Gen Z has never been more open about mental health—yet anxiety, loneliness, and psychological distress continue to rise while millions struggle to access timely, affordable, and culturally responsive care. As traditional systems strain under demand, young people are already looking beyond the therapist’s office, turning to peers, schools, digital technologies, and community spaces for support. Last weekend, at the German American Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School, Lab Scientist Dr. Zhiying (Zoey) Yue participated on the panel “Where Healing Begins: The Future of Gen Z Mental Health.” She was joined by Errika S. Brooks, M.S.Ed (Gen Z Times), Marlen Christ (Mental Health Initiative), Dr. Vikram Patel (Harvard Medical School), and Dr. Sabine Wilhelm (Harvard Medical School). Bringing together transatlantic perspectives, the conversation tackled a fundamental question: if therapy alone cannot meet the scale of this crisis, who gets to heal Gen Z, where should healing happen, and what should count as care? At the Lab, we are honored to contribute our research on adolescent digital experiences to this vital global dialogue. #DigitalWellness #GenZMentalHealth #GAC2026 #HarvardKennedySchool #YouthWellbeing #MentalHealthCare
An important conversation. Young people's well-being cannot depend on access to clinical support alone; supportive families, schools, peer relationships, and healthier digital environments all have a role to play. As children grow up in an increasingly connected world, we need to help them recognise their emotions, manage digital pressures, build meaningful relationships, and seek support when they need it. Digital well-being education can be one part of this wider support system—not a replacement for professional mental health care, but an opportunity to build awareness and healthy habits early. The question is not just how we help young people cope, but how we create environments where they can genuinely thrive.
Thank you for sharing this! Dr. Yue brought the research that kept our panel grounded in what young people are actually doing online, not what we assume. Thank you to the Digital Wellness Lab, and to Dr. Michael Rich for the introduction that made it happen. It was a privilege to host her at GAC! 😊
Thank you, Digital Wellness Lab ,for sharing this! It was an honor to be part of this panel at #GAC2026. The question of who gets to heal Gen Z, and where, is one I'm still sitting with. Grateful for the Lab's research grounding this conversation ❤️
I saw from inside the team how much thought Selina Noe put into this panel, from the question to who sat on stage. Bringing research, clinical practice and community-based care together in one conversation is harder than it looks, and it showed.