135: Making Mental Healthcare Accessible

Nathan Gallenson, co-founder of DBT with Friends, a peer-led mental health community, joins Natasha on this episode of the Natasha Helfer Podcast. They discuss how they are creating an innovaite, peer-led mental health community dedicated to making evidence-based skills like DBT, IFS, and ACT accessible outside of traditional clinical settings. Based in Salt Lake City, his work focuses on reimagining how emotional skills are taught, shifting from isolated learning to community-based practice. You can checkout their website for more: https://www.dbtwithfriends.com After completing their own DBT programs, the co-founders realized what many others know: everyone needs these skills, but too few have access. What began as teaching DBT skills to a small group of friends has grown into a broader movement rooted in a simple idea: healing is more joyful and more effective when we do it together—and access to these tools should be a human right, not a privilege. Nathan's work centers on creating spaces where people can learn real life skills while connecting with communities focused on growth, healing, and fun. He is especially interested in how connection, shared experience, and structured skill-building can transform the way people relate to their emotions and each other. Through their work, DBT with Friends is helping build a model of mental health support that is scalable, human-centered, and grounded in both science and lived experience. When he's not at his day job as a software engineering consultant, Nathan is building communities, facilitating or organizing weekly skills groups, and exploring how healing can be both practical and joyful.   To help keep this podcast going, please consider donating at natashahelfer.com and share this episode. To watch the video of this podcast, you can subscribe to Natasha's channel on Youtube and follow her professional Facebook page at natashahelfer LCMFT, CST-S. You can find all her cool resources at natashahelfer.com.  The information shared on this program is informational and should not be considered therapy. This podcast addresses many topics around mental health and sexuality and may not be suitable for minors. Some topics may elicit a trigger or emotional response so please care for yourself accordingly. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or feelings of Natasha Helfer or the Natasha Helfer Podcast. We provide a platform for open and diverse discussions, and it is important to recognize that different perspectives may be shared. We encourage our listeners to engage in critical thinking and form their own opinions. The intro and outro music for these episodes is by Otter Creek. Thank you for listening. And remember: Symmetry is now offering Ketamine services. To find out more, go to symcounseling.com/ketamine-services. There are also several upcoming workshops. Visit natashahelfer.com or symcounseling.com to find out more.