Mental Health Mondays: Finding the 'Helpers' in Your Community

In this episode of All of It, host Alison Stewart kicks off Mental Health Awareness Month with a powerful conversation with Benjamin Wagner, a high-achieving media executive who confronts his long-standing anxiety and PTSD rooted in childhood trauma. Through his new documentary, 'Friends and Neighbors,' Wagner retraces his past—visiting the homes where he endured abuse and neglect, interviewing his parents, and reconnecting with community members who offered quiet support. The film becomes a journey of healing, driven by the wisdom of Fred Rogers: 'Look for the helpers.' Wagner reflects on how Gen X's independence, while empowering, also bred emotional isolation, and how societal norms around alcohol and emotional suppression exacerbated his struggles. He shares how therapy, particularly EMDR, and physical activity helped him process trauma somatically, and emphasizes that mental wellness is a practice, not perfection. The episode also features listener calls highlighting the transformative power of EMDR, the importance of movement, and the need for community-based support systems. The episode underscores that mental health recovery is deeply personal yet universally shared. Wagner’s story reveals that resilience isn’t about strength in silence, but about vulnerability, connection, and the courage to ask for help. He challenges the stigma around men seeking support and highlights accessible, low-cost tools—like walking outside, talking to neighbors, or practicing self-compassion—that can create meaningful change. Ultimately, the message is clear: you are not alone, and healing begins when you look beyond yourself to the people around you.