How a Quincy Podcast Explores Mental Health Challenges for Kids

For some it's unfortunately a taboo subject, but a Quincy, Illinois podcast explores the mental health challenges for children.

This podcast is very specific, but it's also very general...every parent could benefit from this.

Scrambled - The Children's Mental Health Podcast is produced locally by Chad Douglas and Nikki Shields. They were both kind enough to stop by our radio studios to share how their combined efforts began.

Nikki Shields - "Scrambled is a podcast designed to provide information about children's mental health to parents, teachers, other adults working/living with kids. We felt like information was needed. People struggle, but they don't always share that with other people, they don't talk about it. We wanted to have a platform to say here's what's going on....so that we could maybe help a few families.

Chad Douglas - "We live with anxiety in my household. We've had some trials and tribulations with other adults...my wife and I decided we have to get the word out. People aren't understanding this. This podcast is very specific, but it's also very general...every parent could benefit from this."

Chad said he met Nikki during his time as a TV personality when he did a series about childhood anxiety and she was the expert he turned to. It caused him to wonder what would happen if they would team up to make this an ongoing audio series to explore the different challenges children and adults face.

It seems many mental health issues have to do with ignorance. Chad mentioned that when people don't understand something they can end up being afraid of it. That means vital subjects that on occasion can be life and death situations for children don't get discussed enough. The Scrambled podcast is working to break down those barriers.

What does the future hold for Scrambled - The Children's Mental Health Podcast? Nikki said it's not about goals or what they can achieve.

Nikki Shields - "We just want to get the information out there...I don't know there's a point where we say "we did it!"...the more topics we pick, the more topics appear."

It's about time that we openly talk about challenges both children and adults have with mental health issues. You can follow Scrambled - The Children's Mental Health Podcast through their official website, Facebook and also Instagram and whatever platform you enjoy your favorite podcasts on.

You can hear our entire discussion about the Scrambled podcast on demand right now in our radio station app.