Kristen Harootunian – Connection as a Catalyst for Recovery & Healing

SUMMARY:

In this episode of TLC Connections, we welcome Kristen Harootunian, national speaker with Minding Your Mind, to share her deeply moving personal story. Kristen reflects on her teenage years struggling with substance abuse, self-harm, and mental health challenges—and how a single moment of vulnerability began her path to recovery.

Now more than 10 years sober, Kristen travels the country speaking to students about the importance of asking for help, building coping skills, and knowing they’re not alone. She opens up about her relationship with her father, the pivotal role of supportive adults, and the power of sharing your story.

From early intervention to emotional honesty, Kristen’s message is one of hope, healing, and the life-changing impact of connection.

GUEST BIO:

Kristen Harootunian’s childhood was marked by significant pain, including her mother’s attempting and completing suicide. As she grew older, she struggled with mental illness and substance use disorder as a way to cope with her pain. At one point, she even believed she wouldn’t live past 18.

However, through numerous treatment efforts, Kristen was able to attend long-term treatment, go to a recovery high school, and eventually become a Penn State graduate, where she earned her BA in Corporate Communications. She was honored to be the commencement speaker at her own graduation.

Throughout this process, she has replaced harmful coping mechanisms with positive ones. She has been sharing her story since 2016 alongside Minding Your Mind, talking about the importance of therapy, a support structure, and how to ask for help.

Connect with Kristen at KristenHarootunian.com

Listen to the interview with Kristen and her father, Lee Harootunian, on Conversations that Matter

ABOUT MINDING YOUR MIND:

Minding Your Mind is dedicated to ending stigma and destructive behaviors associated with mental health issues, moving away from a crisis-based response to prevention through education.

Using the power of storytelling to provide evidence-based education on mental health challenges to our audiences, their inspiring programs create safe communication spaces to discuss signs and symptoms often associated with mental health challenges and how to address them.

SPONSORS:

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is a social enterprise headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia Area and operating in multiple states. Founded in 1970 by a behavioral health hospital, TLC is an entrepreneurial nonprofit providing K-12 education, behavioral health care, outpatient therapy, wellness coaching, professional development, and grant management services.