Why subscribe?

Because mental health isn’t a side issue. It’s everywhere—policy, politics, news, work, school, home—and it’s still treated like a silo. Mental is a weekly newsletter that connects current events to the mental health system, and pushes for the changes we actually need.

That’s the short version.

Here’s the longer one: I started Mental about a year after COVID hit the U.S. The virus hit our bodies, but everything else, including stress, isolation, disconnection, hit our minds. The cracks in how we treat mental health became too obvious to ignore. So I stopped ignoring them and started writing.

I’ve spent two decades working in this field as a musician, psychologist, and policy wonk. This newsletter is where all those parts of me show up at once. It’s where I try to make sense of how the systems we’ve built (or failed to build) affect how we feel, function, and care for each other.

Every Thursday, you’ll get one thoughtful, well-researched piece in your inbox. Sometimes it’s analysis. Sometimes it’s a rant. But it’s always focused on how we can fix what’s broken and why it matters now.

For paid subscribers, I send up to two extra pieces each month. These are more off-the-cuff quick takes, short reflections, or timely responses to whatever’s unfolding that week. Less polished, more immediate. Think of them as director’s cut material.

If any of that sounds useful, subscribe. It’s free. If you want to support the work, consider a paid subscription. You’ll get everything, plus you’ll help keep this space going.

Thanks for reading. Let’s make this better.

Ben