Raising Joy Podcast: Transforming Mental Health Conversations with The Defensive Line
Listen to Episode 82 of the Raising Joy podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The podcast is part of the JOY Campaign, which launched in April 2021 as a suicide prevention communication initiative and aims to reach parents through honest conversations about the mental well-being of children and teens.
This episode of Raising Joy tackles a tough but crucial topic: youth suicide prevention, particularly among young people of color. Kristen Pyrc, M.D. welcomes Martha and Chris Thomas, founders of The Defensive Line, a nonprofit on a mission to end this epidemic.
Martha and Chris tragically lost their daughter, Ella Elizabeth Thomas, to suicide at the age of 24. Inspired by Ella's vibrant spirit and the need for change, The Defensive Line is transforming how we communicate and connect about mental health.
Join us for a powerful conversation about:
- Breaking the stigma around mental health in communities of color
- Effective communication strategies to support young people
- Building a world where mental health resources are accessible and inclusive
This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to empower themselves and others to have open conversations about mental health and create a future filled with hope.
Learn more about The Defensive Line here.
Raising Joy is part of Cook Children’s Health Care System’s Joy Campaign, a communications initiative aimed at preventing youth suicides. For more information about the Joy Campaign, visit cookchildrens.org/joy.
New episodes of the Raising Joy podcast will be available each Tuesday. It is currently available on all major streaming platforms including Apple and Spotify.
About Cook Children's
Cook Children’s Health Care System embraces an inspiring Promise – to improve the health of every child through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, we’re proud of our long and rich tradition of serving our community. Our not-for-profit organization is comprised of nine companies, including our Medical Center, Physician Network, Home Health company, Northeast Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Center, Health Plan, Health Services Inc., Child Study Center and Health Foundation. With more than 60 primary, specialty and urgent care locations throughout Texas, families can access our top-ranked specialty programs and network of services to meet the unique needs of their child. For 100 years, we’ve worked to improve the health of children from across our primary service area of Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. We combine the art of caring with leading technology and extraordinary collaboration to provide exceptional care for every child. This has earned Cook Children’s a strong, far-reaching reputation with patients traveling from around the country and the globe to receive life-saving pediatric care. For more information, visit cookchildrens.org.
