In this unfiltered, soul-resonant episode of Mental Health News Radio, Kristin Sunanta Walker, sits down with her dear friend Chaya Mallavaram—artist, technologist, and founder of Spark Launch, the company behind the neurodivergent-centered platform Sparkade. What begins as a casual reconnection blooms into a radiant, multidimensional conversation about art, grief, ADHD, cultural legacy, and the spiritual technology of the body.

Early in the episode, Chaya shares that her late mother’s name was Sunanda—a revelation that strikes Kristin deeply, as her own Thai name is Sunanta. This name resonance becomes a symbolic thread, weaving their shared lineage, creativity, and healing paths together across continents and generations. 

These are two neurodivergent women who both run their own companies and genuinely dig each other’s company.

This episode is a reminder of how people like us actually speak—luminous, layered, nonlinear, and fully alive.

Chaya Mallavaram is a technologist, professional artist, and advocate who brings her own life experience to the heart of neurodivergent empowerment. For more than two decades, Chaya thrived in the software world — not despite her ADHD, but because of it. Her creative problem-solving, pattern recognition, hyperfocus, and nonlinear thinking weren’t obstacles. They were assets.?Everything shifted in 2020, when her son was diagnosed with ADHD. That moment brought not only clarity, but a calling: to build the kind of support system she wished she and her son had growing up. Today, Chaya leads Spark Launch with a rare blend of technical expertise, artistic vision, and deep personal insight. Whether she’s developing tools, leading strategy, or co-hosting the Spark Launch podcast, she’s creating spaces where neurodivergent minds are seen, heard, and celebrated. Her work is rooted in one belief: When we stop trying to fix neurodivergent people — and start designing systems that work for them — everyone benefits.

www.sparklaunch.com

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In this powerful episode of Mental Health News Radio, host Kristin Walker reconnects with José Rosario — founder of The Phoenix Empowered — for a deeply human conversation on healing, identity, and the evolving language of mental health. They unpack what it really means to be minoritized instead of marginalized, explore the trauma of criminalizing homelessness, and discuss how neurodivergence sharpens empathy and awareness in a world still learning to see clearly.

José opens up about his own lived experience as a queer, disabled person of color, and how it shapes his work creating inclusive spaces for authentic dialogue, joy, and liberation. Together, they reflect on burnout, the myth of “normal,” and the quiet revolution happening inside the mental health field — one grounded in rest, radical healing, and shared humanity. 

Learn more about José’s work and upcoming podcast The Phoenix Unbound at thephoenixempowered.org.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this powerful episode of Mental Health News Radio, host Kristin Walker reconnects with José Rosario — founder of The Phoenix Empowered — for a deeply human conversation on healing, identity, and the evolving language of mental health. They unpack what it really means to be minoritized instead of marginalized, explore the trauma of criminalizing homelessness, and discuss how neurodivergence sharpens empathy and awareness in a world still learning to see clearly.

José opens up about his own lived experience as a queer, disabled person of color, and how it shapes his work creating inclusive spaces for authentic dialogue, joy, and liberation. Together, they reflect on burnout, the myth of “normal,” and the quiet revolution happening inside the mental health field — one grounded in rest, radical healing, and shared humanity. 

Learn more about José’s work and upcoming podcast The Phoenix Unbound at thephoenixempowered.org.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this special episode of Mental Health News Radio, host Kristin speaks with author and advocate Jonathan Kemp about his powerful new memoir and his upcoming seven-month Mental Health Walk across the UK and Ireland. Jonathan shares how five decades of lived experience with depression, bipolar disorder, addiction recovery, and dyslexia shaped his story — and why he redefined “wealth” as knowledge and connection. His new book, releasing October 10, 2025, offers both his personal journey and practical wisdom for anyone navigating mental health and neurodiversity. We also explore his bold plan to walk from the Shetland Islands down through Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland, retracing his great-grandmother’s suffragist march of 1913. With all proceeds going to mental health charities, Jonathan’s mission is simple yet profound: to spark honest conversations and remind us that hope and help are always possible.

Learn more at www.jonathankemp.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this powerful episode of Mental Health News Radio, host Kristin Sunanta Walker sits down with Dr. Stephanie Holmes—counselor, author, and advocate—for an intimate look at the overlooked experiences of women on the autism spectrum. Stephanie shares her family’s multi-layered journey with neurodivergence, from her daughter’s diagnosis more than 20 years ago to her husband’s and her own later discoveries. She and Kristin dive into:

• Why so many women go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for decades.
• The unique pressures of masking, fawning, and being “too much” in a world that wasn’t built for autistic women.
• How late diagnosis transforms identity, relationships, and self-acceptance.
• Stephanie’s books, including Embracing the Autism Spectrum: Finding Hope and Joy Navigating the Neurodiverse Family Journey and Uniquely Us: Navigating the Maze of Neurodiverse Marriage.
• Her current work amplifying autistic voices in education and research.

Connect with Dr. Stephanie Holmes:

• Website: https://www.holmesasr.com
• Neurodiverse Christian Marriage: https://www.christianneurodiversemarriage.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this moving episode, Christal Pennic, LPC-MHSP—licensed therapist, grief advocate, and host of The GRIP Spot—shares her journey of surviving sibling loss and transforming pain into purpose. Christal founded The GRIP Spot (Grieve In Peace) to give voice to the often unspoken stories of grief and to remind us that healing is possible, even when life feels broken into pieces. Through her counseling work at The Grief Center in Nashville and her podcast, Christal creates a space where authenticity, vulnerability, and compassion lead the way. Listeners will be inspired by her honesty, her mission, and her dedication to helping others navigate the universal experience of loss.

Learn more about Christal and her work:

• Website: thegripspot.com
• YouTube: The GRIP Spot

About Christal:
With a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor’s in Psychology, Christal’s approach to mental health combines academic rigor with the personal insight gained from her own experience of sibling loss. As the owner of The Grief Center and a former Mental Health Practitioner with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services and Metro Nashville Police Department, she has extensive experience in community counseling, crisis debriefings, employee trauma/grief education, and youth development. Christal is trained in Brainspotting, facilitating deeper healing for individuals coping with trauma, and she extends this transformative work into workshops for organizations. Her passion for mental wellness is also expressed through The GRIP Spot podcast, which offers a safe space for surviving siblings and grievers to find solace and community. Credentials:

• LPC-MHSP – Licensed Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider
• Education – M.A. in Mental Health Counseling, B.A. in Psychology
• Specialization – Grief counseling, trauma therapy, and post-traumatic growth
• Experience – Owner of The Grief Center; former practitioner at TN Dept. of Children’s Services and Metro Nashville Police Department

We are honored to welcome Christal Pennic and The GRIP Spot to the Mental Health News Radio Network.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this powerful episode of Mental Health News Radio, Dr. Pamela J. Pine joins Kristin Sunanta Walker for a courageous conversation about child sexual abuse and the lifelong impact it has on survivors, families, and communities. Dr. Pine, founder of Stop the Silence and a leading voice in global prevention and healing efforts, shares insights from her book Stop the Silence: Thriving After Child Sexual Abuse and her decades of work in public health. Together, they discuss the heavy toll of shame, the resilience of survivors, the systemic failures in courts and healthcare, and the growing movement to bring these conversations into the light. Listeners will also learn about practical resources, educational programs, and new children’s literature designed to empower families to talk openly and prevent abuse.

Learn more about Dr. Pamela J. Pine: drpamelajpine.com
Stop the Silence – A Program of IVAT: ivatcenters.org/stop-the-silence
Stop the Silence: Thriving After Child Sexual Abuse – available on Amazon

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this heart-opening conversation, NeuroDuo’s Lauren and Tom share how their late diagnoses of autism and ADHD transformed not only their individual lives but their relationship, creativity, and self-acceptance. They talk about battling stigma, navigating sensory overload, and learning to create content that mirrors their real experience—not performative or polished, but real, resonant, and healing. From clock ticks in an assessment room to the quiet validation of knowing you’re not alone, this episode explores how authenticity becomes therapy—and how being understood can change everything.

linktr.ee/neuroduo

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

In this episode of Mental Health News Radio, host Kristin Sunanta Walker speaks with the co-hosts of the Unspoken Grief podcast and founders of the nonprofit Impacted Survivors of Murder-Suicide: Michael Vinton, Christina Faulkner, and Tina Shevalier. Each of these advocates is also a survivor. Through deeply personal stories of loss, they illuminate what it means to live with—and speak from—the aftermath of murder-suicide. Together, they discuss the realities of grief shaped by stigma, media distortion, and silence, and how their work offers a space where no one is made to feel responsible and no one has to grieve alone. Topics include:

• How peer-led grief work meets needs that clinical spaces can miss
• Navigating shame, survivor guilt, and the unanswered “why”
• Media boundaries and narrative reclamation
• The fire of advocacy as part of post-traumatic meaning-making
• Building bridges for others while still healing yourself

This is a compassionate, trauma-informed, and clinically valuable conversation for survivors, therapists, and anyone walking alongside someone who has experienced complex grief. Learn more at www.impactedsurvivors.org.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.

What happens when a mother sees her son not as an individual, but as an extension of herself? In this powerful episode, we dive into the hidden dynamics between narcissistic mothers and their sons—and how this enmeshment can shape identity, independence, and relationships for decades.

Author and psychotherapist Christine Louis de Cannonville joins us to explore the making of a so-called “mama’s boy,” the long shadow of emotional manipulation, and the pathways to freedom. From enmeshment and silenced voices to the liberating act of reclaiming one’s power, this conversation is both a mirror and a map.

You’ll hear stories of sons who struggled under the weight of their mother’s control, the painful impact on their partners and families, and a breakthrough moment on the beach where a blocked voice finally found release. Christine shares how spiritual and therapeutic practices—like shamanic journeying and boundary work—can help survivors reconnect with their essence, reclaim their voice, and step into authentic adulthood.

This episode isn’t about blaming mothers. It’s about recognizing the patterns, breaking the cycle, and moving forward with compassion, clarity, and self-love.

Christine Louis de Cannonville is a psychotherapist, author, and educator specializing in the treatment of narcissistic abuse. Known for her compassionate yet direct approach, she has written extensively on the dark triad, shame, and recovery from narcissistic relationships. Christine blends trauma-informed therapy with spiritual and shamanic practices to help clients reclaim their voice and their power. Her work has supported countless survivors worldwide in moving from trauma to transformation.

Learn more about her work at www.narcissisticbehavior.net

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio–3082057/support.