On episode 52 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with my dear friend & role model, Brandon Staglin—co-founder & Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer of One Mind, the world’s leading brain health nonprofit. For nearly three decades, Brandon has transformed lived experience into leadership: co-creating a global organization, raising hundreds of millions for brain health research, & pushing society toward a future where mental health is prioritized like physical health. But behind the impact is a deeply personal story—one that began with a diagnosis of schizophrenia at 18 & a fight to reclaim his life, voice, & purpose.

Brandon opens up in this honest conversation with rare depth. We walk through his journey from Napa Valley childhood to the terror of psychosis, through recovery & relapse, to the discovery of meaning in advocacy. He shares the cost of stigma, the reality of treatment, the lifeline of family, & the radical belief that worth is inherent—not earned. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to turn survival into legacy, this episode is a testament to courage, connection, & the possibility of healing at scale.

Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):

(00:00:00 ) Introduction & welcome to Brandon Staglin, M.S.!

(00:09:28 ) Who is Brandon behind the titles & roles? His upbringing, childhood, & early influences

(00:17:48 ) Early cracks in reality: existential questions, “something’s wrong,” & the first shifts in self

(00:29:10 ) Dartmouth years: When he experienced his first harrowing episode of psychosis

(00:39:16 ) The team that held him: family, early clinicians, & how early intervention saved him

(00:50:04 ) 6 years until the word “schizophrenia”: why “thought disorder” landed better at first

(00:51:22 ) A kitchen table intervention of love: “There’s a lot of love coming from here, Brandon” & choosing to engage in recovery

(01:11:00 ) Setbacks & recalibration: medication side-effects, suicidality, & rebuilding around values

(01:28:08 ) How One Mind was cofounded with his parents to accelerate brain-health solutions

(01:37:16 ) Naming the schizophrenia stigma: what people still say & the cost of silence

(01:41:26 ) The One Mind ecosystem at a glance: Accelerator (mental-health startups), One Mind at Work (workplace mental health), Rising Star Academy (funding & training scientists), & Lived Experience Initiative (Council & Community Advisory Network)

(01:45:14 ) How Brandon built the Lived Experience Initiative: giving lived expertise real power alongside scientific & governance bodies

(01:48:26 ) The Council's profound success thus far: consulting for & advising startup founders, research scientists, & Fortune-level leaders

(01:55:26 ) The annual One Mind Music Festival for Brain Health: raising hundreds of millions for brain health research & innovation, bringing together leaders & stakeholders across all fields

(02:00:02 ) Closing reflections, guidance, & inspiration from Brandon

Connect with Brandon!

• ⁠Email⁠

• ⁠LinkedIn
• Instagram
• X/Twitter: @BStaglin
• One Mind Website
• Watch Brandon's recovery song performance

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