Leader - Divya Bhatia

In this series, we spotlight activists, innovators, and leaders who are shaping their communities and the world, often starting with one courageous decision to speak up and take action. Sharing these stories inspires all of us to find our own voices, take meaningful steps, and create positive change. Today’s guest is someone whose work focuses on creating safe spaces for honest conversations and breaking down mental health stigma. Please join me in welcoming Divya Bhatia.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of our Change Starts Small series on Positive World Positive People. In this series, we spotlight activists, innovators, and leaders who are shaping their communities and the world, often starting with one courageous decision to speak up and take initiative. Sharing these stories inspires all of us to find our own voices, take meaningful steps, and create positive change. But before we jump in, I want to briefly introduce myself. I am Sadie Sunaborn Malachi, your host, and a 15-year-old girl from Southern California. I'm so glad that you're here for this conversation, especially if it's your first time tuning in. Welcome. I'm excited to share today's discussion with you, and I hope you will come back for next the next episode. Today's guest is someone whose work is all about creating safe spaces for honest conversations and breaking down stigma around mental health. Please join me in welcoming Dibia Batia. Divya is a passionate mental health advocate and leader involved with Bring Change to Mind, an organization dedicated to ending stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness. Her work focuses on education, empowerment, and helping people understand that reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness. So without further delay, welcome to Positive World, Positive People, Divia Botia.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Hello, so excited to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Okay, let's start at the beginning. What first inspired you to become involved in mental health advocacy? And how did you find your way to bring change to mind?

SPEAKER_00 1:25

Yeah, my advocacy journey started back in middle school. I joined a women's empowerment club, and that was my first opportunity into this activism world. And I didn't realize that mental health advocacy was specifically what I was passionate about until I was in college. So several years later, but looking back on all of the different topics that I was passionate about, from women's empowerment to advocating for gun safety to working with a variety of organizations for internships, there was definitely a theme of healing throughout.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

For sure. For sure. And I think that when it starts as like one little thing, you never know what it can change into. And yet again, it started with this one club and a bunch of different advocacy things that you were doing. And it came into this beautiful, wonderful thing that you've now turned into such an incre incredible initiative that just is spreading so much good and so much positive energy to so many different people. So it's awesome to see that it can start from like one single thought or one interest that you had way back when. Absolutely. So bring change to mind has a powerful mission around ending stigma. In your own words, what does ending stigma mean and why is it so important in the mental health?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

I think it's really difficult to not only talk about how we're feeling, but accept the response that other people have to what how you're feeling. Find that, I mean, I've always been someone who feels comfortable talking a lot. And for the most part, I've been comfortable talking about my mental health for most of my life too. But there are definitely certain topics that are more difficult for me to talk about, or even like certain people that it's more difficult to talk about it with. I find that with like friendships and family, it's a little bit easier for me to talk about. But with romantic relationships, I have this expectation of wanting to be like as perfect as possible. So it's harder to be open, even though those are that is the person that that you want to be the most open with. So I found that to be such an interesting learning curve. And kind of going to being able to process how other people respond to how you feel. I think, yeah, speaking up for yourself is half the battle. And then responding to how other people react to how you're feeling is another part because you can never control how someone reacts to something like that. And everyone's response is going to be different. Um, you know, some friends are maybe gonna, it might be easier for them to just like hear you out and validate your feelings. Whereas when you talk to a partner or a family member, they may jump to wanting to fix the situation because that's just kind of the intimate role that they play in your life. And I think it's really helpful as a person with lived mental health experience or anyone who feels anything, which is everyone, to think about what you actually want from a conversation. Um, and I think that's what ending the stigma means to me is being able to sit with a person and say, This is how I'm feeling, this is what I need from you, and be able to have that conversation openly and honestly. Um, I think that's the first step.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

Awesome. I think for sure as an adolescent member, it's sometimes really difficult to take that first step and just have a conversation about it. Cause as you mentioned, when we have sometimes in friendships, but particularly in our parental relationships, sometimes our parents want to fix everything that is going on. If we tell them about something that's happening or something that we're struggling with, immediately they're gonna want to find a solution. However, in some instances, all you wanted them to do is listen to you. You're working through it. And I think in the mental health world, it's really important that you yourself have to try to get better no matter what it is, because it's you that's experiencing these things. No matter the external factors, you're gonna have to try to work on it and work for a greater either mental health scape in one sense or another. No matter what it is, you're gonna have to try. And sometimes just having a support system and having people listen to you is the best thing that they can do instead of trying to provide every single solution in the world. Because sometimes I can feel intimidating or just not motivating at all. So I like that you said that having that conversation and that comes with setting boundaries as well, which as an adolescent is sometimes super difficult to do because you start out and you have no clue what your boundaries are, you have no clue where you're lying or what your emotions are gonna be at this certain point in your life or how you're gonna react to someone telling you that they're gonna be there for you and wanna help you through anything. Sometimes in the beginning, you don't know how you're gonna respond to that. But over time, we develop this sense of self and we develop our identity and how it's gonna work and how we're gonna react to things. And that's when we start having those boundaries and that's when we start telling people straight up, hey, I just need you to listen. But it takes time, but also realizing that yeah, it takes time, but we're gonna have to find that point at some point is really, really cool. So I like that you mentioned that conversation.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

I do think the the parent-adolescent relationship is so just extra complicated because you know, I'm 25 now, so I have my own health insurance and I make my own money and I have access to resources. And sometimes I do need, you know, people's help and I do need my parents' help. My parents are both doctors. So there have definitely been times in my journey where I need a certain referral, or, you know, I got told something by a doctor and I wasn't sure if it was the correct path for me. And I'm very grateful to have had that backup to be able to check with them. But being a very young person, I remember being in middle school and high school and having friends come to me constantly asking me, how do I convince my parents to let me go to therapy? Because it was super stigmatized for a lot of families. And that's just a really difficult place to be in. And I don't necessarily have overwhelming advice for anyone in that situation. There are still help lines and text lines and crisis lines that you can reach out to and apps you can explore and self-care that you can do. But I just want to validate that, you know, while you're young, it can be difficult to talk about these things and get the resources that you deserve. But there are still plenty of help out there.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Definitely. And taking that first initial step and setting those boundaries and telling your parents, even though it may be scary, telling your parents what you need is going to be the best thing in the end. Cause if you kind of shy away and you don't always tell them, this I need therapy. I need to go to talk to someone. I understand that maybe that's not you. And I'm sorry if that upsets you in a certain way, but that's what I need. And just taking that, I know it can be a big leap for some people and it's difficult for anybody in that situation, but it's really crucial to do that if you need it in the end. But we break that down by having conversations and just making it a normalized thing so that parents are more accepting to it. Everybody needs to be more accepting to the ideas because then it just becomes natural. It doesn't feel like we'll have those pressures around it. It's been getting better year by year, day by day. Everyone's becoming more welcoming to all of these different ideas about mental health, but it does take time and it does depend on the situation, which is a good thing to highlight as well. So when you think about your journey in specific about leadership, what are some of the biggest challenges you faced as a young leader in the mental health space and how have you navigated through them?

SPEAKER_00 9:22

One of the biggest hardships that I've experienced in my journey being an activist and also specifically in the mental health space was when my best friend passed away to suicide. She passed away while I was in grad school. So I wasn't working just yet. I was, you know, doing part-time jobs, but I wasn't in my current position yet. I was still in school. And I at that point knew for sure that I wanted to pursue a career in the mental health space. And I felt at such a loss on so many different levels because I felt sad as a friend that I wasn't able to support my friend more. And I also felt disappointed in my advocacy or my expertise or my passions, whatever the right word might be, that this was the exact field that I was committing my life to. And here I have a friend who, you know, could have used so many different resources, did engage with so many resources, and it still ended up being a very sad end to her journey. And, you know, I've done personal reflection over the years to come to terms with her not being here anymore. And I have done a lot of advocacy work in her memory. We even started a nonprofit called the Ashna Project, where fundraise for a scholarship to really help her memory and her mental health story last for a very, very long time. But sometimes I have to sit with myself and just remember that the reality of this situation was a girl alone in her college dorm room feeling like she had no one to lean on and that all the resources that were given to her that she engaged with weren't enough. And it's really, really hard. I think that's what makes working in advocacy different is that people are so central to what you're doing. And not just people, but people's pain are really what drives it. So, you know, being able to work in this field is a blessing, but it also definitely takes a toll. And it's a constant daily experience to figure out how to balance it all.

SPEAKER_01 11:42

For sure. I first want to say I'm so sorry for your loss in any instance, no matter the situation. Loss is a hard thing. And I'm really happy that you've been able to work through it and work on it. And I apologize. But I'm glad that you also come out on this other side of it and used it as a way to amplify your advocacy. And you've taken that and you've taken it into this new light of, okay, what can I do to spread the word a little bit more? What can I do so that this drives the work that I'm doing? And every day you see some situations that maybe remind you of her or whatever it may be. And it's really going to be difficult. It's all of these different things, but it's also leading you to this great, awesome thing that you're helping other young people work through. And maybe you're helping somebody get through the hardships that they're facing now. So using that personal anecdote and kind of transpiring it to what you're doing in your life is such a beautiful story. And it really shows that whatever's happening happening to you day to day can really lead you into this new realm of things. And that was kind of the turning point for you to say, I really want to commit myself to this and work on this and do all these things, even though it wasn't maybe the right thing that you wanted to lead you there. It was a really good turning point to show something happened in my life. It tore me apart for a little bit, but I've now come out on the better side of things and I'm working with other people so that hopefully I can help others experience it in a new light, spread more advocacy on it, and just be an educator in this season. So as I mentioned really briefly, your work not only involves advocacy, but does involve education as well. How do you approach educating others, especially teens and young adults, about mental health in a way that feels respectful and encouraging?

SPEAKER_00 13:30

It has definitely been a process. I've been doing this particular role where I'm working with high schoolers for almost three years now. And then before that, I was working specifically with college-age students. And then before that, I, you know, was a student myself. So I've definitely been able to share mental health education to a very wide range of people. And I will say, like time and time again, working with young people is what gives me hope to continue in this field because there's such light in a lot of their answers and their questions. And I mean, I remember, I don't think I've been as passionate as I was, like when I was in high school, you know, thinking about all of the different things that I could do to change the world. So it definitely is such a great experience to be working with the youth, particularly at this stage in my life. I would say the thing that works best in my experience is sharing my own story. I think it's a very powerful tool to share your own story. And it's also something that shouldn't be said lightly. But I've always just noticed that, you know, we would do these, they were called welcome presentations when I started working at this company. And we would go in person to schools throughout the year to have like our launch meeting and, you know, get to know the kids and share a little bit about the organization. And I remember looking at the presentation that was kind of pre-created for us. And there was nothing necessarily wrong about it. It had all of the right information, but it didn't have anything personal to it. So, you know, within the first month of working at this job, I was like, okay, maybe like let me change this up a little bit. And I incorporated my own story into this presentation, as well as asking students a very simple question, which was, what celebrities do you know who have experienced mental illness? And it would be like a very easy question, icebreaker that would get people to start thinking about the people that pop up in their feeds all the time and the people that they see as role models or on the big screen, you know? And then I would kind of transition into my story and talk about the realities of my mental illness and the depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation that I've experienced. And the second I start talking about what I've been through, I really notice everyone kind of sit up in their chair a little bit more and kind of give me a different look and attention, just knowing that like I'm not just there to talk at them. I'm not there to lecture. I'm really there to share something really difficult that happens to me and that I'm there to support them and help them have these conversations. So I think storytelling is one of the most important things we can do in mental health education. I think it's just so transformative. And we're just so lucky when people are able to be vulnerable like that with us.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Exactly. It's building bonds with the people that are around you, especially with such a sensitive topic, understanding the person that's talking to you and making it feel like a conversation. You don't want it to feel like it's a lecture because, as you said, people aren't going to be listening. They're not going to be aware. Maybe they're going to be in the room and they'll hear a couple of words that are coming out of your mouth, but they're not actively listening. Having that personal experience told to so many youth members is crucial because then they realize there's another person that maybe has struggled with the same thing. I want to understand why. Maybe somebody I know has been struggling with that. And I want to understand how to help them a little bit more. Those personal moments in time really bond us together and bridge those gaps of, oh, I don't really know this person. I don't know what they're going through. Am I the only one that's going through this? Is a question that pops up a lot as teenagers. And it's just really good to kind of break down those barriers and make it feel like a conversation and just make it feel free-flowing. And I also want to mention the thing that you first said on teenagers have this kind of light of wanting to always do something and try to find a solution. But sometimes in society, we really overlook it when in reality we have these innovative ideas and because we're experiencing this straight in front of us every single day, we might have solutions that just no one's been willing to listen to. And maybe we're super passionate about something, maybe we're not so passionate about another thing. And but sometimes we all get grouped into this category of you guys just don't care as much, or you don't think the same way as adults do. You haven't had the time of the same amount of time on this planet to be able to come up with these really cool ideas or thoughts or whatever it may be. When in reality, when we're talking about our lives, we're the ones living them at this moment in time. Yes, my parents were a teenager way back when, but now I am a teenager and I'm experiencing what's happening in front of me at this moment. So having those conversations and really embracing the teenage spirit is so great to see in the mental advocacy world, but across every single thing, because we can come up with such innovative ideas that really transpire to make our futures better. In this world, as I mentioned, it's ever changing and ever growing. And right now, social media and media in general is playing a six is significant role in our society. So, what role do you think social media can play in shaping conversations about mental health, both positively and negatively? And how do you navigate that space?

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Oof, it's a big question. I definitely see the positives and the negatives and everything in between. I mean, even right now, I told my girlfriend yesterday that I will be deleting TikTok and Instagram off of my phone because I just really need a break right now. And then at the same time, my little social media scroll is like my safe space at the end of the night to be able to scroll. But I also just lose so much time on that. And I think that that's definitely experience a lot of people that can relate to is the endless scrolling.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

I think on a deeper mental health level, social media is a great place to find community. I was watching, this is super random, but I was watching this Charlie XEX documentary the other day, and it was one from like 2019. And sh the whole premise of the documentary was her um building out this album during quarantine. And uh they followed a couple of her fans kind of through quarantine and the process, and she was super open with her mental health at the time too. So she would do like all of these lives on social media to talk about how she was feeling and do different self-care activities with people. And her fans would also be able to connect with people around the globe over this shared love in this like group chat. So, you know, and I think that's one example of so many of the communities that exist on social media where people get to connect with their identity and other people in a way. And then there's like the flip side of it where being on social media means that a lot of people get to say anything that they want without consequence most of the time. And um, you know, the classic interpretation of social media as the highlight reel of your life, which often leads to a lot of thoughts of comparison to the people around you. I know I feel that way constantly. And I've definitely had my own experience with social media over the years where I've had times when I have shared videos of me crying and like talking about what I was going through. And I've had times when I'm like only doing highlight reels and then, you know, at one point had like a Finsta where all of my crazy emotional thoughts would solely go in there for like the most intimate people in my life. So I think it's a really cool way to express yourself and learn to storytell in a way with the people around you. But it's also been a journey of setting boundaries for myself too, and knowing that not everyone deserves access to my story. So I think it's it's definitely a process, it's a journey, but I don't think it's a tool that necessarily needs to be villainized. Exactly. And I think just like with anything in moderation, things can be really helpful.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

Yeah, it's a balance of all these different things. And as you said, it can be super popular. Positive and maybe sometimes it can be negative as well. However, as teenagers, we're gonna have those moments and times where we just don't know how to work with it. Maybe it's gonna feel like you're comparing yourself to everyone one day, or it's gonna feel like a place to vent to others on another. However, we find what works for us. And another thing that I want to emphasize is that maybe your relationship with social media is not the same as the person next to you. Maybe you don't have TikTok for an actual reason. And maybe people are bonding over all these trends and you feel left out. However, the positives of that might be much more crucial and significant to who you are. So it really just depends on who you're becoming, all the different aspects of your life, and just finding that equilibrium that really works for you. Cause as you said, it can be this place for so many different sources of happiness and communication and connection. And it also can sometimes be a place of negativity and comparison. But finding that balance which makes everyone have this kind of like equilibrium moment is going to be really crucial, but it's going to take a process to get there. And embracing the process and just being aware of it as a teenager is also going to be super significant. So we talked about your challenges with bring change to mind and your process through the mental health world. But what has been one of your proudest moments or experiences in your work and the mental health facilities and bring change to mind?

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Definitely hosting our annual mental health summit. So I've been a part of I think four or five since I've been at Bring Change to Mind. And then I've led the last two that I've been a part of, specifically in San Diego. And we host these mental health summits across the United States. We host them in New York and San Francisco and LA. And so San Diego was uh a newer program that was created when I was brought on. And I think, you know, being someone who works now in basically a commute, completely remote environment, it can be difficult to grasp or see the extent of the impact that you're making. And so I'm very grateful to have this event that I get to work on every year, where I get to see so many people that I work with virtually come together in person. And this I think connects to social media in a way too, where it's like you can do all you want over email and Zoom calls and post things on social media, but there's such a different feeling in your heart when you see them gathered in person. And there's this hope that's present in the room that it's just different than anything you could experience virtually. So, you know, just this last month, we were able to host another mental health summit, and we had about 200 students and staff there. Wow. And I just see it as my baby every year. I get to really pour so much creative energy and passion for mental health into it. And I was just so proud this year to see so many student voices represented on stage. We had, I believe, five students who shared their personal mental health stories, anything from, you know, experiencing men's mental health in the athletic world to starting a club and why that helped their mental health to, you know, engaging with a close friend who was dealing with um suicidal ideation and how to support them. It was such a vast, such vast content in their stories. And I was just so proud of them for being able to stand up on a stage and share that vulnerably with a huge audience. And it's definitely something that, you know, I wish I had when I was younger.

SPEAKER_01 25:49

Definitely.

SPEAKER_00 25:50

I was just very proud to be part of guiding some students through that process and help amplify their stories a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

That's so incredible on so many different levels, just to have that tangible thing right in front of you. And as you said, no matter the work you do online, you're talking on a Zoom, you're emailing these people. And sometimes you don't always see that wow, the impact that I've made is so much bigger than I could have even imagined. And now it's right in front of me, and it's this incredible thing that started from one just simple initiative and it's transpired into this wide web of communications. And as you said, so many people were represented, so many schools were there. And these student members speaking in front of all of these different people is so inspirational on an incredible level, just due to like their confidence and being able to share that because mental health is a vulnerable space. But as we mentioned earlier, having conversations and just sharing it aloud can really open it the doors up to so many other people and show individuals that, hey, I don't need to shy away. I can talk about what I'm struggling with. I can talk about what maybe my friend is struggling with and how to help them, or maybe I just feel like I needed a space and now I have one. So bridging that and creating that to be a tangible thing where you have this whole summit where everybody's participating and being engaged is so, so influential and so crucial on so many different spaces. So finally, if you could leave one message for young listeners who are passionate about mental health, leadership, or just making the world a kinder, more open place, what would you like them to hear?

SPEAKER_00 27:30

I would say to tap into what your passion is, understand the way it makes you feel, and let it drive you.

SPEAKER_01 27:41

That's awesome. A simple couple words, but so powerful at the same time. Take what's going on in your life and bring it into this thing that's really tangible and right in front of you, and make it your dreams, make it your hopes, and just drive it into this future that you can make. But it all just starts back with who you are and what you love doing. And I love that you've seen all of this progress in what you've just done over a short period of time and that it's transpired into this awesome future you're gonna make for yourself. So, Divya, thank you so much for this incredibly thoughtful conversation. Your insight, compassion, and commitment to reducing stigma around mental health is truly inspiring. I'm sure our listeners will come away feeling encouraged and equipped to talk more openly about mental health in their own lives and communities.

SPEAKER_00 28:27

Amazing. Thank you so much. It's been amazing to just talk about my journey and to be here with you and reflect on everything over the last few years. And I just can't wait for what's next.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

That is incredible. So, to everybody listening, I hope today's conversation reminds you that mental health matters and that your voice, your questions, your support, your willingness to listen can truly make a difference. Small steps towards understanding and empathy ripple outward, and leaders like Divya show us how to take those steps with courage and care. Thank you all for tuning in to another episode of Change Start Small on Positive World Positive People. I'm so excited for what's ahead, and I hope you'll join us next time. Until then, signing off with loads of positivity, your host, Sadie Sunborn Malachy.