GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – Mental health professionals in Delta County will launch a new podcast on February 4 called “Healing Our Community,” aimed at breaking the stigma around mental health and connecting people to local resources.
Doctor Ray and Jean Kadkhodaian opened KBH Center, a mental health clinic, last year. But their vision extended beyond a physical location—they wanted to make it more accessible.
“The difference in Delta County that we found since coming from the Chicagoland area is this lack of resources and lack of connectivity,” Dr. Ray explained. “A lot of people are very isolated. It’s a lot of territory to cover in Delta County, so finding a way to connect everyone and to have a real talk about mental health is something that we saw a need for. We wanted to put a normal, neighborly face to mental health and reach out to all of the residents of Delta County.”
Another one of their focuses is also on establishing trust in the community for accessing help.
“There’s been a lot of distrust in the area with companies from big companies coming here and trying to do something. They’re not well staffed, they shut down, so there’s a lot of distrust with help out here,” said Jean. “[The podcast] is to let people know who we are, that we’re here to stay and that we are local people, we’re residents, and we’re not going anywhere.”
Despite being newcomers to the area, the Kadkhodaians bring significant credentials to their mission. “We could be perceived as outsiders, coming from the Chicago area,” Dr. Ray acknowledged. “But we’re not new to mental health. We have 30 years of experience that we bring to Delta County in all facets of the mental health field.”
Mental health support across the Western Slope can feel distant and difficult to access, particularly in rural communities. The Kadkhodaians aim to change that by providing help and support to the community they’ve grown to love.
At the heart of their mission is a simple but powerful message: “One of the worst places to be when you’re struggling with anything is alone in your head,” Jean said. “Many people don’t know that they could get help or they could be supported by others by reaching out. You don’t have to walk it alone. That’s the really big message we want people to know—we’re here and we want to be able to help people when they’re in need.”
Podcast Details
Each episode of “Healing Our Community” will focus on a different topic, with plans to bring in guest speakers from local resources as the podcast develops.
The podcast will air weekly on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. on Facebook and YouTube, allowing viewers to join the conversation live and ask questions in real time. This interactive format aims to build community connection and help people access support before small struggles turn into a crisis.
While the podcast is focused on Delta County residents, the Kadkhodaians hope its impact will extend to everyone along the Western Slope.
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