a podcast about the monsters in your head, but reclaiming them instead.

The curious world of mental health is a conflicting topic for many. Some are adamant about highlighting the importance of our brains such as kind doctors during yearly visits or creative artists crafting gentle reminders upon laptop stickers. While this sentiment should always be praised, the unfortunate truth is that a majority of individuals are not as privileged to speak on the subject, let alone to fully allow themselves to feel anything.

Growing up as a second-generation Mexican-American, the discussion of mental health was not as common as the soft tortillas in our pantry or the rolled “r’s” caressing our tongues. There were bills to be paid, machismo ideals to uphold, and a sense of “normalcy” to maintain in a complex system. In a sense, our livelihoods were not built to cater to broken brains and emotionality; we were not privileged enough to feel. However, growing up, the safest I felt communicating my mentality was through the guise of monsters.