Young children today are faced with so many pressures and influences telling them that they are not good enough unless they achieve this or achieve that. Creating a belief that in order to have worth, they have to constantly achieve or be someone other than who God created them to be. This is a standard that no one will ever meet for themselves, and it does not foster a healthy environment for mental health.

It is clear to say, and the research suggests, that there is a steady decline in youth mental health across the Nation. While there are many factors contributing to this decline, our guest for today’s conversation shares with us her thoughts and experiences on what she sees as the primary drivers of this decline.

In this episode, our host, Whitney Isaacson, sits down with Missy Heilman, founder and CEO of the nonprofit BIO Girls. BIO Girls is improving the mental health and self-esteem of adolescent girls across the Midwest and is a proven, preventive mental wellness program. BIO Girls is on a mission to provide young girls with the tools to believe that they are worthy just for who they are – who God created them to be, not some expectations that society puts on them. Take a listen as we talk through how influences like pressure and achievement are impacting youth mental health today.