Father & Husband Turns Grief Into Hope

AND INTO SERVICE –

July 21, 2024 – Jeff Johnston meditates on his porch at 4:30 in the morning at his house in Cedar Rapids on July 7. Johnston uses meditation to help cope with the losses of his stepson, Seth, to an overdose, and his wife, Prudence, to grief-induced alcoholism, as well as day-to-day emotions. One new friend was Ryan Hampton, a former member of the Clinton Administration who has become a forefront expert in addiction recovery and drug policy reform spaces.

Now, Jeff hopes to change the behavior that precedes addiction with an app that makes mental wellness — not just mental health — as natural as eating and breathing.

Gen Z is more likely to report mental health concerns than other generations, according to the American Psychological Association. Research by the Walton Family Foundation indicates that 42 percent of Gen Z — those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s — is battling depression and feelings of hopelessness, nearly twice as high as Americans just a few years older than them.

Brightn, launched last August, is taking an electronic space known for its problematic effects on youth and using it to help them plan their mental health.