We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Justine Rodes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with JUSTINE below.
JUSTINE, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
The mission behind my mental health brand stems from the pain I endured growing up as a bullied child. I often felt isolated and hated by everyone around me, which left a lasting mark on my sense of self. On top of that, the stigma surrounding mental health made it even harder to feel understood or supported.
With a deep desire to change that narrative, I decided to study psychology, aiming to become a therapist. However, as I navigated my own mental health struggles, I realized I wasn’t in a place to help others in the way I had envisioned. My career path took a different turn when I was accepted into the Disney College Program. The supportive community I found there played a significant role in improving my mental health
During that time, I explored creative outlets through YouTube and social media, starting with comedy sketches and lifestyle content. But something was missing. I wanted to create something more meaningful—a platform that focused on mental health, a topic deeply personal to me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a passionate mental health advocate and podcaster with a background in psychology. Initially, I pursued a degree in psychology with the goal of becoming a therapist because it felt like the natural path for someone passionate about mental health. However, I later realized that due to my own personal struggles, that career wasn’t the right fit for me.
In 2016, I started a YouTube channel creating lifestyle content and comedy sketches. This experience not only boosted my confidence but also sparked my love for connecting with others through creative storytelling. By 2021, I decided to transition from YouTube to podcasting to focus on mental health—a topic deeply personal to me. The podcast initially featured solo episodes where I opened up about my struggles and shared advice. However, it quickly evolved into an interview-based format as listeners began requesting to share their own stories.
As the podcast gained traction, I launched an Instagram page where the reels went viral, highlighting a real need for more mental health content. Inspired by this response, I expanded my mission by creating a clothing line. This second platform serves as another way to deliver my message: to help people feel less alone and empower them to speak openly about their mental health struggles.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
The story of how I met Ariel, my business partner, is actually quite special. Back when I worked at Disney as a Client Service Coordinator, part of my role involved visiting hotels in Orlando to provide marketing materials to our representatives. Ariel worked for a guest service company based in one of these hotels, and she was the representative I often interacted with.
We instantly bonded over our shared love for social media, especially Twitter. Ariel followed me there and was always so engaging, which naturally sparked more conversations. Over time, we discovered a mutual passion—Ariel loved photography, and I loved modeling. It wasn’t long before we started doing photoshoots together just for fun, which deepened our connection and built the foundation of our relationship.
In 2021, I launched Mentally a Badass, and Ariel was incredibly supportive from the very beginning. She offered me advice and took stunning photos for the brand, playing a key role behind the scenes. When the brand’s Instagram began growing rapidly in 2022, it felt natural to ask her to officially join me on this journey. She was already such a vital part of Mentally a Badass that it only made sense to make it a team effort.
Now, Ariel and I have been working together on Mentally a Badass for almost two years, combining our skills and passion to grow the brand and amplify its mission.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Mentally a Badass began to thrive when I started sharing vulnerable and comical reels. I’ve never been afraid to open up about my struggles online, but I know that many people are. The stigma surrounding mental health often leaves people feeling isolated, especially at night when their thoughts are loudest. They think no one understands what they’re going through, but in reality, there are so many others who’ve had similar experiences.
This is what I love about the internet—it has the power to connect people. By sharing my authentic and vulnerable content, I created a space where others could feel seen and understood. That sense of connection resonated deeply with my audience, and it became the cornerstone of Mentally a Badass. I always make it a priority to respond to everyone because I genuinely care. Some people have even reached out in my DMs to tell me that my content helped them feel less alone.
When it comes to our strategy, we aim for balance and diversity. Reels are our primary focus because of the algorithm, but we also share art and messages of hope that inspire and uplift.
If someone asked me for social media advice, I’d say the key is to focus on building a community. Getting followers is one thing, but keeping them is another—you have to put in the effort to make people feel connected. That’s why we created a Facebook group in addition to Instagram. My mission is to build a space where people can meet, find others they relate to, and form genuine friendships.
The biggest way to help others feel better is through community and connection. Humans are wired for connection, and I’ve always understood how powerful it can be in transforming someone’s mental health journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mentallyabadass.com
- Instagram: @mentallyabadass
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Pthqy2HoX/
Image Credits
Nathalie Cortez