Built Strong: Mental Health, Resilience & Community Leadership — A Conversation with Cre Larson | Bridge Out Ahead Podcast
There are people in every community who quietly hold everything together. They show up when life turns hard, they steady the ground under others, and they give hope in moments that feel heavy. One of those leaders is Cre Larson, a lifelong advocate for mental health and the Executive Director of First Call for Help. Her story reflects a simple and powerful truth. Resilience is something we learn, grow into, and practice daily.
Conversations about mental health have evolved over the years, but the need for real connection has never changed. People want to talk to someone who understands the weight of dark seasons. Someone who knows that healing is not linear. Someone who treats people with dignity no matter where they are starting from. Cre’s journey is a strong example of what it looks like when personal experience and community service come together.
The Impact of Lived Experience in Mental Health Work
There is something different about guidance that comes from someone who has truly walked through loss, confusion, or emotional collapse. It lands differently. It feels more real. Cre has been open about her own season of profound grief and how it shaped the rest of her life. After losing her infant son, she leaned into faith and the people around her to rebuild. That experience created a commitment in her to help others find their footing during their darkest moments.
This kind of lived experience is becoming more valued across the mental health field. It strengthens leadership, improves trust between providers and clients, and encourages open conversations about topics that used to be hidden. It is a reminder that mental health advocacy is not just a profession. It is a human connection.
Why Local Mental Health Resources Matter
In many towns across Minnesota, First Call for Help has been a lifeline for individuals and families who are trying to figure out where to turn. The organization has been doing this work for more than fifty years and continues to grow under Cre’s leadership. The mission is simple. Make it easy for people to get support during a crisis or when everyday life becomes overwhelming.
The services offered through 211 are often the first step toward safety and stability. They include crisis navigation, suicide prevention support, connections to essential resources, and referrals to counseling or community programs. What makes these services powerful is the focus on compassion and practical next steps. People get to talk to someone who listens without judgment and guides them toward the help they need.
Habits That Support Healing and Stability
Mental health recovery requires consistency and care. Cre talks openly about the practices she uses to stay grounded. These habits are simple enough for anyone to begin using and strong enough to create lasting change over time.
A few of her go-to tools include:
• A daily gratitude practice
• Short morning check-ins using a zero to ten emotional scale
• Prayer and faith-centered grounding routines
• The 5-4-3-2-1 method from Mel Robbins
• Music that lifts her mindset
• Evening reflection in a quiet, relaxing setting
• Vision boards that help her keep long-term goals in focus
These habits show that resilience is built through small actions repeated over time. They create a foundation that can carry someone through uncertainty or stress.
Building a Legacy of Strength and Service
Cre often reflects on her father’s belief that she and her brother were built strong. That mindset shaped the way she approaches her work today. She believes deeply in working hard, holding steady during challenges, and showing up with purpose. Her leadership is fueled by the belief that service to others creates a legacy that lasts longer than any individual moment.
With four adult children, seven grandchildren, and decades of community service behind her, she continues to look ahead. Her vision boards reflect goals for First Call for Help, opportunities to partner with more organizations, and ways to expand support for families across Minnesota.
Strength, in her eyes, is not about perfection. It is about showing up again and again with hope and compassion.
The Bigger Picture
Stories like Cre’s shine a light on what healthy communities are built from. Care. Connection. People who refuse to stop believing in others. Mental health advocacy is not only about crisis response. It is also about creating environments where people feel seen and supported.
This is the heart of the work we highlight on Bridge Out Ahead. Conversations about resilience, growth, community leadership, healing, and the roads people build after life knocks them down. When individuals like Cre step forward with honesty and purpose, entire communities feel the impact.
If you want more stories and conversations that explore what it means to rebuild, grow, and lead with intention, Bridge Out Ahead continues to dive into the people who are shaping the path forward.
