OUTSIDE THE BOX with Janeane Bernstein, Ed.D.

Peggy Rajski (she/her) is an Oscar-winning filmmaker, LGBTQ+ ally/activist, and  entrepreneurial leader. A long-time feature film producer in the world of  entertainment, Rajski made her directorial debut on the short film Trevor (1994), a  poignant comedy about a young teen whose world is turned upside down when  word spreads at school that he might be gay, and his thoughts turn toward  suicide. Trevor went on to win the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in  1994, and eventually led Rajski to create The Trevor Project, the world's leading organization providing crisis intervention services and suicide prevention programs  for LGBTQ+ young people since founding in 1998. She served as the organization's Executive Director during its critical startup years and has remained on the Board of  Directors since. In film, Rajski has produced multiple award-winning feature films, served as the Dean of LMU's top 10-ranked School of Film and Television from 2018-2021,  accepted appointment as inaugural head of the NYU-Tisch Graduate Film Program's creative producing program from 2010-2018 including overseeing development of the core curriculum, and has conducted master classes and  workshops on producing and pitching in the U.S. and abroad throughout her  career.  From November 2022-July 2024, she stepped in as Interim CEO at The Trevor  Project at the Board's request to help steward the now 500+ person organization's  transition to a new chapter. Her goal from founding day to today is ensuring Trevor  thrives as a vital, industry-leading lifesaving resource for LGBTQ+ young people at a  critical moment in their lives.Learn more about Peggy 

Your Reality, a short film written and starring Tatjana Anders and directed by Top Tarasin, which seeks to highlight the impact of gaslighting, has recently surpassed over six million views on YouTube. The film, which has received 17,000 comments from people sharing their own experiences with gaslighting, follows a successful PR manager who slowly loses her grip on reality after falling in love with a charming yet manipulative photographer. Gaslighting is the action of repetitively (and often brazenly) lying to someone to manipulate, and ultimately control them and the relationship. It could be divided into four different types: outright lying, manipulation of reality, scapegoating and coercion. According to the Office of National Statistic, the Crime Survey for England & Wales estimated that 2.1 million people aged 16 or older (1.4 million women and 751,000 men) experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023. Over 889,000 incidents (excluding Devon & Cornwall) of domestic abuse were recorded by the police in England and Wales, but just over 39,000 were convicted. The National Domestic Violence Hotline found that 95% of contacts made in 2020 stated they were experiencing emotional abuse. Gaslighting can also be seen in the workplace, with a 2019 study conducted by MRH Global finding that over 54% of respondents, from a pool of over 3000 people, say they had experienced gaslighting at work. Gaslighting is not exclusive to domestic or professional relationships and has also been found to exist in para social relationships between an audience and a public figure or politician. A para social relationship develops when an audience can feel they know and trust a public figure in question due to their cultivated perception or shared ideals despite not knowing the individual in real life. Speaking about the project, Anders explains why she wanted to make the short:“Your Reality was inspired by a close friend of mine, whose happiness, confidence, and self-worth has been demolished by a gaslighting ex. Seeing the devastating impact it had on her and how long it took for her to recover made me want to raise awareness on this topic. With over six million views on YouTube, I am deeply touched by the overwhelming response to our short film. However, the number of comments and messages I receive from (predominantly) women about how much they can relate to the main character is genuinely concerning - it made me want to do more around this topic. That's why I'm currently working on a feature film version with award-winning director / producer Matthew Wortman. The feature focuses not only on how the story ends, but also on the root cause of gaslighting, which usually starts with parents.” In a 2023 article, Choosing Therapy highlighted the issue of gaslighting within paternal relationships. Stating “Gaslighting parents use toxic ways to manipulate and control their children, such as distorting the facts, denying a child's experience, or playing the victim. In adulthood, the effects of being raised by gaslighting parents can include low self-esteem and a heightened risk for mental health disorders.” Growing up in Ukraine, Anders moved to Germany at the age of ten. Learning a new language and culture made her hyper-observant of the people around her - a gift she now channels into her film work. After completing a degree in Business, she decided to follow her passion for acting and filmmaking instead, creating films that have a meaningful message and a potential for life-changing impact.

Free Mom Hugs' mission is to celebrate the LGBTQIA community through visibility, conversation and education and hugs.   Valencia Foster is the Free Mom Hugs Southern California State Chapter Lead, and a native of Los Angeles. Valencia has had a long and rewarding career in pharmaceutical and biotech sales and marketing. Currently, she is an Associate Director in  field marketing as a Thought Leader Liaison with a pioneering biotech company. Valencia ‘s passions include her allyship advocacy for the LGBTQIA community. She has held the position of Southern Chapter Leader for the national nonprofit organization, Free Mom Hugs, for the last 5 years.  Free Mom Hugs' mission is to celebrate the LGBTQIA community through visibility, conversation and education and hugs.   The Free Mom Hugs Story Free Mom Hugs was founded by Sara Cunningham, a Christian mother in conservative Oklahoma, who spent years rejecting her son Parker's sexuality, after he came out to her. Conflicted by her love for her son and her spirituality, Sara exhaustively searched faith and sexuality for answers. What she learned would transform her journey from the church to the pride parade. As Sara became involved in the LGBTQIA+ community, the hurt, shame and injustice they frequently experience was painfully clear. Remembering that she too was once in the crowd that rejected this loving, vibrant community, Sara took action. On Saturday, June 20, 2015, Sara wore a homemade button with the words “Free Mom Hugs” to the Oklahoma City Pride Festival. She offered hugs to anyone who made eye contact. The first hug Sara gave was to a beautiful girl who whispered, “It's been four years since I got a hug from my mom because I'm a lesbian.” Sara embraced her and hundreds more that day, and many shared similar stories with every embrace. That day Free Mom Hugs — a nationwide movement of love, visibility and acceptance for the LGBTQIA+ community — was born. In 2018, Sara created a Facebook post that instantly went viral: “PSA: If you need a mom to attend your same-sex wedding because your biological mom won't, call me. I'm there. I'll be your biggest fan. I'll even bring the bubbles.” The shockwaves of the post catapulted Sara and Parker's story into the national spotlight. Shortly after, the movement took another leap forward when Free Mom Hugs was established as a national nonprofit. Today, Free Mom Hugs has chapters in all 50 states and other initiatives forming globally. The group's growing force of more than 14,000 volunteers is a national groundswell dedicated to empowering the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through visibility, conversation and education. ⁠Free Mom Hugs Story⁠ Valencia Foster (she/her) Free Mom Hugs SoCal State Chapter Lead 

On this week's episode of Outside the Box, Janeane sits down with GRAMMY award-winning musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Matt Sorum. Sorum discovered the power of music at an early age after seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and being captivated by Ringo Starr on the drums. Sorum's professional music career spans decades with world-renowned bands including The Cult, Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, as well as solo albums and collaborations with artists from every genre of music. Sorum opens up about his family of music makers who shared their love of music with him early in life from his grandfather who was a professor of music at Long Beach State University to his mother who was a music instructor and Superintendent of Music at twenty-six schools in Orange County, California. Matt's brothers were also musicians, as well. Matt also talks about his impactful Adopt the Arts Foundation he started in 2012 alongside Golden Globe award and Emmy award-winning Actor Jane Lynch to provide underserved elementary schools with high-quality music education curriculum and resources.  For more information, visit www.AdopttheArts.org Follow Outside the Box on Instagram and TikTok @otbseres Keep up with Dr. Janeane Bernstein @janeanebernstein on Instagram. www.janeanebernstein.com www.otbseries.com

Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story. He recently published The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story. He's also published Fissures, a collection of 100-word stories; All the Comfort Sin Can Provide; Nothing Short Of: Selected Tales from 100 Word Story; and Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo. His stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, including Tin House, The Southwest Review, and The Gettysburg Review, and he has been anthologized in collections such as Norton's New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction, Flash Fiction America, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction. His essays on creativity have been published in The New York Times, Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, Writer's Digest, and The Writer.Find Grant online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Listen to his podcast Write-minded and subscribe to his newsletter Intimations: A Writer's Discourse.

Heidi is a pioneer in social change finance and business, and a mother of two children. After serving as a wealth manager at UBS Wealth Management, in 2014 she founded Anastasia Finance and serves as an impact investing guide/concierge to women, millennials and their families and help activate global systemic change.When imagining what would be needed to achieve moonshots such as the SDGs by 2030, she realized that we needed people with the best imaginations in the world: kids. Thus, she started Dream Tank with Ashley Kulik in July of 2016. Heidi believes the power and creative genius of kids can innovate a better future for all. She thrives in building in mentorship and community connection to this end. Her dream is to grow Dream Tank globally to further amplify the voices of youth and their participation in meaningful and bold community change.ABOUT DREAM TANKDream Tank inspires and empowers kids and teens to put their passion, creativity, and energy to work in making their communities better through social ventures that address one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by building a social entrepreneurship ecosystem (accelerator centers, curriculum, mentors, digital platform/tools and micro-loans) designed specifically for Youth to solve economic and environmental problems in their communities, and the world.

Rewind to 2020, and there we were in the pandemic. I felt isolated, depressed and disconnected socially - until I signed up for my first CanAm Ryker riding class and life has never been the same. Thanks Saddlebackridertraining and Jonathan Armstead, Global Partnerships Manager for Can-Am On-Road, for taking the time to talk to me about his role at one of the most forward thinking and inclusive companies around. The mental, physical and emotional benefits of riding a Can-Am three-wheeled motorcycle are hard to put into words. You'll have to experience it for yourself. The Can-Am Spyder and Ryker are three-wheeled motorcycles manufactured by Can-Am motorcycles, a division of Bombardier Recreational Products.ABOUT JONATHAN ARMSTEADI'm the Global Partnerships Manager for Can-Am On-Road, managing our brand ambassadors, content creators, influencers and celebrities. When I'm not on the open road (with my 3WV, of course), I'm a content creator under the pseudonym Jon the Dad, creating relatable videos surrounding parenting, relationships and childhood nostalgia. I'm also a musician and have a 90s cover band called Topanga. I live in Dallas, TX with my wife and two kids (4 and 2).Learn more: CanAm

Kylee McGrane-Zarnoch is the Founder and Executive Director of A Moment of Magic Foundation, a mental health advocate, and content creator that has amassed more than 100,000 followers across social media.In December 2014, Kylee had the idea to dress up like a princess and visit local children's hospitals. After her first visit to a 202 bed hospital in New York, she fell in love and A Moment of Magic was born.After a little bit of magic in November 2016, A Moment of Magic's story went viral, grossing more than 65 million views worldwide. The international attention helped the organization gain the momentum needed to make Kylee's dream come true and allow A Moment of Magic to be adopted by Colleges and Universities across the United States.Today, A Moment of Magic has engaged more than 1,300 college student volunteers from more than 30 colleges and universities to partner with 300+ hospitals and NPO's to provide creative programming to more than 100,000 children.Under the banner of A Moment of Magic, Kylee has spoken as a business, female empowerment, volunteerism and advocacy expert for companies and organizations including Get Your Play Online, the American Red Cross, and Penn State University. She has been featured in over 100 international publications including the New York Post, USA Today, CNN, and The Today Show. Kylee is a President George H.W. Bush Daily Point of Light Honoree, a Sara Blakely and Spanx Red Backpack Fund Recipient, and New York Yankees HOPE Week Honoree.Today, Kylee uses her platform to advocate for causes she cares most about, including mental health, the power of creativity and vulnerability, and chasing your dreams (especially the ones that seem impossible). She creates spaces where others can feel empowered to understand their vulnerability as a superpower rather than a weakness, to craft and share your story, and to dream big dreams and chase them fearlessly.

Willie is currently the Stan Richards Professor of Creative Advertising at SMU's Temerlin Advertising Institute, where he teaches classes related to creativity and portfolio development. Willie Baronet was the owner and creative director of GroupBaronet from 1992-2006. His design and advertising work has been featured in CA, Graphis, The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), NY Art Directors, The One Show, Print, Annual Report Trends, The Type Directors Club among others.In 2013 he was given the AIGA Fellow award, the highest honor an AIGA chapter can bestow upon one of its members.He has spoken to business and creative organizations including TEDxSMU, and has judged many creative competitions including the prestigious Communication Arts Annual.Willie has an MFA in Arts and Technology from UTD in 2011. He has been featured in group exhibitions including “Art as a Medium for Action” at Hoxton Arches, London , “Truth to Power” in Philadelphia in conjunction with the DNC, and “INVASIONEN/INVASIONS” in Hamburg, Germany. He has also had solo exhibitions across the U.S.Willie has been buying and collecting homeless signs since 1993 as part of a long term art project "WE ARE ALL HOMELESS." In 2014 he began a 31-day cross country trip to buy signs in 24 cities, which was the subject of the documentary Signs of Humanity (now available on Amazon Prime), which premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival and has been accepted into 7 additional festivals. The project has been featured in dozens of international and local media, including Yahoo! News, NPR - All Things Considered, The Huffington Post, Al Jazeera America and Fast Company's blog, posted by Katie Couric. An UpWorthy video about the project has been viewed over 6.4 million times.Willie is a 1982 graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He has taught advertising design at Brookhaven Community College, Texas A&M at Commerce, TCU, and has served as visiting faculty for the MA Program at Syracuse University.https://linktr.ee/WillieBaronet

Academy Award-nominated, Emmy-winning director Julie Cohen speaks with host Dr. Janeane about her latest film, EVERY BODY - a revelatory investigation of the lives of intersex people, created in partnership with NBC News StudiosCohen directed the project alongside producers Tommy Nguyen and Molly O'Brien and consulting producer Shana Knizhnik. Executive Producers are Elizabeth Fischer, Liz Cole, Noah Oppenheim and Andy Berg.The film tells the stories of three individuals who have moved from childhoods marked by shame, secrecy, and non-consensual surgeries to thriving adulthoods after each decided to set aside medical advice to keep their bodies a secret and instead came out as their authentic selves. Actor and screenwriter River Gallo (they/them), political consultant Alicia Roth Weigel (she/they), and Ph.D. student Sean Saifa Wall (he/him) are now leaders in a fast-growing global movement advocating for greater understanding of the intersex community and an end to unnecessary surgeries. Woven into the story is a stranger-than-fiction case of medical abuse, featuring exclusive footage from the NBC News archives, which helps explain the modern-day treatment of intersex people.otbseries.com

APAIT has held a distinctive record of providing high quality programming through its vision – to advocate, educate, and achieve optimal health and well-being for vulnerable communities. APAIT's mission is to positively impact the quality of life for vulnerable communities experiencing behavioral health challenges, housing insecurity, and at-risk for HIV/AIDS.APAIT is grounded by its core values of compassion, commitment, communication, empowerment, integrity, mentorship, respect, and teamwork. Established in 1987 as a grassroots AIDS service organization (ASO) for Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) who were dying alone from AIDS-related stigma and shame.Headquarters are located at 3055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90010 in Koreatown. APAIT historically reaches out to the diverse multi-ethnic communities of LA and Orange counties who identify as LGBTQIA-2S, immigrants and refugees, at-risk for HIV/STIs, housing insecure, and with behavioral health lived experience. Service delivery is tailored from a trauma-based care approach composed of a multi-disciplinary team providing an integrated model of behavioral health treatment, health education and prevention, housing, research, and HIV/AIDS support.APAIT programming includes outpatient behavioral health counseling, psychiatry, support groups, intensive case management, patient navigation, benefits counseling, housing support, HIV/STI testing, primary care and outpatient HIV specialty referral, and community based participatory research.https://www.apaitonline.org

As a teen, Aidan did work exchange programs for Lines Ballet of San Francisco, American Conservatory Theatre and San Francisco Academy for the Performing Arts under legendary opera singer Richard Nichol. Once Aidan became documented, he went on to perform in over 30 theatrical productions with some of the best theatre companies in the nation including American Conservatory Theatre, American Musical Theatre, McCoy Rigby Productions, San Francisco Shakespeare and Berkeley Rep Theatre. He also found success in the world of commercials, television and film. He has booked over 30 national commercials and his television and film credits include: Casual (Hulu), Kingdom (Hulu), Conan (NBC) Atom TV (Comedy Central) to name a few. He has been seen on NBC, Amazon Prime, PBS, CBS, TV Guide Channel, Hulu, Comedy Central and numerous feature films, shorts and commercials.When Aidan was new to the world of stand-up comedy, he quickly gained a reputation in the Los Angeles comedy scene as "a comic to watch." Since then, he's become an internationally touring headliner and earned a verified social media following with his viral videos. Aidan has produced live theater, developed projects with Laugh Factory Productions, Reel TV Films, Totally LA, and more. He is the Founder of Solar Shark Productions, where he produced and starred in his own scripted reality TV show, Aidan Park: On the F-List. The Hollywood Improv hosted its premiere. Aidan has written and produced over a dozen theatre projects in California and produced comedy shows at some of the top clubs in Hollywood. In addition to his monthly shows at Flappers Comedy Club and The Hollywood Improv, Aidan created a brand of comedy shows called Rainbow Pop for LGBT audiences. Rainbow Pop lived at the Laugh Factory Hollywood.He booked some of the world's top comedic talent to appear on stage including stars of RuPaul's Drag Race, Margaret Cho, Nicole Byers, Sherri Shepherd, Whitney Cummings and many more! Rainbow Pop ran for four years to great success and accolades. The show boasted successful collaborations with LGBT-focused advocacy groups including: Aids Healthcare Foundation, EQCA, and No H8 Campaign. Rainbow Pop was also a commercial success. Aidan negotiated sponsorship deals with more than 20 local businesses and corporations including Orange Theory Fitness, The Body Factory, The Hustler Store and The Chateau Marmont. more: otbseries.com

Sky Bergman, Filmmaker, Professor Emeritus of Photography and Video at California Polytechnic State UniversityTalks about #ageism, #filmmaking, #photography, #intergenerational, and #diversityequityinclusionSky Bergman is an accomplished, award-winning photographer. Lives Well Lived is Sky's directorial debut. Her fine art work is included in permanent collections at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Brooklyn Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (National Library of France) in Paris.Her book, The Naked & The Nude: Images from the Sculpture Series, includes an introduction by Hèléne Pinet, curator of photography at the Rodin Museum in Paris. She has shot book covers for Random House and Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc., and magazine spreads that appeared in Smithsonian, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, Reader's Digest, and Archaeology Odyssey. Sky Bergman currently is a Professor of Photography and Video at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.www.skybergmanproductions.com

Heidi Zuckerman is CEO and Director of the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and a globally recognized leader in contemporary art. She is host of the podcast About Art and author of the Conversation with Artists book series.Appointed in January 2021, Zuckerman led the museum in opening its new home in October 2022 designed by Morphosis Architects under the direction of Pritzker Prize winner Thom Mayne. The state-of-the-art 53,000 square foot building is double the size of the museum's former location in Newport Beach. In a salute to OCMA's thirteen female founders, the opening collection exhibition will be 13 Women, organized by Zuckerman. This is the second building project she has completed. Zuckerman is the former 14-year CEO and Director of the Aspen Art Museum.After reimagining the museum as a world-class institution, she founded its annual ArtCrush gala, raised more than $130 million and built a new, highly acclaimed museum with Shigeru Ban, the 2014 Pritzker Prize winner for architecture. At the Aspen Art Museum, Heidi Zuckerman curated the exhibitions Wade Guyton Peter Fischli David Weiss (2017), Yves Klein David Hammons/David Hammons Yves Klein (2014), Lorna Simpson: Works on Paper (2013), Mark Grotjahn (2012) and Fred Tomaselli (2009).From 1999 to 2005 she was the Phyllis Wattis MATRIX Curator at the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, where she curated more than forty solo exhibitions of international contemporary artists such as Peter Doig, Shirin Neshat, Teresita Fernández, Julie Mehretu, Doug Aitken, Cai Guo-Qiang, Tacita Dean, Wolfgang Laib, Ernesto Neto, Simryn Gill, Sanford Biggers, Ricky Swallow and Tobias Rehberger.Formerly she was the Assistant Curator of 20th-century Art at The Jewish Museum, New York, appointed in 1993, and curated Light x Eight: The Hanukkah Project, Contemporary Artist Project: Kristin Oppenheim and Louis I. Kahn Drawings: Synagogue Projects which traveled to The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.She has curated more than 200 museum exhibitions during her career and is the author of numerous books including a widely loved children's book The Rainbow Hour with artist Amy Adler.She was recently appointed to be an Arts Commissioner for the City of Costa Mesa.Zuckerman earned a BA in European History from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in Art History from Hunter College at CUNY and holds a Harvard Business School Executive Education certification.

Chicago native Michael Fosberg has spoken at nearly a thousand high schools, colleges, government agencies, corporations, law firms and not-for-profits over the past fifteen years, utilizing his award winning autobiographical story, told in the form of a one-man play, as an entry point for meaningful dialogues on race and identity.His work with groups such as; The Boeing Company, United Way Worldwide, PNC Financial Services, and The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency is reshaping the way organizations talk about leadership, authenticity and inclusion. Michael has been a frequent guest in the media speaking on these issues, and his latest book, Nobody Wants to Talk About It: Race, Identity and the Difficulties in Forging Meaningful Conversations, offers readers seven important tools to engage in authentic dialogue.In 2011 he published his much lauded memoir, Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery. He also launched a series of unique virtual e-learning programs using his play as the entry point for delving into uncomfortable conversations and, more recently, Incognito the Podcast - a deep dive into the variety of methods people use to collaborate inclusivel

Terra Lopez is Backline's Community Manager and head of Artist Partnerships. Terra works directly with artists, brands, and partners to help spread general awareness about Backline's life-saving services while also engaging with the Backline community via social media content and messaging. more: otbseries.com

Sam Lamott is a single dad, college drop-out, ex-meth head, who came out of a ten-year bender at the age of twenty-two with severe clinical depression, a two-year-old, and zero life skills. Simply put, there is nobody more genuinely curious about how to be a human being. Featured in Itunes New and Noteworthy 2018. Featured in Apple top 200 podcasts in Health 2018. Featured in Apple top 200 podcasts in Self-Help 2018. Founder http://HelloHumans.co/

Adia Fadaei is a 20-year-old Iranian-American mental health and suicide prevention advocate from Los Angeles, California with over six years of experience in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, public speaking, and psychoeducation outreach. Her passion for eradicating the stigma surrounding mental health and suicidality began during her work in high school at Teen Line as a hotline listener, outreach presenter, and intern. She is a crisis counselor for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center and a full-time undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Psychology at Point Loma Nazarene University.She is a part of Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez's inaugural cohort of Rare Impact Mental Health Ambassadors and a part of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation Advisory Board. She has served on advisory boards and internships with Bring Change to Mind, the National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide, and her university's wellness center. Adia embraces activism through individualized initiative and systemic action amongst her local and national communities.She represents youth in mental health engagement amongst senior leadership at the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), & The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Her advocacy work has been featured at the nation's first Mental Health Youth Action Forum hosted by MTV and Viacom CBS, in coordination with the Biden-Harris administration and Selena Gomez, held at the White House.

OUTSIDE THE BOX features Sam G, a 2023 Advisory Board Member for Born This Way Foundation. Born This Way Foundation was founded in 2012 by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, to support the mental health of young people and work with them to build a kinder and braver world. This team of Advisors will play a pivotal role in the planning and execution of programs and campaigns core to the Foundation's mission to make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people everywhere, and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health. Born This Way Foundation works to promote the mental health and wellness of youth by:Making kindness coolValidating the emotions of young peopleEliminating the stigma surrounding mental healthThe Foundation focuses on modeling healthy conversations about mental health, connecting young people with resources and services - online and offline - and building communities that understand, prioritize, and foster good mental health.

Dr. Janeane was a recent guest on NAMI OC's mental health podcast, Anxiety Sucks, with hosts Breann and Chris. They had had such a great conversation about the importance of creativity, intergenerational connections, prioritizing your own mental health and more. Of course, she wanted to invite them on Outside the Box to continue the conversation!NAMI Orange County is dedicated to improving the lives of the people of our community affected by mental illness. We strive to create a better tomorrow—a tomorrow where all people affected by mental illness can experience hope, recovery and wellness in a world free of stigma.

Jake Shimabukuro, one of the most exceptional and innovative uke players in the history of the instrument, joins host Janeane on Outside the Box.On November 12th, 2021, the acclaimed Hawai'i-born ‘ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro will release ‘Jake & Friends,' his most creatively ambitious project to-date, featuring collaborations with a who's who of music royalty, from Willie Nelson and Bette Midler to Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Loggins. In terms of size and scope and considering the sheer number of legendary stars who graciously loaned their inimitable talents to the project, ‘Jake & Friends' can only be compared to other benchmark duets albums by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, a shining testament to just how far the singularly gifted Jake has come. Listen to the album's first two singles, “Two High,” featuring Moon Taxi, and “Stardust,” featuring Willie Nelson.Jake's own head spins when looking over his high-wattage guest list featured on the album - Willie Nelson, Bette Midler, Jimmy Buffett, Moon Taxi, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Jon Anderson, Ziggy Marley, Warren Haynes, Jack Johnson, Jesse Colin Young, Ray Benson & Asleep at the Wheel, Sonny Landreth, Lukas Nelson, Billy Strings. “I have to pinch myself when I see those names on my own album,” he says. “It's like, ‘Did that really happen?' Making the album was a real challenge, but I'm deeply honored that all of the artists agreed to record with me.”Over the past two decades, Jake has proved that there isn't a style of music that he can't play. While versatility for any musician is impressive, what's remarkable about Jake's transcendent skills is how he explores his seemingly limitless vocabulary – whether it's jazz, rock, blues, bluegrass, folk or even classical – on perhaps the unlikeliest of instruments: the ‘ukulele. Responding to the urgent calls of his fervent imagination, Jake has taken the ‘ukulele to points previously thought impossible, and in the process he's reinvented the applications for this tiny, heretofore underappreciated four-string instrument, causing many to call him “the Jimi Hendrix of the ‘ukulele.”

Right To Be is a people-powered movement working to build a world free of harassment and filled with humanity. We are a team of educators, motivators, and facilitators who are listening, guiding, and cheering you on. Every day, we train hundreds of people to respond to, intervene in, and heal from harassment. We hold space for people experiencing harassment to share their stories for affirmation and support. And we prepare new leaders to create workplaces, schools, and communities around the world that are filled with humanity. For more information or how you can get involved, visit www.righttobe.org. Follow Right To Be on Twitter and Facebook at, @righttobeorg

I often thought about Mrs. Schulman, my fifth grade teacher, later on in life. I met her at Horace Mann Barnard, but after three years, and one spent commuting to Connecticut, I finally had to switch schools again. I was an academic disaster.So, how did I finally reconnect with Mrs. Schulman in 2023? The pandemic gave me time to think about my past, the people who embraced and supported me, and who made a difference in my life. Ironically, I learned that Mrs. Schulman attended Syracuse University as did I. With the ease of a google search, I managed to locate her a few months ago, and we first connected by phone. To my delight, she sent me the yearbook from 5th grade. I did not have a copy of my yearbook because at 13 years old, there was a fire in my home and I lost everything. Seeing my 5th grade class picture was such a great memory…even though I did think I looked a little dorky back then.MORE: otbseries.com

New York Times bestselling author and award-winning investigative reporter Alexandra Robbins excels at immersive reporting that allows her to shine a bright light on the real, lived experiences of different facets of American life. Her incredibly timely new book features a vital profession that affects every single one of us: Teachers. Alexandra shares a riveting, must-read, year-in-the-life account of three teachers, combined with reporting that reveals what's really going on behind school doors.Writing about and supporting teachers has long been a focus for Robbins, and she is a highly sought voice on the plight of teachers, penning powerful pieces for The New York Times (Teachers Deserve More Respect) and others. Her new book, THE TEACHERS: A Year Inside America's Most Vulnerable, Important Profession is the result of Robbins' intensive shadowing of three individual teachers over the course of a year, heavy reporting, and interviews with hundreds of teachers nationwide. It's an eye-opening look at what is really going on in America's schools and how teachers need our support now more than ever. It also contains some unexpected firsthand experience, which helped Robbins connect to the teacher community more than she could have imagined.learn more: otbseries.com

Sarah Soteroff is the Senior PR Manager for Too Good To Go North America. She joined the anti-food waste company prior to its Canadian launch in 2021. Since joining Too Good To Go she has worked with the US and Canadian teams to launch more than 30 cities on the app, support local businesses through media and press and helped to share the message of eliminating food waste, making incremental revenue and eating great for less! Sarah brings her fifteen years of PR and Communications experience to Too Good To Go and is not only a passionate messenger for eliminating food waste, she's also an avid user of the app everywhere she goes. toogoodtogo.com

Katherine May's runaway New York Times bestseller, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, catapulted Katherine May to nationwide attention and went on to become a global bestseller. Now May explores how we can reawaken our sense of wonder, instead of so often feeling burned out and helpless, in her new book ENCHANTMENT: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age. Many of us feel trapped in a grind of constant change: rolling news cycles, the chatter of social media. We feel fearful and tired, not quite knowing what has us perpetually depleted. For May, this low hum of fatigue and anxiety made her wonder what she was missing. Could there be a different way to relate to the world, one that would allow her to feel more rested and at ease, even as seismic changes unfold on the planet? Might there be a way for all of us to move through life with curiosity and tenderness, sensitized to the subtle magic all around?otbseries.com

Stephen Schueller (he/his) is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science and Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. He received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside, and his Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco as part of the Public Service and Minority Cluster.At the broadest level Dr. Schueller's work aims to improve access to and knowledge about effective and scalable mental health treatments. Much of this work has focus on leveraging technology to improve access to and accessibility of mental health services. This work lies at the intersection of clinical science, implementation science, and human-computer interaction. In his research Dr. Schueller develops, evaluates, and implements digital mental health assessments and interventions including Internet websites, mobile apps, and wearable devices. Outside of work he spends his time running, watching the Lakers, eating donuts, and chasing around his triplets – Griffin, Ella, and Rylee.Visit Dr. Schueller's Faculty Webpage

Welcome to Outside the Box with Dr. Janeane!

Kyle Lam Sound Healing produces holistic healing events that introduce the benefits of meditation, sound baths, and mindfulness to communities throughout Southern California. Our mission is to create wellness experiences accessible to all members of the community that promote healing to the mind, body, heart and spirit. Our background includes ten years of training in the musical arts, playing piano in concert settings, and performing classical compositions in symphony orchestra and marching band with the clarinet. Our spiritual practice includes Kundalini Yoga, Sound Baths, Emotional Freedom Technique, Mindfulness Self Compassion, Vipassana Meditation, Holotropic Breathwork, Tantra, Sacred Sexuality, and Astrology. Kyle Lam Alternative & Holistic Health ServiceMindfulness | Self Compassion | Emotional Awareness

Daniel Maté is an award-winning musical theatre songwriter, playwright, educator, and “mental chiropractor.” Maté received the Edward Kleban Prize for Most Promising Lyricist in American Musical Theatre, a Jonathan Larson Foundation Grant, and the ASCAP Foundation's Cole Porter Award for Excellence in Music and Lyrics. He has presented his work at the Kennedy Center and New York's Lincoln Center, and was an invited participant in the inaugural Johnny Mercer Writers Colony. As an educator, Daniel led the Vancouver edition of the Canadian Musical Theatre Writers Collective's Writers' Workshop, the first training program of its kind in Western Canada for musical theatre creators.MORE: otbseries.com/podcasts

Emma Rothman grew up in Cranford, NJ. In 2011, Emma received a life-saving heart transplant in New York City and was forced to surrender to the messiness of her life. Before her transplant, Emma was an active athlete and student and after her transplant; Emma was still a student and athlete; but, she discovered a newfound energy to pursue a life that centered around not taking her health for granted. One month after her ten-year heart transplant anniversary, Emma had the privilege of graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Food Studies and Nutrition About the BookAt the age of twelve, Emma awoke one day in a hospital bed with no knowledge as to why she was there. She soon learned she had received a lifesaving heart transplant. Struggling to find the balance between being “normal” and chronically ill, and dealing with issues of body image, guilt, anger and ego, Emma found herself on a long journey to recovery that went beyond her physical health. Things My Therapist Doesn't Want Me to Say, by Emma Rothman, is an intimate, unfiltered conversation between Emma and readers, who will follow along Emma's journey as she tries to let go of finding a reason for all the chaos in her life. Emma explores feeling at home in her body while identifying as chronically ill, and engages readers by questioning the narrative of ‘anything is overcomable if you just try hard enough.'

Tova Friedman is a Polish American therapist, social worker, author, and academic. She is a Holocaust survivor who was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Friedman taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later served as the director of the Jewish Family Service of Somerset and Warren Counties.MORE: otbseries.com

ZANE LANDINCEO of PositiveVibes MagazineZane is the CEO and founder of PositiveVibes Magazine, a digital magazine dedicated to mental health, positivity, and wellness. He recently founded Landing Dreams PR, a public relations agency for mental health, wellness, and spirituality.He was an intern with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, PRSA Foundation, and SAGE Publishing, and graduated with a degree in Communications and Public Relations at Cal Poly Pomona.PositiveVibes Magazine: https://positivevibesmag.com/Landing Dreams PR: https://www.landingdreamspr.com/

Oleksandr Elkin is the Head of Board and inspirer of EdCamp Ukraine, a strong 40,000 teachers' professional development community. Prior to this Oleksandr managed Ukrainian and international EdTech projects, as well as held university academic and administrative positions training future computer scientists.https://www.edcamp.ua/

Elaine Miller-Karas has been called an "ambassador of hope" and a "resilience guru." She is an author, a social worker, a trauma therapist, a radio talk show host, a co-founder of an international organization, the Trauma Resource Institute, Inc., and a key developer of the Community and Trauma Resiliency Models. Her work has been mentioned in the LA Times, Forbes and Psychology Today.

A published author, dedicated educator, and recognized human resource professional, Dr. Raeleen Manjak is the Director of Human Resources (HR) for the City of Vernon, the recipient of the O.C. Tanner Lifetime Achievement Award in HR, and an award-winning Top 30 HR Professional in Canada. MORE: www.otbseries.com

Kelly's lived experience with mental health diagnoses and trauma are at the center of her passion for transforming how we support individuals and change systems and services. She currently works in Peer Advocacy, Supports, and Services, where she is involved in promoting peer support, peer certification, youth and young adult leadership, and college mental health.She is passionate about trauma-informed care, peer support, consumer-led transformation, positive psychology, and civil rights. She serves in an advisory role to the Well Being Trust, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the Center for Law and Social Policy. She has spoken at many events, including The White House Making Health Care Better Series on Mental Health, and has been featured in media outlets including NBC Nightly News, The Mighty, Thrive Global, Yes! Magazine, and Mashable.In 2019, Kelly was awarded the Disruptive Innovator Award by the International Association of Peer Supporters, an award given to a young person making positive change in mental health through positive disruption.She is a certified yoga teacher and holds a certificate in Applied Positive Psychology from The Flourishing Center. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.

Salimatou Doumbouya is a first-generation college student. She was born and raised in Guinea. She first graduated with an associate in Liberal Arts from the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), and then started her bachelor's degree in Architecture at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech). Salimatou started her leadership journey at BMCC as a student volunteer in the student government. Then she became an inducted member and executive board member of the National Society of leadership and success. At the same time, Salimatou was a mentor, which taught her how to interact with people and serve them on a one on one level. She later decided to become more involved in Student government and became a senator and chair of Activities, house of clubs and public relations. Students being involved on campus means more control over the decisions that affect their lives. At City tech, she became a senator for the school of Technology and Design and then Vice President of external affairs (VPEA). As VPEA she was able to connect City Tech with other CUNY campuses through the University Student Senate - opening the door for current and future collaborations. She has advocated for free public higher education with other student leaders; making sure that the fight for a more decent college environment continues.Salimatou is now running for the Presidency at City Tech to revive the campus spirit from the inside. She believes that college belongs to the students and wants them to reclaim ownership by increasing student engagement. City Tech has hosted some of the most impressive student leaders in CUNY and my goal is to increase that list by creating opportunities for every student to get involved and discover their own extracurricular passion.

As the Executive Director of Los Angeles County's Youth Commission, Alain partners with young adults, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide a platform for policy, practice and service delivery that centers the lived experiences of people impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. His goal is to effect transformative change for youth in Los Angeles County and improve the services youth and young adults receive across the County.

Matt Diep, PsypherLA.org, and members of his Youth Advisory Board speak with host Janeane Bernstein about mental health, resilience, the impact of PsypherLA, and what we can learn from the mental health pandemic

Janeane chats with Faerber Fitness founder Zachary Faerber on OUTSIDE THE BOX. Zach shares the heart-breaking experience of losing both parents to cancer, managing stem cell donations for blood cancer patients like his late father, and the personal journey to where he is now. MORE: www.otbseries.com/blog

Host Janeane Bernstein chats with the New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play, Eve Rodsky. Rodsky shares her latest book, Find Your Unicorn Space, an inspirational guide for setting new personal goals, rediscovering your interests, cultivating creativity, and reclaiming your Unicorn Space.With her acclaimed New York Times bestseller (and Reese's Book Club pick) Fair Play, Eve Rodsky began a national conversation about greater equality on the home front. But she soon realized that even when the domestic workload becomes more balanced, people still report something missing in their lives—that is, unless they create and prioritize time for activities that not only fill their calendars but also unleash their creativity.

ABOUT Luna Ugrenović, M.S.Luna Ugrenovic, a native of Belgrade - Serbia, is a third-year doctoral student at West Virginia University in the sport, exercise, and performance psychology program and is simultaneously working on a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. She serves as a clinical and sport psychology graduate assistant and an intern in WVU Athletics. She also works at the Whole Brain Solutions private practice where she is being trained to do trauma therapy. Additionally, Ugrenovic has been working as a mental performance consultant for the WVU Rowing program since 2019.Prior to WVU, Ugrenovic completed her master's degree in movement science with a specialization in sport, exercise, and performance psychology at Barry University in Miami, while also working as the graduate assistant rowing coach.She obtained her bachelor's degree in psychology from Barry in 2017. While a student-athlete there, she was a member of a two-time NCAA Division II championship rowing team.Tommy Minkler, MADoctoral Candidate | Sport, Exercise, and Performance PsychologyMaster's Student | Clinical Mental Health CounselingCollege of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Tommy Minkler, M.A., is a Ph.D. Candidate in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology at West Virginia University, where he is also pursuing a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In addition to offering sport psychology services to high school and college athletes and teams, he also works as a mental health counseling intern at Fairmont State University, providing mental health services to students.

Ernesto Mandowsky has spent his career connecting the dots between restaurants, systems engineering, and data analysis. In his first published book - NewBee - he shares how the power of Cross-Pollination can empower young adults to create unique opportunities that exist at the intersection of their skills, interests, and passions.He is the founder of NewBee Foodie-a consulting firm that helps hospitality businesses implement technology solutions to analyze performance. He is also the Principal of CPD Advisors, a coaching consultancy that teaches people how to incorporate Cross-Pollination Design principles to create balanced lifestyles.In his free time, he can be found either jumping rope outdoors or covered in flour in the kitchen. He currently lives in Miami, FL.www.otbseries.comIG: otbseries

Minda Harts, the bestselling author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table, shares YOU ARE MORE THAN MAGIC: a brand-new guide for girls of color looking to find their voice and claim spaceCEO and bestselling author Minda Harts is back with YOU ARE MORE THAN MAGIC, the perfect guide for young girls of color as they prepare for high school, college, and their careers.

Inspiring guide empowers girls of all ages to succeed in the workplace with advice from 180 leaders, trailblazers and innovatorsEpic mentors include Tyra Banks, Bobbi Brown, Hoda Kotb and moreImagine if you found the perfect mentor before you actually started work? Now imagine you could ask her anything. The Epic Mentor Guide matches questions from girls eyeing and entering the workforce with answers from 180 boss women already there.MORE: www.otbseries.com

Dr. Chris Miller, CEO and President of Mental Health America Los Angeles speaks with Dr. Janeane Bernstein of OUTSIDE THE BOX - the Mental Health & Wellness Series

Janeane Bernstein, Host of OUTSIDE THE BOX, speaks with Writer/Director Sharee Silerio. Silerio shares her short doc - "Black Girl, Bleu" - a short documentary featuring candid interviews with Black women – from a teacher to a community organizer and an entrepreneur – about how the “Strong Black Woman” stereotype impacts their mental wellness. In this film, each woman shares intimate details about their struggles with mental health, including what has helped them overcome their challenges. Also, Black female therapists share insight regarding the particular mental health challenges Black women face along with resources, tips and tools to cultivate healing and self-love. www.blackgirlbleu.comwww.otbseries.com

OUTSIDE THE BOX host, Janeane Bernstein, speaks with Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Joss Stone, who recently reunited with the legendary Dave Stewart, who produced and co-wrote her new album, Never Forget My Love, slated for February 11 via Stewart's label, Bay Street Records. Joss released her second single, “Breaking Each Other's Hearts,”(audio, video) on Christmas Eve, and first single, "Never Forget My Love” (audio, video) in November. She is currently at rehearsals for her upcoming co-headlining tour with Corinne Bailey Rae, starting January 23 through February 11.

101 Tips for Surviving in a Pandemic: A Generation Z GuidebookKate shared details of her new inspiring and uplifting book, her love of guitar and writing, and how she has stayed resilient in the pandemic. Watch the conversation on OUTSIDE THE BOX with Janeane Bernstein, EdD

ASH BECKHAM - Known for her viral Tedx Talk Coming Out of Your Closet, the “accidental advocate” for equality does not shy away from hard conversations. Her book Step Up: How to Live with Courage and Become an Everyday Leader (Sounds True, March 2020) is an empowering call-to-action to help mobilize all to embrace a different vision of leadership to create change in our workplaces, schools, places of worship, communities, and homes cultivated from both Beckham's personal and professional experiences.WEBSITE: https://www.ashbeckham.com/