Brio advances global mental health and wellbeing through design and collaboration with local leaders and organizations. Since 2018, Brio has worked with impact organizations in Latin America, Asia, and the United States creating innovative programs in marginalized communities. And here to tell us more about their work is Daisy Rosales, the Executive Director of Brio.
Daisy Rosales Executive Director of Brio
Daisy Rosales, Executive Director of Brio, a global non-profit dedicated to improving mental health, recently joined me on The Business of Giving podcast. Rosales’ insights during the conversation shed light on the multifaceted nature of mental health and the unique approach that Brio adopts to address these
complexities.
Origins and Vision of Brio
Rosales revealed the origins of Brio stemmed from her personal connections within Latin American communities where mental health struggles were rampant. Her immigrant family background coupled with witnessing these struggles led to the formation of Brio, dedicated to addressing mental health issues. “There’s this global mental health conversation. And many of them don’t seem to be thinking about community-based leaders and organizations that are, in many ways, already showing up for these communities,” she shared.
Unveiling the Emotional Struggles of Community Leaders
Rosales spoke of the emotional toll community leaders bear. These leaders face pressures not only from limited resources but also from their own expectations and societal norms. It is this area where Brio seeks to intervene. As Rosales aptly quoted Alicia Duran Ballen, a grassroots leader, “What’s really at the heart of this is that there’s so much suffering in our community. And sometimes it feels like what we’re doing is just stopping the bleeding.”
The Notion of Self-Inclusion in Leadership
One of Rosales’s significant points revolved around leaders’ need to include themselves in their visions of success and prosperity. She stressed the importance of leaders recognizing their need for the same nourishment they strive to provide to their communities. Rosales emphasized,“But if I can actually create a little bit of healthy distance between myself and some of these inner experiences, then I have a broader range of choices available to me. I can still go to work, I can go to school, I can take care of my family in the presence of this suffering.”
Implementing Human-Centered Design in Mental Health Initiatives
Rosales explained how Brio employs human-centered design to focus on enhancing mental health, rather than merely combating mental illness. She advocates for a meaningful living and purposeful existence that individuals strive for even under adverse conditions. “At the heart of the human spirit is this desire to live a life that is meaningful and purposeful for me. And today is really all that we have. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, and we can’t change the past,” she said.
Future Goals and Scale of Brio
Finally, Rosales discussed the future goals of Brio, detailing the importance of partners and emphasizing the need for context-specific approaches to mental health. The end goal of Brio is to create programs that can be replicated and scaled across various contexts to improve mental health on a larger scale. As Rosales put it, “When we think about scale, we’re thinking about the potential of this model to reach many more people.”
Daisy Rosales offered significant insights into the complexities of mental health and a unique perspective on addressing these issues. Through Brio, Rosales and her team strive to promote mental health as more than just the absence of illness. By fostering a global conversation on mental health, Brio is changing the narrative on mental health and shaping a more compassionate, equitable, and healthier world.
To listen to the full interview or read the transcript, just click here.
Denver Frederick, Host of The Business of Giving serves as a Trusted Advisor and Executive Coach to Nonprofit Leaders. His Book, The Business of Giving: New Best Practices for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Leaders in an Uncertain World, is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.