How can we help those impacted by an illness we don’t fully understand?  

The short answer is to learn more by talking about it.

BCSS CEO Faydra Aldridge is back ‘on the air’ this week for Season 6 of Look Again, which leads meaningful conversations about mental illness and the people affected by it. Along with co-respondents Myles Constable and Giordanna Cullen, she brings familiarity and empathy into discussions that are grounded and practical. 

The show – now available in video format – blends stories of lived experience with professional insights, featuring interviews and segments that highlight the challenges families face navigating care for their loved ones.  

Episode 1 focuses on what ‘recovery’ means when an illness doesn’t have a cure. Guest Matthew Dickson describes his journey with schizophrenia and what inspired him to cycle across Canada (twice). He expands on how his treatment routine has helped him find stability and a fulfilling life. Watch Matthew share his version of “getting better” in the episode Recovery Road (below). 

Destigmatizing mental illness–one episode at a time 

This season also features voices that broaden our understanding of these conditions and issues related to care. In Episode 2, Monica – mother of a young man currently confined to a forensic hospital – reflects on the “patient privacy paradox,” sharing how confusion around confidentiality can leave families in the dark and how clearer communication can make care more collaborative.  

The next episode features Dr. Xavier Amador, author of I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help, who offers compassionate guidance for staying connected when a loved one doesn’t believe they are ill.  

Episode 4 delves into creativity’s role in wellbeing in a discussion with Art Therapist Nicole Parekh, who shows how accessible art‑making can help people cope, express emotion, and feel grounded again. 

In Episode 5, technology is examined with Allan Brooks, who shares how a casual exchange with an AI bot escalated into a prolonged delusion, raising important questions about online safety and oversight.  

The season ends with UBC professor Kathryn Gretsinger, who reflects on how media shapes public understanding of mental illness and why responsible, thoughtful reporting matters. 

Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined is produced by the BC Schizophrenia Society, a provincial non-profit organization that provides education, family support programs, and advocacy for people affected by serious mental illnesses.  

For more information about BCSS support programs and services in your area, visit www.bcss.org/help.