PR Newswire

Parents Anonymous® Launches Breaking the Stigma with Dr. Lisa Podcast on Parent and Youth Mental Health on World Mental Health Day

Parents Anonymous, Inc. today announced the launch of Breaking the Stigma with Dr. Lisa, a new podcast featuring honest conversations about the strengths and challenges parents and young people face every day. Hosted by Parents Anonymous President and CEO Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, the podcast is founded on one core belief: Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength®.

Breaking the Stigma with Dr. Lisa premieres Saturday, Oct. 10, on World Mental Health Day. Each episode will feature parents, young people and advocates sharing firsthand experiences with mental health, family pressures and the decision to reach out for support.

“Too many parents, children and youth feel like they have to hide what they are going through or wait until things get worse before reaching out,” Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin said. “This podcast is about making those conversations more honest, more visible and more human. If even one person hears these stories and realizes they are not alone, that matters.”

The first episode, “When Your Child Is Struggling: Finding Strength in Asking for Help,” features Aurora, a Latina mother of two sharing her family’s experience navigating her daughter’s anxiety and panic attacks.

Upcoming episodes will explore parenting a child with special needs while navigating family loss; bullying, social media and youth mental health; the pressures of caring for aging parents and an adult child at the same time; substance use and recovery; and the power of parent leadership.

While many parenting and mental health podcasts focus primarily on expert interviews, commentary or advice, Breaking the Stigma with Dr. Lisa takes a story-led approach. Parents, young people and advocates speak directly about what they experienced, how those challenges affected their daily lives, why asking for help felt difficult and what changed when someone listened without judgment. The series spans a range of family experiences, giving parents, children and youth more opportunities to hear stories that reflect their own lives. The conversations also reinforce that needing support does not make someone weak and that reaching out is a courageous first step.

Following the Oct. 10 premiere, additional episodes will be released monthly. Listeners can follow Breaking the Stigma with Dr. Lisa on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other major podcast platforms.

Parents, children and youth seeking emotional support can call or text the National Parent & Youth Helpline™ at 855-427-2736 or start a live chat at NationalParentYouthHelpline.org. Support is available at no cost, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no blame and shame.

WATCH THE PODCAST

New Peer-Reviewed Study Confirms California Parent & Youth Helpline™ Boosts Parental Mental Health and Reduces Loneliness

A groundbreaking new study confirms what California families have long known: when overwhelmed parents reach out to the California Parent & Youth Helpline®, they leave feeling stronger, calmer, and far less alone.

Published in the Journal of Technology in Human Services, the peer-reviewed research validates the effectiveness of Parents Anonymous, Inc.®‘s Helpline, showing that in under 30 minutes, callers experience significant improvements in mood, engagement, and parenting outlook.

The study, led by Liz Harris, PhD, Faculty Associate at Arizona State University, analyzed 281 Helpline calls made between late 2022 and early 2023. Using a novel approach that combined AI-based sentiment analysis with qualitative methods, the research team found that 85% of parents showed improved mood during the call, an especially meaningful finding in a post-pandemic landscape marked by soaring parental isolation.

“Helplines have existed for decades, but surprisingly, very little research has explored their actual impact,” said Liz Harris, Lead Author and Researcher. “Our study shows that parents’ emotional state measurably improves – an improvement we could see through natural language processing analysis, traditional qualitative content coding and rate of speech.”

Innovative Research, Real Results
The team applied natural language processing technology, specifically BART, to measure how parental sentiment shifted throughout each call. They validated the use of BART for this purpose against qualitative coding done by the authors and by trained parent service users. They found that callers’ language became more positive, their tone more collaborative, and their pace of speech dropped in half, indicating reduced distress.

Key findings include:

Statistically significant improvement (p<.001) in parental mood and optimism over the course of each call.
85% of callers left feeling more emotionally balanced.
Speech slowed during calls, aligning unconscious vocal cues with the emotional shift measured by AI tools.
Over 50% of parents expressed intense loneliness and the Helpline directly helped alleviate that isolation.
Callers responded especially well to counselors who validated their efforts, praised their parenting instincts, and offered tailored resources or emotional support.

“This is the first study to rigorously validate the use of AI-based tools in evaluating emotional change on a helpline,” said Harris. “It’s a big leap forward for how the human services field can measure impact without burdening vulnerable callers with lengthy surveys.”

A Proven Model for Crisis Support
The research underscores the unique value of the Parents Anonymous model, which prioritizes trauma-informed counseling and ensures all Helpline counselors have formal training or degrees in mental health fields.

Now in its fifth year, the Helpline offers free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support in English, Spanish, and over 250+ other languages. With its anniversary approaching on May 9, the service stands as a compelling example of scalable, accessible intervention, especially as child welfare agencies and funders weigh future investments.

“We’ve shown it’s possible to make a meaningful difference in a parent’s mental state in just one call,” said Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO & President of Parents Anonymous. “And when you reduce parental stress and loneliness, you improve outcomes for children. That’s the power of this model.”

Parents and youth (up to 25) based in California needing emotional support can call the California Parent & Youth Helpline by calling/texting 1-855-427-2736 or through live chat 24/7 at caparentyouthhelpline.org. Outside of California? Parents and youth can call/text 855-427-2736 or chat online through nationalparentyouthhelpline.org.