*Please note: Today’s episode has a content warning for mental health and self-harm discussions. We hope this content will inspire you to practice self-compassion and share your story because you are not alone. For resources, please see our episode show notes.  

Today’s episode offers hope in the face of one of the world’s most concerning crises: The troubling decline in mental and emotional health for teenagers and young adults. Our guest, Emily Pesce, is joining us on the show to offer exciting ideas, potential solutions and advice for anyone trying to solve a great big problem.

When Emily Pesce came out as transgender, she was in her late thirties. While always being trans, she didn’t always realize that she was–and she didn’t grow up knowing anyone like her. That changed when she moved to Seattle and started noticing people who reminded her of herself–for the first time. Emily was walking her dog one day and had the sudden realization that she is a trans woman. What followed was a process of self-discovery, vulnerability and community connection. 

Emily Pesce is CEO of Joon, whose mission is to make mental healthcare and well-being accessible and effective for 13-24 year olds. Emily has 20+ years of experience across healthcare, e-commerce, grocery, supply chain, technology, mobile, and cloud computing with her primary operating experience at Amazon and Nerdy. Emily is also an investor, providing early-stage capital to over thirty companies. Emily graduated from Duke University with a BA in Public Policy, a minor in Computer Science and a certificate in Genetics. She received her MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

Joon Care was founded by Dr. Amy Mezulis and Josh Herst. Their vision is to create a new model for mental health care, designed specifically for youth and young adults, that integrates the benefits of one-on-one therapy sessions with a mobile app-based experience. Their approach is evidence-based, skills-focused and personalized for each individual client.

Enjoy this important, eye-opening and deeply moving conversation with Emily Pesce, CEO of Joon. 

The problem, and the solution

It’s hard to hear, but Emily shares some disturbing and sad statistics: One in four LGBTQ+ young adults attempts suicide. Not considers, not plans–tries to end their life. As sad and horrifying as this is, Emily heard this and turned to hope, and we should too. 

Studies are consistently showing that Joon Care and other teletherapy services have a profound impact on mental and emotional health of young patients. But first–why is this epidemic so massive?

If you think this was solely driven by pandemic-related concerns, you would be wrong. In fact, this decline in mental wellness began to show up starkly in studies in 2011. Emily Pesce shares information that suggests that while there are other things affecting teen and young adult depression and anxiety, the top two causes are: constant social media interaction, and exposure to gun violence. 

All the while, access to mental health care in America is often confusing and frustrating. Young people living at home especially struggle to voice their concerns, ask for help and get connected to a licensed mental health professional. Now with companies like Joon, teenagers can finally get access to important resources to help them recover, sustain happy and healthy daily habits, and disconnect from devices more frequently. 

Removing barriers to mental health care

When Joon first began utilizing teletherapy, many were concerned that it wouldn’t work. After all, they launched their company years before the pandemic. But with covid, the door to teletherapy breezed wide open, and Joon was there to welcome clients with open and experienced arms. 

A shocking 81% of counties in the United States do not have a single licensed Psychiatrist. With Joon, patients can sign up with clicks of a button instead of struggling to search for local Psychologists or Psychiatrists via Google.

Teletherapy works for teens for several reasons. They feel safer and more relaxed in their own bedrooms. Joon helps with wellness tracking, reminders and check-ins after and between appointments, helping forgetful teenagers stick to the daily habits they set. 

Joon and other mental wellness companies are determined to solve this massive crisis. And as you’ll hear in this episode, straight from Emily herself: “This crisis is not unsolvable.” Enjoy this thoughtful and inspiring episode of The Business of You.

Quotes

“I was in my late thirties when I had a realization. I was on a walk with my dog when a lightning bolt hit me, and I thought–oh, I’m trans! I always was, but I didn’t always know.”

“Seeing people like you, around you, it helps tell you about yourself.”

“Joon is basically a therapy solution for 13-24 year olds. If they are dealing with anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, and it’s affecting their life at school, it’s time for them to talk to someone. A big problem that has persisted is access. They don’t know how to get help.”

“A hundred years from now, people will want great mental health. They will still want it to be easy, affordable and accessible.”

“Once therapy begins, we do check-ins. We’ll get the therapist, the patient and the parent together. But in general, the therapy is between the patient and the therapist. This allows them to be comfortable and it’s confidential. The ability to trust is essential for getting to recovery.”

“The way I think about building a business is this: You identify a big durable need. In a hundred years, people will still have mental health needs, and will want personalized affordable mental health care.”

“I want everybody in this space to be wildly successful. We need people to be successful to solve the problem. The good news is-the evidence tells us that we can help! Kids are super resilient, and this is not an unsolvable problem.”

“We may feel very different from one another politically or what we do or where we live, but we are just humans. We are not great at saying that…and asking for help.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Resources

Visit the website for Joon care at https://www.joon.com/

Connect with Emily Pesce on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyspesce/ 

If you or someone you love are considering self-harm or you find yourself struggling with your mental health, you are loved – and you are never alone. Please call the National Suicide Hotline at 988 and visit their official website for support, resources and completely confidential support.
https://988lifeline.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=onebox

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