Her friends may have been struggling with mental health problems, but Kelly Nadel, TeenScreen Program Associate, had no way of knowing. As a high school student in the 1990s, she remembers that mental health was never discussed — not at school, at home, nor with friends. Although mental health stigma remains an issue, there is a now greater awareness of the biological and neurological basis for many mental disorders. There is also a recognition of the prevalence of these disorders in adolescents, and the benefits of identifying and treating these problems early.

Still, stigma continues to play a role in inhibiting parents and teens from reaching out to providers, asking questions, and getting help that a teen may need.

Check our webinar, Teens & Mental Health: How to Help Families, to learn more.

“I was ready to help change that”, says Kelly. She joined TeenScreen in 2005, putting her interest in psychology and her desire to make a difference, to work.

Hear more about the journey that led Kelly to TeenScreen.