Zarrow Mental Health Symposium Session: Elena Joy Thurston on Finding Family & Belonging

Elena Joy Thurston is an inspirational LGBTQ+ speaker, trainer, author and founder of the nonprofit Pride and Joy Foundation, which is dedicated to reducing the rate of suicide and homelessness in the LGBTQ+ community. A Mormon mom of four who lost her marriage, her church and her community when she came out as lesbian, her viral TEDx Talk on surviving conversion therapy has been viewed more than 45,000 times.  Elena will be a keynote speaker at this year's Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, sharing about her experiences coming out as an adult and how to support families in supporting their children and other family members that come out as queer.

Om Podcasten

Mental Health Association Oklahoma created The Mental Health Download podcast to share stories each week about mental illness, homelessness, incarceration and suicide, and how each can impact our lives in a profound way. Mental health affects everyone, yet the social stigma attached to mental health issues keeps so many of our family members, friends, colleagues and neighbors silent. Why are we so afraid to talk about these issues? Each week, our host Adi McCasland invites guests to share how mental illness, suicide, homelessness and incarceration have affected their work or lives.