Francesca Reicherter shares a deeply personal journey from the pressures of competitive cheerleading to becoming a beacon of hope in mental health advocacy. Her story lays bare the impact of media, social media, and societal pressures on self-worth, and how writing and podcasting became her refuge and platform for change and breaking the stigma. We explore how her struggles led to the founding of multiple different entities and projects, such as:

• “Inspiring My Generation” -- a nonprofit on a mission of suicide prevention
• “Normalize the Conversation” -- a podcast which amplifies diverse voices in mental health
• “Gracefully Chaotic” -- an online community for mental empowerment

Furthermore, her insights on self-care practices (Building Block #2) and meaningful relationships (Building Block #4) paint a powerful picture of resilience and community as cornerstones of mental health recovery. Francesca's journey is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the pursuit of meaningful education and support systems.

To learn more about Francesca and to get in touch with her, check out her websites and her podcast:

francescareicherter.com

inspiringmygeneration.org

open.spotify.com/show/4jRxkfg2SjvzkCidaUG3ho

*Francesca's story about her mental health journey in the beginning of the episode went longer than expected, but it was incredibly inspiring!

*trigger warning we do talk about suicide

*AI was used to help with the creation of the episode title and the episode description

For more information about the Five Building Blocks of Recovery and/or to contact Jared, go to Five Building Blocks of Recovery (thefivebuildingblocksofrecovery.com)