As people in the District and worldwide navigate increased political unrest, economic shifts, and the constant noise of social media, three innovators are seeking to increase accessibility to mental health care by building creative pathways for people to connect, reflect, and heal.
This World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, comedian Tommy Taylor Jr., therapist Tasja Gray, and software developer David Gusick represent a growing movement to make mental wellness accessible, relatable, and deeply human, wherever people are.
“Mental health is your overall well-being,” said Taylor. “It’s your ability to process your life, your moments, in a healthy way. Comedians are innately skilled in analyzing and communicating thoughts and emotions in a way that instantly opens up pathways of reflection.”
The award-winning Washington, D.C., actor and comedian related that even artistic experiences may help to bolster mental wellness.
“Ultimately, it’s about connectivity,” he said, “and learning better ways to relate to ourselves and each other.”
Connection providing mental health support is also what drives Gray, a 31-year-old licensed professional counselor.
“I’ve always liked talking to people about their feelings, understanding why they make the decisions that they make,” Gray recounted, “but taking into consideration dynamics like genetics, past trauma, age, and race.”
While Taylor uses comedy and Gray uses counseling, Gusick is tackling mental health from a different front: technology.
A software developer for more than 30 years, Gusick is using his experience to build accessible forums for emotional healing through his online platform SomebodyToTalkTo.com, giving people an option for care beyond a clinical facility or office.
“I stay away from the term ‘mental health,’ because for many it means crisis or diagnosis,” he said. “Instead, our platform teaches emotional well-being and critical skills that assist in processing emotions.”
Healing Through Connection
At first glance, Taylor’s stage might not look like a space for healing. It’s a comedy show, lights, laughter, and quick wit.
But beneath the humor lies something more intentional.
“Comedy and mental health intrinsically intersect,” he said. “An aspect of mental health is the ability to manage your emotions effectively.”
That connection, Taylor explained, isn’t superficial.
“As comedians, we are very in tune with the happenings around us in the world,” Taylor continued. “We can see the stresses, the conflict going on, we become highly skilled at taking conflict and stress and turning it into a medium for laughter, community, and healing.”
With a degree in engineering and the performing arts from Carnegie Mellon University, Taylor utilizes his knowledge of both sides of the brain to create moments that extend beyond mere laughter, transforming performance into a healing experience.
“Many people who come to my shows are going through the worst moments of their lives: battling cancer, fighting addiction, going through divorce,” he said. “I see the impact, people walking in heavy and weighed down, the gradual transformation as they lighten and leave smiling. That’s the power of connection and where the true art of healing often lies.”
A New Blueprint for Well-Being
Gray works with clients across Washington, D.C., helping them find stability in times of crisis.
Licensed professional counselor Tasja Gray advocates for pivotal changes in access to mental health, including an increase in the rate at which insurance companies cover services. (Courtesy of Tasja Gray)
From housing insecurity to political uncertainty, she sees firsthand the toll that prolonged stress takes on the human psyche.
“When economic conditions change or the cost of living rises, people experience severe spikes in stress,” she explained. “Prolonged stress can turn into trauma if not addressed.”
Despite outside stressors, she said that everyone can take small, intentional steps toward mental clarity, even outside of formal therapy.
“If you can’t access therapy, talk it out,” she advised. “Find ways to calm your nervous system: take a nature walk, try a new hobby. Even something as simple as taking a shower or cooking a meal can be therapeutic.”
Gray encourages people to “do something different,” especially on World Mental Health Day.
“Try a new culture of food, take a dance class, paint something,” Gray advised. “It serves as a tremendous stress reliever and switches your neurological pathways, causing a refresh of your emotions.”
Empathy by Design: Using Coding to Close the Mental Health Gap
Hoping to make accessing care more accessible without mental health labels, Gusick’s online platform, SomebodyToTalkTo.com, offers free, accessible emotional support through Zoom sessions available from any phone.
“We all face emotional worries about family, finances, health,” he said. “We teach people how to develop skills that prove essential in managing life’s ups and downs.”
Gusick indicated that his work is built on a proactive philosophy.
“If you went to the doctor and only asked about your heart when you were having a heart attack, you’d be too late,” the technology expert related. “That’s how most people treat mental health. We want to intervene early, before someone hits a breaking point.”
Breaking Stigma, Making Mental Health Accessible
For Gusick, Gray, and Taylor, ensuring access to care is key.
Somebody To Talk To was intentionally designed to remove barriers to consistent mental health care: cost, transportation, accessibility, and stigma.
“Sessions are free. You can log in from any phone or just dial in,” Gusick said. “Not everyone is tech-savvy, so we made it simple. The goal is that no one should face emotional challenges alone.”
Gray also acknowledged the financial and systemic barriers that continue to prevent people from prioritizing emotional wellness.
“Mental health care has always been important, but it hasn’t always been valued by insurance companies,” she explained. “Clinicians are often forced to figure out how to bill so clients can keep getting the help they need.”
Despite challenges, Gray encourages people to strive to include mental health as part of their regular health care routine.
“There are more sliding-scale clinics, a higher number of community groups, and more openness about mental health than ever before,” she added. “We just have to keep making spaces for people to heal, and give them grace while they do.”
Having also witnessed challenges to getting mental health care, Taylor, striving to make healing spaces accessible, has hosted comedy shows, complete with music and massages, in the garden of his Ward 8 home.
Whether taught through comedy, counseling, or online connection, the objective for these innovators is to ensure people avail themselves of mental health support through conventional or creative forums.
“Emotional well-being is about stepping back and noticing small changes in your mood before things spiral,” Gusick said. “Sometimes we tell ourselves things that aren’t true, like ‘I am never going to be able to find another job,’ when in reality, we’re projecting stress. Learning to pause and observe those thoughts before reacting can change everything.”
