Episode #141- Nadine Crocker

Content Warning: Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Self Harm, Substance Abuse, Abuse, Disordered Eating

In today’s episode, Kat chats with Nadine Crocker, an award-winning Director, Writer, Actress, and Producer, known for her impactful storytelling. Born in Nashville and raised in Fresno, Nadine moved to Los Angeles at 16 to pursue her passion for creating art that changes lives. 

We discuss her deeply personal film, *Continue*, which is based on her own survival of a suicide attempt and will be released in theaters on September 6th, 2024, for World Suicide Prevention Month. The film has garnered multiple awards, including "Best Director" at various festivals, and is the cornerstone of her nonprofit, "Continue On," focused on mental health and suicide prevention.

Nadine opens up about her struggles with mental health, which began at a young age and culminated in a suicide attempt at 23, followed by years of self-harm before finding a path to healing. This experience became the foundation of *Continue*, where she relives her story through acting, directing, and producing—a profoundly emotional process, especially when faced with industry feedback that mental health is a topic "no one wants to talk about." During the episode, Nadine discusses her mental health journey, how she’s used her struggles to move forward with gratitude, the lack of understanding around mental health during her upbringing, how the film has changed her life, her discovery of a passion for directing, and the challenges she faced in creating this movie. Ultimately, she hopes to help push the mental health movement forward. This episode is an incredibly raw discussion on mental health and is a must-listen.

You can find Nadine on Instagram here

You can learn more about Continue here