E101: Turning Personal Tragedy into Teen Mental Health Advocacy with Elliot Kallen

I’m honored to welcome Elliot Kallen to the Lead with Heart Podcast. Elliot is the president and co-founder of A Brighter Day, a nonprofit organization that has turned the devastating loss of his teenage son into a powerful mission to prevent teen suicide and offer hope to thousands of families.

In this deeply moving and empowering conversation, Elliot shares how his nonprofit is supporting 3,000–6,000 families each month with free mental health toolkits, a 24/7 teen crisis text line, and Zoom counseling sessions. We explore how emotional intelligence, real communication, and parent-teen connection can create protective factors against the alarming rise in teen suicide.

In this episode:

• [02:47] The loss that sparked a movement
• [05:34] Early warning signs of teen depression and suicidal thoughts
• [08:07] How social media affects teen self-worth
• [11:04] The hidden epidemic of cyberbullying
• [14:53] Practical strategies for emotionally connecting with teens
• [17:57] Programs at A Brighter Day - from text lines to Zoom therapy
• [21:14] The power of nonprofit partnerships
• [22:55] Destigmatizing suicide and mental health struggles
• [28:33] Elliot’s vision for reaching 37 million high schoolers
• [33:51] Leadership lessons from scaling a grief-born mission

RESOURCES

Teen Crisis Text Line: Text “BRIGHTER” to 741741

CONNECT WITH ELLIOT

LinkedIn: Elliot Kallen

Instagram: @abrighterdaycharity

Website: https://abrighterday.info/

Email: [e-mail]

Phone: [phone]

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies to help nonprofit leaders turn visions into reality, and create meaningful impact

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CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. She founded The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business, and has experience with nonprofits in human services, homelessness, and youth sectors. Specializing in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, Haley is dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders to create thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com

Produced by Ideablossoms