Interview 16: Inside the Mental Health Crisis

A Conversation with APA President Dr. Debra Kawahara

12.30.25 | Interview | 44 min

As mental health demand grows and systems struggle to keep up, leadership matters more than ever. In this episode, Dr. Debra Kawahara, President of the American Psychological Association, joins us to talk candidly about the biggest challenges facing mental health today, from access and affordability to mistrust in science. She reflects on leading a diverse profession during a time of deep polarization and explains why returning to core values, psychological science, and community has been essential.

We explore mental health parity (equal consideration of mental health in healthcare) and why real change is often slow, quiet, and cumulative. Dr. Kawahara also shares personal insights on burnout, advocacy, and choosing values over comfort, which she names as the gutsiest work of all

Listen to Dr. Kawahara’s Podcast, Wellness in Today’s World

Music Credit: Nathan Byrne with Reel Byrne Media.