TW: mentions of suicide loss
Voicing struggle helps us navigate grief after loss and build resilience. On this episode of jack amplified, we welcome Celia Owen, mental health advocate & Amazing Race Canada alum, who shares her experience processing the loss of her father and the power sharing her story has on her advocacy work.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 for a free confidential with a trained counsellor 24/7. If there is a medical emergency or immediate danger of harm, call 9-1-1 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.
We are more than our academic performance. Guests Lily Baker, Karl Zhu and Brooklyn Ranta reflect on their experiences as students and explore the impact of academic pressure on youth mental health, as final exam season rapidly approaches. We unpack how expectations from school, family, and yourself can lead to stress, burnout, and self-worth struggles—and how young people are learning to redefine success on their own terms.
Men in Canada die by suicide three times more often than women.
That’s often because of the intense societal pressure they face to keep silent about struggle. In honour of Men’s Health Awareness Month, we welcome guests Isaiah Neil and Sachin Latti to discuss their personal journeys with depression and anxiety, Isaiah as a student athlete and Sachin through his work in law enforcement.
They talk about the pressures men face, how stigma and burnout stop people from reaching out for support, and why movement and connection are so important for mental health. Through open conversation, Isaiah and Sachin show how community, empathy, and vulnerability are true sources of strength.
Early intervention starts with giving youth the literacy they need to understand their mental health and engage in conversations that normalize and validate their complex emotions. On this week’s episode of jack amplified, Jack Talks speaker Liv Miller touches on her journey becoming a mental health advocate as a teenager with the Bridges of Hope project, inspiring fellow young people to get proactive about their mental health, and challenging stigma as a passionate community leader. Later, Liv and host Michael Braithwaite share their insight into the role adults play in providing youth with supportive environments to reach out about mental health challenges.
This week, host Michael Braithwaite chats with Jack.org Youth Ambassador and Chapter Leader Leyan Al-Mashita to explore the healing power of community and the unique role youth-led, inclusive spaces like Jack Communities play in providing young people with the tools to take care of their mental health — and each other. They discuss what is needed for youth to feel connected to and supported in their mental wellness journey, and how increased education and literacy can reach the intersections of many communities.
Episodes of jack amplified drop every other Wednesday.
Introducing jack amplified: the new podcast from Canada’s leading youth mental health charity, Jack.org. In honour of World Mental Health Day, host Michael Braithwaite chatted with former Jack Talks speaker & Chapter member Samarah Maqbool to discuss how belonging can be a powerful tool of prevention against declining mental health amongst young people. Samarah tells us why community engagement and equity-informed practices matter in prevention through the lens of her advocacy and lived experience as a South Asian woman, and how organizations like Jack.org have made a difference in her journey.
New episodes of jack amplified drop every other Wednesday anywhere you get your podcasts.
Conversations rooted in empathy. Mental health advocacy fueled by action. Impact driven by youth. This is Jack Amplified.
jack amplified digs into the issues that matter to people who are shaping youth mental health in Canada. Hosted by Michael Braithwaite, Jack.org’s President & CEO, the podcast cuts to the heart of the youth mental health crisis through informative, stigma-busting conversations with youth advocates, thought leaders, and mental health experts.
Building on Jack.org’s expertise in prevention and mental health education, jack amplified shares stories of resilience, delivers real-world mental health skills, and amplifies expert voices to equip people with the knowledge and confidence to support themselves and others through times of struggle.
Since 2010, Jack.org has worked alongside youth across Canada, in communities and online, to provide resources and programming that promote education, community-building and early intervention. Now, we’re setting out to reach more young people than ever with tools, insights, and inspiration to change the youth mental health landscape in Canada.
New episodes drop biweekly on Wednesdays on Spotify, Apple Podcasts (audio) and youtube.com/jackdotorg (audio/video).
To find out more about the work we do, visit our website.