Mental Health in Focus: Healthline Announces Next Live Town Hall

• Artists, Entertainers, and Journalists Will Join Healthcare Professionals and Advocates to Advance the Public Conversation About Mental Health
• Survey Finds Pandemic Had Both Negative and Positive Effects on Mental Health

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To support the nearly 80 percent of Americans who experienced emotional challenges, including stress, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness during the pandemic, and in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month, Healthline Media will host a free Live Town Hall: Mental Health in Focus, on Tuesday, May 25, at 2:00 p.m. ET.

The Healthline Live Town Hall will feature artists, entertainers, journalists, and advocates, each of whom tells a deeply personal story about their mental health journey through books, broadcasts, or foundations that advance the public conversation.

“Nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. lives with a mental health condition, and this number is increasing in the wake of the pandemic,” said Healthline.com Editor in Chief Erin Petersen-Edge, who will be one of the Live Town Hall’s moderators. “This Live Town Hall will enable people from all walks of life to hear candid conversations with public figures who have personally experienced various mental health conditions.”

The event will be free to watch on Healthline’s home page, Facebook Live, and YouTube without registration. Media are invited to register on the BrightTALK platform here. Closed captioning is also available through BrightTALK. More information about the event can be found on Healthline here.

The Healthline Live Town Hall guests will include:

• Actor, writer, producer, and director Taraji P. Henson
• Singer-songwriter and author Jewel
• Singer, actor, and author Michelle Williams
• ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton
• ABC News correspondent and co-anchor Dan Harris
• Motivational speaker, business coach, and incoming “Real Housewives of New York” cast member Bershan Shaw
• DRK Beauty founder Wilma Mae Basta

The discussion will be moderated by Ms. Petersen-Edge and Faye McCray, Editor in Chief of PsychCentral.com, a sister publication of Healthline. Healthline Media Vice President of Communications Steve Swasey will host.

Survey Findings: Pandemic Caused Stress, but Many Americans Found a Silver Lining

In anticipation of the Live Town Hall, Healthline surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. Americans ages 16+ about how the pandemic impacted their mental health.

• Nearly 80% reported an increase of negative emotions—in particular stress, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness—during the pandemic.
• 83% also found some positives, including more time for themselves, an increased appreciation for simple pleasures, and more time for fitness.
• 4 in 10 Americans feel there have been improvements in the way society acknowledges and deals with mental health issues as a result of the pandemic.
• COVID-19 infections and deaths are still the social issue people feel most stressed about.

“Mental health issues can take many shapes and affect people from all walks of life,” said Ms. McCray. “It’s important for them to know that they aren’t alone if they are having a difficult time and that help is out there.

“No one should feel alone in their mental health journey,” Ms. McCray added.

The Healthline Live Town Hall will amplify a new Healthline Media initiative, TRANSFORM: Health Equity. Health equity means everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest lives. By amplifying marginalized voices and creating educational content and tools for deep learning and community engagement, TRANSFORM: Health Equity strives to advocate for those whom today’s health system marginalizes.

The event on May 25 will be the fourth in a series of quarterly Live Town Halls intended to inform the public about critical health and wellness issues. Previous editions featured Dr. Anthony Fauci, broadcast journalist Lesley Stahl, comedian and commentator D.L. Hughley, actor and activist Alyssa Milano, and others.

About Healthline Media

San Francisco-based Healthline Media’s mission is to support the everyday journey to lifelong well-being through exceptional services that power healthy actions. The company is the world’s leading digital health publisher with its brands Healthline.com and MedicalNewsToday.com ranked #1 and #4 by Comscore, respectively, and Greatist.com and PsychCentral.com. Each month Healthline Media publishes more than 1,000 evidence-based, medically-accurate articles and videos produced by more than 120 writers and reviewed by more than 100 doctors, clinicians, dietitians, and other experts. The company’s repository contains more than 70,000 articles and videos, each updated with current protocols. More than 250 million people worldwide and 85 million people in the U.S. visit Healthline’s sites each month, according to data from Google Analytics and Comscore, respectively. Healthline Media is owned by Red Ventures.