S3E7: Phillip Schermer’s Mastermind Approach to Mental Health for the Masses

Couched in Color

In this inspiring episode Dr. Alfiee interviews guest Phillip Schermer, founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit created for a new era of mental wellness.

Phillip, who was previously a Vice President & Chief of Staff to the Vice Chairman at BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm, was so moved by the story of Logic, a rapper and record producer, he started the non-profit to more impactfully bring together mental health resources.

Logic shed light on mental health challenges by writing a song with the phone number of the

US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as its title. Called 1-800-273-8255, the song has dramatically increased calls for help and been known to save lives:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb24RrHIbFk

With 65 million people in the U.S. alone dealing with mental health challenges, Phillip is focusing on three primary drivers:1. The stigma.

2. Where to get help.
3. Lack of access to mental health resources.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS INTERVIEW:

–Bi-racial struggles with having a sense of identity.

–”Generational loneliness.”

–Applying to mental health an “aggregate model on scale” (like Expedia, OpenTable and other companies do) by creating one place on the Internet for all mental health services to be part of a hub.

–Even the smartest and most savvy people have difficulty finding what they are looking for, Phillip explains. And, others don’t know the difference between a therapist, a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

–His goal also is to fill in the gaps, with data showing where there is a mismatch between demand and supply.

–COVID has escalated the mental health crisis significantly, with one out of four 18 to 24 years olds having seriously considered suicide. COVID also has brought to the surface mental health issues that have been overlooked for a long time.

–Mental health is now on “the same glide” as climate change has been for the past decade.

–”We have to prove that employee mental health is material to the long-term financial performance of corporations,” Phillip says. Project Healthy Minds partners with some companies, and targets those who have CEOS and members on the leadership team who make mental health a priority, and who can be vulnerable about their own challenges.

Phillip says an ideal partner would be Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, who in 2014 courageously became the first chief executive of a Fortune 500 company to publicly come out as gay.

–The shift from a manual labor economy, where physical strength was important, to a knowledge-based economy means we need workers who are mentally strong and resilient now.

Dr. Alfiee: “I love the imagery and idea that we have to take care of people because the economy is shifting and we want to be able to move in the direction that this economy is going.”

Phillip shares three observations since starting Project Healthy Minds:

1. How people hide from full view who they are, and the trauma and pain they have encountered. And, when high profile people like Logic share their mental health journeys, it reveals “the shared humanity we all have.”
2. The shocking stigma around mental health that is also harmful and discriminatory.
3. The hope of younger people from Gen X and millennials who have a different view of mental health and its priority.

ABOUT PHILLIP SCHERMERFounder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds

Phillip is also Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Global Chief Marketing Officer at BlackRock.

In his current role at BlackRock, Philip is focused on a range of initiatives relating to the future of purpose-driven capitalism, brand strategy, content creation & distribution model, and strategic growth priorities for the business.

Before joining BlackRock, Phil worked in the Obama White House as an intern for the National Economic Council, for Warner Brothers Entertainment on the movie set of The Dark Knight Rises, for Summit Entertainment on the movie set of Perks of Being a Wallflower, and for Live Nation on U2’s 360 tour.

While in college, Phil founded MUSIC Matters, a student-run non-profit at the University of Michigan that hosts one of the largest social impact lifestyle festivals in the US. Business Insider recognized Phil for his work while on campus by naming him one of “The Most Impressive Students at the University of Michigan”. Today, Phil serves on the MUSIC Matters Board of Advisors.

Phil graduated from the University of Michigan’s Honors Program with a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE).

Follow Phillip Schermer:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pschermer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/philschermer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-schermer-45007934/

Website: https://www.projecthealthyminds.com/

Follow Dr. Alfiee:

Website: https://dralfiee.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee/

Website: https://dralfiee.com

Find out more about the AAKOMA Project here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvTKmYKi24I

Season 3 Produced By: https://socialchameleon.us

More Couched in Color: https://dralfiee.com/podcast

Music Produced by: Mark “King” Batson (Superproducer of your favorite artists and Grammy award-winner for albums with Eminem and Beyoncé)