REAL RESILIENCE TALK — EPISODE 99 “Keep Writing Your Story…One Sentence At A Time” w/ Guest: Weanne Estrada-Magbanua, MPH Mental Health Specialist | ADRA International

<p>In Episode 99 of Real Resilience Talk, Cam gets to sit down with Weanne Estrada-Magbanua, MPH, a Mental Health Specialist with ADRA International whose work has taken her into the complex intersection of mental health, humanitarian aid, public health, trauma, and resilience.</p><p>Growing up in the Philippines, Weanne experienced the realities of natural disasters firsthand. Those early experiences would eventually become part of a much larger journey—one dedicated to helping individuals, communities, and even the people doing the helping navigate adversity. Her work focuses on mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings, particularly for displaced communities and the people who serve them. Drawing on experience across several countries, Weanne brings a deeply human perspective to questions of trauma, resilience, faith, and healing. </p><p>Weanne&#39;s work reminds us that resilience isn&#39;t about pretending everything is okay. It&#39;s about learning how to keep writing your story—even when life changes the plot. Throughout the conversation, Weanne and Cam explore mental health through a global and culturally sensitive lens. They discuss how culture shapes the way we understand mental health, why humility and community involvement matter when trying to help others, and what humanitarian organizations can do to better care for the people who repeatedly witness trauma and suffering.</p><p>They also dig into burnout, compassion fatigue, vulnerability, boundaries, self-care, and vicarious resilience—the idea that witnessing the strength and recovery of others can also strengthen and transform the helper.</p><p>Weanne shares a practical framework for resilience built around the ABCs: <strong>Awareness, Boundaries, and Connection.</strong></p><p>Sometimes resilience means recognizing what is happening inside of us.</p><p>Sometimes it means establishing a boundary.</p><p>Sometimes it means reaching toward another human being instead of trying to carry everything alone.</p><p>And sometimes, when we can&#39;t find hope for ourselves, we may need to borrow hope from someone else until we can find our own again.</p><p>IN THIS EPISODE:</p><ul><li>Resilience as continuing to write your story despite life&#39;s plot twists</li><li>Growing up around natural disasters in the Philippines</li><li>Mental health within humanitarian aid and disaster response</li><li>Public health approaches to mental health</li><li>Cultural differences surrounding men