just say, ‘I’m so sorry that we have to go through this, it sucks, but there is light after the dark. I am a living testament to that — that no matter how dark it gets, there is always the dawn.'”

Platten is not only advocating with her words, she’s also offering her messages of support through her music with the song, “Mercy,” which she wrote in the depth of depression and now performs on stages nationwide.

“If you told me when I was writing ‘Mercy’ in the throws of depression and fear that I would have this moment on stage I don’t know if I would’ve believed you because I was suffering so much,” she shared. “It’s not just me — we all can rise and use our pain beauty and for art and for good.”

Hear more encouragement from Platten by checking out the clip above surrounding Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative.

Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Karen Carson

Rachel Platten is reflecting on her battle with postpartum depression and offering hope to those experiencing the same.
“First of all, there’s nothing wrong with you,” she said when asked what she would want to tell fellow Moms struggling. “It’s normal and it’s so common.”
Platten, a mother of two, has been open about her own journey with postpartum depression in 2022, a struggle that she fought to overcome and hopes she can inspire others to do the same.
“I didn’t know this, but one in three women experience it,” she shared. “There is support and there is help — please be brave enough to ask for it and you will be echoed with so much support because you’re not alone.”
She continued, “You are loved and it’s ok Mama — I just wish I could hug all of them and just say, ‘I’m so sorry that we have to go through this, it sucks, but there is light after the dark. I am a living testament to that — that no matter how dark it gets, there is always the dawn.'”
Platten is not only advocating with her words, she’s also offering her messages of support through her music with the song, “Mercy,” which she wrote in the depth of depression and now performs on stages nationwide.
“If you told me when I was writing ‘Mercy’ in the throws of depression and fear that I would have this moment on stage I don’t know if I would’ve believed you because I was suffering so much,” she shared. “It’s not just me — we all can rise and use our pain beauty and for art and for good.”
Hear more encouragement from Platten by checking out the clip above surrounding Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative.
Audacy's <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening">I’m Listening</a> initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening/im-listening-take-control-of-your-mental-health-today">here</a>.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Karen Carson

Rachel Platten on Postpartum Depression

During a recent chat with Audacy V-103’s Greg Street, Usher opened up about mental health, talking about therapy and the importance of preserving your headspace.

Sharing in what ways he believes talking about mental health helps him and can help others, Usher said, “being able to talk about any of the issues that we have is good. But who you choose to speak to, and rather they have the type of education and certification to be able to help you, is important.”

"The reality is sometimes when you're speaking with a professional, they're not there to tell you how to live, they're there for you to hear yourself and then evaluate how to better assess what you're thinking. So it's important, you know, when left to your own thoughts, sometimes it might get so cloudy that you need to be able to have a hired professional to be able to help you process it.”

Usher also went on to note, “I know it's against our culture to be able to assess some of the things that we, that we've went through. But you gotta, you gotta get it out, you have to get it out. And more than anything, you have to hear yourself and then you have to forgive yourself. A great deal of grief that we deal with in our life is the shame that we put on ourselves because we don't have the answers.”

“Sometimes the things that you may have experienced, are going through in your life, it may have not necessarily even being your fault. So to be able to process that and get that out is good for you.”

Sharing the tools he uses to help maintain his mental health, “having a therapist” being one of them, Usher expressed “every day, you know, I start by giving thanks to God and also to even having a personal time for myself. It’s meditation… not religious, it is more personal… not spiritual, but my mental capacity is based off of the space I give myself.”

“This is a thing that I always ask people,” Usher went on to share, “if you take a full bottle of wine, what helps to preserve the wine? Is it the bottle? Is it the juice or is it something else? What do you think it is, is it the cork? What do you think helps to preserve that wine that's in that bottle?"

Answering the conundrum, Usher said, “it's called headspace and that headspace you deserve to have for yourself.”

He continued, “the headspace, that little space that sits in between the cork and the actual juice in the bottle is the difference between that thing that is inside of it, being there for hundreds of years. So that's a metaphor for life. If you give yourself enough space every day, just give yourself a little space, you’d be better.”

Audacy's I’m Listeninginitiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.

Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Greg Street

During a recent chat with Audacy V-103’s Greg Street, Usher opened up about mental health, talking about therapy and the importance of preserving your headspace.
Sharing in what ways he believes talking about mental health helps him and can help others, Usher said, “being able to talk about any of the issues that we have is good. But who you choose to speak to, and rather they have the type of education and certification to be able to help you, is important.”
"The reality is sometimes when you're speaking with a professional, they're not there to tell you how to live, they're there for you to hear yourself and then evaluate how to better assess what you're thinking. So it's important, you know, when left to your own thoughts, sometimes it might get so cloudy that you need to be able to have a hired professional to be able to help you process it.”
Usher also went on to note, “I know it's against our culture to be able to assess some of the things that we, that we've went through. But you gotta, you gotta get it out, you have to get it out. And more than anything, you have to hear yourself and then you have to forgive yourself. A great deal of grief that we deal with in our life is the shame that we put on ourselves because we don't have the answers.”
“Sometimes the things that you may have experienced, are going through in your life, it may have not necessarily even being your fault. So to be able to process that and get that out is good for you.”
Sharing the tools he uses to help maintain his mental health, “having a therapist” being one of them, Usher expressed “every day, you know, I start by giving thanks to God and also to even having a personal time for myself. It’s meditation… not religious, it is more personal… not spiritual, but my mental capacity is based off of the space I give myself.”
“This is a thing that I always ask people,” Usher went on to share, “if you take a full bottle of wine, what helps to preserve the wine? Is it the bottle? Is it the juice or is it something else? What do you think it is, is it the cork? What do you think helps to preserve that wine that's in that bottle?"
Answering the conundrum, Usher said, “it's called headspace and that headspace you deserve to have for yourself.”
He continued, “the headspace, that little space that sits in between the cork and the actual juice in the bottle is the difference between that thing that is inside of it, being there for hundreds of years. So that's a metaphor for life. If you give yourself enough space every day, just give yourself a little space, you’d be better.”
Audacy's <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening">I’m Listening</a> initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources <a href="https://www.audacy.com/im-listening/im-listening-take-control-of-your-mental-health-today">here</a>.
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Greg Street

Kelsea Ballerini on 'Feel Your Way Through'

I'm Listening

In 1 playlist(s)

I'm Listening

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips