Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart

About Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart

The American mental health system is broken beyond repair. Rather than trying to tweak a system which fails everyone, it is time to commit to a bold vision for a better way forward. This podcast explores the American system against the plumb line of an international best practice, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Trieste, Italy. The 40-year old Trieste model demonstrates how a community-based treatment system upholds the human rights of the people served. The Trieste story is anti-institutional and models the therapeutic value of social connection. Topics will address contemporary challenges in the American failed mental health system as contrasted with the Italian approach toward accoglienza – or radical hospitality – as the underpinning of their remarkable culture of caring for people. Interviews will touch upon how the guiding principles of the Italian system – social recovery, whole person care, system accountability, and the human right to a purposeful life – are non-negotiable aspects if we are to have any hope of forging a new way forward in our American mental health system. This podcast is curated and hosted by Kerry Morrison, founder and project director of Heart Forward LA (https://www.heartforwardla.org/). Heart Forward is collaborating with Aaron Stern at Verdugo Sound as the technical partner in producing this podcast (https://www.verdugosound.com). Kerry Morrison is also the author of the blog www.accoglienza.us.

Publisher

Kerry Morrison

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Sept 2020

Latest episode

22 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

3 of 57 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   22 Sept 2026

   The long awaited English translation of Basaglia's "The Negated Institution:" A conversation with Professor John Foot

   Host [Host Name] interviews Professor John Foot about the groundbreaking English translation of Basaglia's "The Negated Institution," exploring its revolutionary impact on psychiatric care.

2. 

   31 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Redemption, recovery and reentry: A conversation with Marc Novick, peer case manager

   Mei-Mei Barnhardt interviews Marc Novick, peer case manager, about redemption, recovery, and reentry for individuals in the criminal justice system.

3. 

   11 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Have I told you how much you matter ...and do you believe me? A conversation with Dr. Gordon Flett

   This season starts off with a wonderful conversation with Dr. Gordon Flett, Professor Emeritus in Psychology at York University in Canada and the author of the 2018 book, The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant. Dr. Flett’s research into “mattering” – which he started in the 1980’s -- seems to be finding a contemporary relevance in the 21st century as our society trends toward social isolation and loneliness. His work resonate...

Inside a recent episode

Redemption, recovery and reentry: A conversation with Marc Novick, peer case manager

Published 31 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] It's time for you to grow as a person. Go ahead and take the job. And so I went to the Midnight Mission and I worked for them for eight and a half years. And so it was just a couple of streets over. It was the same population. It was the same group, same classes. It was for financial reasons. So I got a 50% raise right off the bat. And so by doing that, it got me off living in a hotel off Skid Row. And I was able to get my first apartment off. On my own, being in my early 40s, I never had my own apartment before. Never, ever. And so I ended up looking for a couple apartments, and I found one in Koreatown that I was able to afford, and I was able to take the bus back and forth to work. […]

Who has been a guest on Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• John Foot
• Marc Novick
• Michele Sipala

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

706

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

27 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

60

Social presence

0

YouTube

66

Engagement

77

Contact Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart