Becoming a parent brings many changes to anyone’s life. To add to the changes, balancing new or forthcoming parenthood with mental health conditions might feel difficult. In this episode, guest host Barb Solish, NAMI’s National Director of Innovation, is joined by Kate Kennedy-Lynch, NAMI Director of External Relations, and Alessandra Torresani, actress, podcast host, and NAMI Ambassador. They discuss their own lived experiences navigating mental health conditions before, during, and after their pregnancies, sharing what they’ve learned throughout their mental health journeys. Finally, they share ways they’ve found to balance mental health and parenthood for Mental Health Awareness Month and Maternal Mental Health Month.

You can find additional episodes of this NAMI podcast and others at nami.org/podcast.

In this deeply honest episode of Emotional Support, Alessandra Torresani sits down with actress Kirby Bliss Blanton (The Green Inferno, Project X, Hannah Montana, Young and The Restless) to unpack the real-life complexities of sobriety, mental health, and surviving the ever-changing landscape of the acting world. Kirby opens up about her nearly three-year sobriety journey, the power of community, and the emotional toll of dating while sober. Together, they explore how family expectations, major career milestones, and the pressure of Hollywood can shape one’s identity and well-being. With stories from the set, reflections on working with director Eli Roth, and a raw conversation about finding purpose beyond the spotlight, this episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating recovery, reinvention, or the rollercoaster of creative life.

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In this deeply personal episode of EmotionAL Support, Alessandra Torresani opens up about returning to her 20-year high school reunion—despite never having graduated. With raw honesty, she explores the emotions that resurfaced, from self-doubt to nostalgia, and how her early life choices shaped her identity. Alessandra reflects on the mental health conversations that have blossomed through her podcast, childhood memories that echo into adulthood, and the complicated trust we place in authority figures as we become parents. From relationships to relinquishing control in motherhood, she shares insights on growth, fear, and self-acceptance in a world that often demands perfection.

Old friends. Childhood memories. Deep regrets. And now? A little grace.

🔑 Topics: high school reunion, mental health, parenting, life choices, childhood trauma, trust, self-acceptance, relationships, personal growth, emotional support