Lily Cornell Silver, daughter of former Soundgarden and Alice in Chains manager Susan Silver and late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, has launched a discussion program about mental health called Mind Wide Open. She made the announcement in honor of her father on Monday (May 18th), the third anniversary of his suicide.
The new series will take place on Instagram and will feature interviews with mental health professionals, public figures and other notable guests. The goal is to keep the conversations surrounding mental health going and normalize those discussions, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lily wrote, “I am launching today in honor of my dad, who passed away three years ago on this date. We often talked about our experiences with anxiety and depression, and mental health was something that he struggled with throughout his life. Through him, I learned how important it is to have someone who understands your darkness, validates your experiences, and gives you comfort.”
She added, “Losing my dad ripped a hole in my heart, and the grief and trauma that has followed comes with its own set of struggles. Through my experiences, I have become more aware of the stigma that surrounds discussing mental health and grief related issues. I want to use my platform to do what I can to create change around this stigma.”
Lily's first guest is Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, founder and director of the Trauma Stewardship Institute. Lily will provide further details on how to watch the program on her Instagram page.