Kurt White was fed up with how people talk about mental health. As a trained clinical social worker and therapist with two decades of experience, he knows that the subject can be far more uncomfortable and messy than the polished sound bites and tidy conclusions that dominate media coverage. "A lot of reporting on mental health is a little bit lacking," White said. So, last year, he began thinking about how deeper, more honest public conversations around mental health would sound — and how to spark them. White is the vice president of community partnerships and communications at Brattleboro Retreat, a nonprofit mental health hospital. As his vision for fostering a fresh dialogue around mental health crystallized, he decided to start a podcast. The therapist enlisted the help of the hospital's communications and media relations manager, former journalist Mary Wilson, and they launched "Unravelling" in June. Six months in, the podcast is off to a strong start, with more than 1,800 downloads on Spotify and Apple. In its 15 episodes, it has touched on an array of subjects related to emotional well-being, from the nuances of gender-affirming care to family estrangement. Leaning on White's training as a therapist and Wilson's as a journalist, "Unravelling" explores mental health from both clinical and personal perspectives. "Our sweet spot is often right at the intersection of mental health and [how] people are experiencing it," White said. White and Wilson typically spend at least two episodes on each topic they cover. One is dedicated to speaking with an expert in the field, while the other focuses on someone with lived experience. White said the two-pronged approach helps "Unravelling" avoid two major pitfalls: It ensures individuals' experiences are not inappropriately generalized and prevents the "othering" of those facing mental health challenges. Last month, "Unravelling" spent three episodes covering eating disorders. In the first two, White and Wilson spoke with Emmeline Clein and Anna Shechtman, who have both written memoirs about their struggles with disordered eating. In the third episode, the hosts shifted their approach, zooming out for a discussion with Brattleboro Retreat postdoctoral psychology fellow Mary Iellamo about cultural narratives of eating disorders and innovations in their clinical treatment. White's interview with Shechtman exemplifies the complexity — and discomfort — that he and Wilson often navigate as hosts. Their conversation on the author's 2024 book, The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist…