HELPING YOUTH WITH MIND OVER MATTER

We practice the conversation
before the crisis.

Real families. Real tools. No judgment.

Helping parents, youth, and families have the conversations that matter, before a crisis happens.

GET INVOLVED! - BE A GUEST

Myiesha Freeman standing with arms open on a city street at night

Who We Are

About HYMOM

The Need

Youth suicide is a national public health crisis. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among Americans ages 10–24. In 2023, approximately 1 in 5 U.S. high school students seriously considered suicide, and nearly 1 in 10 attempted suicide. Veteran and military-connected families may also experience unique pressures—including deployments, family separation, reintegration, trauma, frequent transitions, and the challenges of adapting to civilian life. These realities demonstrate the urgent need for prevention efforts that educate and support the entire family.

Source: CDC

Mission

HY MOM empowers Veterans, service members, and military-connected parents and caregivers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to recognize emotional distress, begin difficult conversations, and connect young people with appropriate support. Through education, honest storytelling, peer connection, community engagement, and trusted partnerships, HY MOM creates safe spaces where youth and families feel heard, understood, supported, and never alone.

Vision

HY MOM envisions a future in which every military-connected young person feels safe expressing emotional pain, every parent and caregiver is prepared to recognize warning signs and respond with compassion, and no family navigates a mental health crisis alone. Our vision is for HY MOM to become a national youth-suicide-prevention campaign that unites families, Veteran and military communities, schools, healthcare systems, government agencies, and community organizations to reduce stigma, strengthen family communication, connect families with lifesaving resources, and help prevent youth suicide across America.

The Host

Dr. Myiesha M. Freeman

Founder, HY MOM | U.S. Army Veteran | Crisis Responder | Podcast Host

Dr. Myiesha M. Freeman is the founder of HY MOM, Helping Youth with Mind Over Matter, a growing initiative dedicated to strengthening communication, awareness, and support among young people, parents, caregivers, and communities affected by suicidal thoughts and emotional distress.

A U.S. Army veteran and former officer, Dr. Freeman has served in leadership, healthcare administration, patient movement, and crisis-response roles throughout her military and federal career. Her work supporting individuals in crisis revealed how often unresolved childhood trauma, family disconnection, and unmet emotional needs continue to affect people well into adulthood. These experiences inspired her to create HY MOM.

Dr. Freeman earned a Doctor of Social Work from the University of Southern California, along with an MBA in Management, a Master of Science in Health Information Systems, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Through honest conversations, educational resources, community partnerships, youth and caregiver engagement, and lived experiences, HY MOM helps families recognize warning signs, begin difficult conversations, and connect with appropriate support. Dr. Freeman's vision is for HY MOM to grow beyond a media platform into an inclusive national campaign that helps ensure no young person or caregiver faces emotional distress alone.

“When young people feel heard, families become stronger, and hope has room to grow.”

Dr. Myiesha M. Freeman

HYMOM PODCAST

A show born from a hard question.

What if parents didn't have to wait for a crisis
to learn how to listen?

HYMOM began as a doctoral project exploring how families can communicate before emotional distress becomes a crisis. The podcast became the first step, bringing parents, youth, and professionals together for honest conversations. Through the podcast, Myiesha combines professional experience, research, military leadership, and a deep commitment to youth and families to advance HY MOM's mission and highlight the stories that so often never get told.

Dr. Myiesha M. Freeman, host of the HYMOM Podcast — Hosted by Dr. Myiesha M. Freeman

In Their Own Words

Stories from HYMOM

Conversations from the show, straight from the families living them.

The Voices of HYMOM

Meet Our Contributors

Dr. Shinah Quinn Russell

Licensed Professional Counselor | Approved Clinical Supervisor | Counselor Educator

Dr. Shinah Quinn Russell is the Founder and Director of Beginning Anew Counseling and Consulting. With more than 20 years of experience, she is committed to helping individuals navigate life's challenges, discover their purpose, heal, and become the best versions of themselves.

Dr. Russell brings an integrated perspective to her work, creating space for reflection, healing, personal growth, and meaningful change. As a valued HY MOM contributor, she shares her professional insight to help strengthen conversations surrounding youth mental health and support families as they navigate difficult experiences.

Dr. Russell earned her Doctor of Education in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University. She also earned a Master of Science in Counselor Education and a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Florida A&M University.

Aleisha Brown

Parent Peer Specialist & Family Engagement Advisor

Aleisha brings lived experience, compassion, faith, and advocacy to HY MOM, helping families feel heard, supported, and empowered as they navigate emotional and behavioral health challenges.

Following the loss of her 10-year-old son to suicide, Aleisha leaned on her faith. God took the broken pieces of her life and gave her pain a purpose. In her son's honor, she advocates for families whose children are struggling with their mental health. Drawing from her lived experience, Aleisha helps parents navigate their fears, connect with resources, and know they are not alone.

“I honor his life by pouring into the lives God allows me to touch. My prayer is that God uses my story, my pain, and my purpose to help another family find hope where they once thought hope was lost.”

Prophetess Valeria Freeman

Spiritual Advisor & Faith-Based Family Support Contributor

Prophetess Valeria Freeman brings faith, wisdom, compassion, and spiritual encouragement to HY MOM. Through her ministry, she has devoted herself to uplifting individuals and families during seasons of uncertainty, emotional pain, and personal transformation.

Prophetess Freeman received her ministry credentials from the Northeast Michigan Jurisdiction of the Union Gospel Holiness Church of God, Inc., on June 20, 2015. Her faith-based approach creates a compassionate space where families can seek hope, strength, and encouragement without judgment.

As a HY MOM contributor, Prophetess Freeman reminds parents, caregivers, and youth that spiritual support can be a meaningful part of healing. She encourages families to hold on to their faith, communicate with love, and remember that even during life's most difficult moments, they do not have to walk alone.

The Framework

The HYMOM Model

Five stages that turn silence into connection.

01

Awareness

Notice the emotional shifts before your child has to say them out loud.

02

Recognition

Name what you're seeing without minimizing or panicking.

03

Engagement

Show up consistently, not just in the hard moments.

04

Dialogue

Practice the conversation, the real one, before it becomes urgent.

05

Support

Connect your family to the people and resources built for this exact moment.

Join Us

Your family doesn't have to
navigate this alone.

Join a community of parents learning to recognize distress, start hard conversations, and find support before a crisis takes hold.

HYMOM COMMUNITY - COMING SOON

Listen and Follow

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We practice the conversation before the crisis.