Meet Your Host
Sadie Sutton is a 19-year-old college sophomore from the Bay Area. After receiving a year and a half of intensive treatment for severe depression and anxiety, she was inspired to share her story with fellow teens going through their own personal growth.
She started She Persisted (formerly Nevertheless, She Persisted) in 2019 and has accumulated over 105 episodes reaching over 75,000 listeners. Sadie conducts impactful and inspirational interviews with subject matter experts, fellow teenagers, and social media personalities to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and inspire teens to create their life worth living.
Sadie's episodes offer self-improvement tips, DBT education, and vulnerable personal experiences, making it a show for anyone struggling or interested in mental health. Sadie is a psychology major at the University of Pennsylvania and hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology to further her impact in the mental health field.
About She Persisted
I started my intensive treatment journey at 14 after spending years utilizing outpatient options closer to home. During this time, I was consistently told one thing by everyone around me—it gets better. No matter how many doctors, therapists, or other adults told me this, I had immense trouble believing this message. How could a teenage girl possibly undertake a complete overhaul of her belief systems, relationships, and behaviors and come out on the other side no longer struggling with depression and anxiety?
And yet, after a year and a half of intensive work on myself, I realized I’d done it. I was happy, stable, and in recovery from depression and anxiety. I had healthy relationships, healed belief systems, and most importantly was happy. During these years in treatment at home, in Boston, and in Montana, hearing from fellow teens that recovery, happiness, and true stability were possible was a rarity. I knew I needed to share my journey with other teens so they could have the reassurance that I didn’t.
From this moment, She Persisted (Nevertheless, She Persisted at the time) was born. I worked to bring the resources I was so lucky to have access to to a larger audience. I spoke from experience, taught coping skills, and facilitated powerful discussions about teenage mental health.
I knew that these skills could be implemented by teens before their mental health was at an all-time low. I knew these stories could help parents, community members, and peers recognize when their children were struggling before it got worse. And most of all, I knew that hearing from a teen who’d been in the same exact spot that it can get better would be unbelievably powerful.
So that’s exactly what I’ve worked to do—create impactful, powerful podcast episodes reminding you that you’re not alone and helping you build your life worth living.
01.
Teen Mental Health
Information on why teen mental health is a front-running issue in our society and what you can do to help!
02.
Why DBT?
What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, why Sadie chooses to emphasize these skills and modalities in episodes, and treatment options.
03.
FAQ
Quick responses to my most frequently asked questions on podcats production, resources for teens, DBT, collaborations, and more!
Let’s Talk Teen Mental Health
More than ever before, teen mental health challenges have become an epidemic. Today’s adolescents are plagued by school stress, toxic social media narratives, and the constant influx of information—things they’re not always equipped to navigate.
Without the proper education, resources, and skills, millions of teens are left suffering from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental illnesses.
So where do we go from here? We give the power back to teens, inspiring them to make lasting changes in their lives. We equip them with the skills they need to navigate our ever-changing world using evidence-based therapeutic techniques. And last but not least, we remind them that they’re not alone in their journey.
The Numbers Speak For Themselves
Why DBT?
During my time in intensive mental health treatment, I was introduced to a multitude of therapeutic techniques, approaches, interventions, and skills.
While many of these helped, DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) was what changed the game in my treatment—decreasing my depression, anxiety, and improving my coping skills, emotion regulation, and relationships. And I’m not the only one with this experience—DBT is known for its clinical success rates.
Specifically, in the adolescent demographic, it’s proven to be an effective intervention for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and more. And hey—Selena Gomez loves it, what more convincing do you need?
The Components of Typical DBT Treatment
Skills Training Group
Typically in a classroom-like setting, skills training is where you’re taught the skills of DBT. This is the component of DBT I work to bring you on the podcast by teaching these skills in various episodes!
Individual Treatment
Individual treatment is where you meet one-on-one with your therapist to work through the current challenges you’re navigating. In many cases, adolescents also participate in family therapy as part of their treatment.
DBT Phone Coaching
While enrolled in DBT treatment, your therapist offers in-the-moment crisis phone support. Whether it’s an argument with a parent or an anxiety attack, your therapist is available to walk you through the usage of your skill when you’re in crisis.
Consultation Team
A key principle of DBT is that therapists need support too. This is why your individual therapist consults with a team of other clinicians on your treatment.
The Skills
Mindfulness
- wise mind, rational mind, emotional mind
- the 'what skills' aka POD (participate, observe, describe)
- the 'how skills' aka NEO (non judgmentally, effectively, one-mindfully)
- loving-kindness
Interpersonal Effectiveness
- DEARMAN
- GIVE
- FAST
- THINK
- validation (including of self) + CLEAR
- mindfulness of others
Emotion Regulation
- PLEASE
- check the facts
- opposite action
- mindfulness of current emotion
- ABC
- SMART goals
- WAVE + ride the wave
Distress Tolerance
- STOP
- ACCEPTS + IMPROVE
- TIPP
- Pros + Cons
- self-soothe + grounding
- radical acceptance
- willingness
- turn the mind
- mindfulness of current thought
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I support a teen struggling?
Verbally expressing understanding, support, and validation in an authentic conversation is a great first step to take. This being said, many teens need further professional help in navigating their mental health. For a list of online resources, click here!
Can I be a guest on She Persisted?
I am constantly on the lookout for like-minded individuals, inspiring teens, and expert perspectives to come on the show. If you’re interested in collaborating, head to this page!
What is DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)?
Dialectical behavior therapy is evidence-based psychotherapy used to treat mood disorders, suicidal ideation, and for change in behavioral patterns such as self-harm, and substance abuse. (via Wikipedia)
What equipment do you use to record / how do you edit?
Short answer—I record with SHURE SM7B microphones, a Zoom H6 recorder, and edit with Adobe Audition, and Descript. For a full list of the podcasting equipment I use, head here! For a comprehensive editing tutorial, you can check out this YouTube video!
What resources do you recommend for teens?
While effective interventions are extremely case-specific, there is a multitude of books, educational videos, and hotlines that can be helpful for individuals struggling. For a full list of digital resources, click here!
How can we work together?
If you’re interested in a brand partnership, podcast collaboration, or have another inquiry, check out this page for information on the services I currently offer.