<p>Jeff Fladen’s life in mental health advocacy began at home, growing up with a father living with bipolar disorder and a mother who experienced depression—both of whom required hospitalization at different times. What started as a plan to become an electrical engineer shifted after discovering psychology, ultimately leading him into counseling, nonprofit leadership, and national advocacy. From serving as executive director of NAMI Tennessee to becoming president of the National Board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Fladen has helped expand one of the country’s largest grassroots mental health organizations. In this episode, he shares how lived experience, professional training, and leadership intersect—and why he believes recovery is possible, community changes lives, and no one facing mental health challenges should feel alone.</p>