NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese

In the fast-paced world of media and entertainment, women often find themselves balancing demanding careers while also managing their mental health. Prioritizing self-care is not only important but necessary. LaKisa Renee and I had the privilege of attending Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival on October 10th in New York City, the largest global celebration of mental health awareness.

The event brought together influential leaders from the arts, including Award-winning Musician, Actor and Advocate Demi Lovato; TODAY Co-Host Carson Daly; Founder and CEO of OBB Media, Michael D. Ratner; and Peoplehood Co-Founder; Actress Sanaa Lathan, to share insights on the importance of mental health, the power of storytelling, and the impact of self-advocacy.

Phil Schermer, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly, Sanaa Lathan  at the World Mental Health Day Festival (Photo Credit: Roey Yohai Studios)

The morning kicked off with a guided meditation with Sanaa Lathan, actress, director, producer and activist, Shakai McCoy-Shephard, Founder of Vital Alchemy, and expert Equinox instructor Michael Gervais. Following the meditation Sanaa led a conversation about the importance of mediation and the different techniques. Shakai also led a confidence meditation exercise. 

Later in the afternoon, Ratner and Lovato joined Carson Daly for a conversation about the impact of mental health storytelling and the transformative power it has to destigmatize shame while inspiring strength and action.

During the panel titled “Lights, Camera, Advocacy: Mental Health in Media,” Ratner and Lovato reflected on their own mental health journeys, changing the way mental health stories are told in Hollywood — and why it matters. Their in-depth discussion also touched on the mental health storytelling exemplified in their projects together, including their recent hit Hulu documentary “Child Star,” which debuted at #1 on the platform globally (Demi’s directorial debut) as well as previous projects “Dancing with The Devil,” which was critically acclaimed and opened the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, and other work.

Lovato shared what her advice would be to her younger self:

“I wish that I had asked for help sooner. I think I was so afraid of losing the momentum of my career that I put everything — I put my recovery — on hold so that I could excel in my career. Honestly, there weren’t a ton of people around me saying that [choosing recovery over a growing career] was okay to do either. So I think telling my younger self, ‘It’s okay to ask for help,’ would be so important and could have saved me from a lot of struggles later in life.”

(L-R) Phillip Schermer (CEO and Founder Project HealthyMinds), Michael D. Ratner, Demi Lovato and Carson Daly attend the Project Healthy Minds World Mental HealthDay Festival in New York City on Thursday, October 10, 2024. (Photo Courtesy of Tammy Reese)

Lovato opened up about her experience at 18 that pushed her to be open about her mental health struggles instead of sweeping it under the rug:

“When I was 18, I went to treatment for the first time. Inpatient treatment for 90 days and I was there for an eating disorder, trauma and emotional issues…I had this very public outburst, which was, I assaulted my backup dancer on the airplane. I was in a lot of pain — there were a lot of issues coming to head, and I had this outburst that was very public and immediately went to treatment. And so being in treatment, my team came to me and said, ‘Look, we can do one or two things. We can either brush this under the rug, you can apologize and hope that people forget what you’re going through. Or you can use this experience to share with others what you’re actually dealing with and be honest and vulnerable with people, which may lead to them getting help for themselves.’

“And I knew at that moment, I wanted to be the role model that I didn’t have growing up, and by role model, I had my mom, I had people in my personal life who were my role models, but nobody in the public eye who was young — who I could look at and say ‘That’s my role model.’ Not because they’re perfect, but because they’re outspoken about what they go through, and they share the emotional turmoil that they have, and they’re open about their eating disorders or mental health struggles. There was nobody in recovery that I could look at and say, ‘That’s my role model,’ and I wanted to be that for my 13-year-old self who struggled so deeply.”

As women in media and entertainment, taking mental health seriously is not just a personal responsibility; it’s a professional necessity. The demands of our industry can be overwhelming, but events like Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival remind us of the importance of self-care and seeking support. I’m passionate about sharing my own mental health journey, and if my story helps even one person realize they are not alone in navigating the industry with anxiety or depression, then my purpose has been fulfilled. I’m grateful LaKisa and I could attend this event, and I hope we can continue to inspire and uplift others in our community to prioritize their mental well-being.

For more on the event please visit https://www.projecthealthyminds.com/wmhdfestival2024