she persisted

want to hear an expert’s opinion on the teen mental health crisis?! today’s guest is dr. blaise aguirre—an assistant professor in psychiatry at harvard medical school in the department of psychiatry. he is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the founding medical director of the 3east dialectical behavior therapy continuum of care at harvard affiliated mclean hospital. 

in part two of last week’s conversation, dr. aguirre reflects on his 25 years of experience in the treatment of mood and personality disorders in adolescents to share what teens in 2026 are struggling with most. he also shares actionable steps that gen z can take to improve their mental health– ranging from residential treatment to social media and ai use!

if you want to make changes with your mental health, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone– while also providing you with actionable steps you can take to build your life worth living.  

we talk about:

01:40 whether residential mental health treatment is the right choice for young adults

04:35 red flags to avoid when choosing a mental health treatment option

07:20 how teen mental health has changed (and stayed the same!) over time

09:55 pros + cons of using ai as a mental health resource

14:50 the role of social media in today's teen mental health crisis

19:05 mental health advice that every young person needs to hear

mentioned:

• part 1 with blaise

• blaise’s first episode

• @blaisemd on instagram

• blaise’s books

• 3east at mclean hospital

☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:

1. leave a review on apple or spotify

2. dm me a screenshot on instagram

📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!

@shepersistedpodcast

shepersistedpodcast.com

hello@shepersistedpodcast.com 

© 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.

why are some people afraid to ask for help, even when their mental health is getting WORSE?! today’s guest is dr. blaise aguirre—an assistant professor in psychiatry at harvard medical school in the department of psychiatry. he is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the founding medical director of the 3east dialectical behavior therapy continuum of care at harvard affiliated mclean hospital. 

in this episode, i’m reuniting with dr. aguirre to discuss how my treatment at 3east saved my life– and why this program worked for me when nothing else did. dr. aguirre also draws his clinical expertise to unpack all things teen mental health, breaking down topics including self-hatred, agency, family dynamics, & more! 

whether you’re struggling with your mental health or love someone who is, this episode is your guide to what makes treatment actually work. 

we talk about:

03:27 what makes teenagers more likely to accept help for their depression

08:57 finding agency as a teen in inpatient treatment 

12:52 why mental health challenges aren’t an intelligence issue

17:13 the role of self-hatred in depression 

20:38 how depression can impact our relationships 

23:40 what really motivates us to change our worst habits 

mentioned:

• dr. aguirre’s previous episode

• dr. aguirre’s instagram

• dr. aguirre’s books

• mclean 3east

☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:

1. leave a review on apple or spotify

2. dm me a screenshot on instagram

📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!

@shepersistedpodcast

shepersistedpodcast.com

hello@shepersistedpodcast.com 

© 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.

if you want to learn more about how our generation can create lasting change in mental health, this episode is for you!

today’s guest is hailey hardcastle—a gen z mental health advocate who helped pass landmark legislation in oregon allowing students to take mental health days off from school. she was honored by teen vogue as one of the "21 under 21: young women changing the world," and her ted talk on student mental health has been viewed more than 4 million times.

fun fact: this episode was recorded live at the active minds 2026 mental health conference—the nation’s leading mental health conference for young adults!

during this conversation, we discuss our personal mental health journeys, how hailey’s advocacy helped turn an idea into a state law, the most effective ways to advocate for gen z mental health, and so much more– including answering audience questions! 

we talk about:

1:52 why hailey became a mental health advocate at a young age

4:50 how she helped passed a bill allowing student mental health days

7:34 effective ways to open up to your parents about your mental health

12:44 what stops people from asking for help with their mental health

19:04 maintaining our mental health as adults vs. as teens

21:50 the future of mental health policy + advocacy

23:54 advice for people wanting to become mental health advocates

25:22 finding local mental health advocacy opportunities

27:10 what motivates us to speak up about mental health

29:06 tips on pushing forward mental health legislation

mentioned:

• hailey hardcastle

• hailey’s ted talk

• active minds

• mental health conference

• house bill 2191 (student mental health days) 

☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:

1. leave a review on apple or spotify

2. dm me a screenshot on instagram

📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!

@shepersistedpodcast

shepersistedpodcast.com

hello@shepersistedpodcast.com 

© 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.

i’ve recently made a big career change and learned a LOT about my mental health along the way… so let’s talk about it! 

in this solo episode, i’m explaining what sparked this transition in my life & how i’m planning on optimizing this period of change to improve my routines, habits, and overall mental health. 

so, if you’re also going through a major life shift in your 20s– or are wanting to figure out whether you should take the plunge into a new chapter of life– here’s how to do so while optimizing your mental health!

i talk about:

1:52 the career shift i’m making & why!

12:56 my advice for college students & post-grads facing career uncertainty

14:47 why new beginnings are the perfect time to work on your mental health

15:57 mental health areas i’m prioritizing in this new season of life

22:42 staying motivated as a post-grad (vs. as a college student)

26:04 a mindset shift for improving your mental health habits

29:25 defining what makes my life worth living

31:22 journal prompts for goal-setting, career planning, & more! 

mentioned:

• succeeding as a psych major (pt. 1)

• succeeding as a psych major (pt. 2)

• dr. angela duckworth’s episode

• mental health book club episode

• how to change

☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:

1. leave a review on apple or spotify

2. dm me a screenshot on instagram

📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!

@shepersistedpodcast

shepersistedpodcast.com

hello@shepersistedpodcast.com 

© 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.

how can someone have high self-esteem but low self-worth??! today’s guest is dr. marisa g. franco— a psychologist, author, professor, and friendship expert. she writes about how to build relationships with yourself and others for psychology today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like the new york times, the telegraph, and vice.

in this episode, we continue last week’s conversation on self-worth and relationships. this time, we’re focused on the internal factors behind self-worth, such as your emotions, identity, and more!

we talk about:
2:11 why it can be easier to validate someone else's feelings instead of our own
3:28 the two different types of self-esteem (& which one leads to better relationships)
5:04 how to process your emotions to improve your self-worth
7:10 why gaining self-worth can change your life for the better
8:26 ways we reinforce our insecurities without even realizing
12:58 pushing back against our own (& other people's!) insecurities
16:08 misconceptions about self-worth
17:06 if gen z struggles with self-worth more than other generations

mentioned:
• dr. franco’s previous episode
• dr. franco’s instagram
• dr. franco’s website
• pre-order worth

☕giveaway! want coffee on me? every month, i gift one listener a starbucks gift card to enter:
1. leave a review on apple or spotify
2. dm me a screenshot on instagram
📲 bonus entries for story or tiktok tags!

@shepersistedpodcast
shepersistedpodcast.com
hello@shepersistedpodcast.com
© 2026 SHE PERSISTED LLC. all rights reserved.