Inspiring Conversations with Nia Lancelin of THRIVE | Arts + Mental Health Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nia Lancelin.

Hi Nia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started dancing at just 2 years old, and growing up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, I quickly became known as “the girl who dances.” By age 14, I was teaching my own dance class, and at 18, I was hired as an instructor with the National Dance Alliance. My passion for the arts eventually led me to Spelman College, where I studied Drama and Dance before launching a professional career performing in opera, theater, television, and film.

My journey took an unexpected turn when I moved to New York City and later Los Angeles. During that time, I began experiencing significant mental health challenges that deeply impacted my life and career. As I worked through those experiences, I became increasingly passionate about mental health advocacy and trained as a Peer Support Specialist. What stood out to me was how often people responded to my story with two simple words: “Me too.”

Those conversations inspired me to create THRIVE | Arts + Mental Health, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the well-being of artists and creative communities through arts-based mental health programming. To deepen my impact, I also earned my Master of Social Work. Today, my work sits at the intersection of arts and mental health, helping people use creativity as a pathway to healing, connection, and growth.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely not been smooth. In many ways, my 20s felt like a dream. I was building a successful career in the arts, performing, teaching, and doing the work I loved. But before moving to New York City, I experienced my first anxiety attack, and that was the beginning of a very different chapter in my life.

As I settled into New York and later Los Angeles, I began struggling with my confidence, my marriage, and my mental health. What many people didn’t see was that while exciting things were happening professionally—including becoming the Resident Choreographer for NBC’s This Is Us—I was privately fighting battles that were becoming harder and harder to manage. I was experiencing daily panic attacks, and eventually my mental health became so severe that I developed agoraphobia and spent nearly a year afraid to leave home.

Those challenges didn’t just impact my emotional well-being—they affected every area of my life. There were periods when I couldn’t work consistently, which created significant financial struggles that I’m still working to recover from today. Living with multiple mental health diagnoses, navigating divorce, and rebuilding my life has been one of the hardest journeys I’ve ever faced.

We’ve been impressed with THRIVE | Arts + Mental Health Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
THRIVE | Arts + Mental Health is a nonprofit organization that supports the well-being and professional growth of artists, creatives, and communities through accessible, trauma-informed, arts-based programming. At THRIVE, we believe creativity is more than self-expression—it can also be a powerful tool for healing, connection, and personal growth.

Our work lives at the intersection of arts and mental health. We facilitate workshops, wellness experiences, speaking engagements, trainings, support groups, community events, and educational programs that use artistic mediums such as movement, storytelling, music, visual arts, and creative dialogue to help people explore their emotions, strengthen their well-being, and build meaningful connections with others.

What sets THRIVE apart is that our work is informed by both professional training and lived experience. As an artist and mental health professional who has personally navigated significant mental health challenges, I understand the unique pressures creatives face. We don’t approach mental health from a purely clinical perspective or the arts from a purely entertainment perspective—we intentionally bridge the two.

I’m most proud of the spaces we’re creating. Whether we’re working with youth, artists, educators, organizations, or community members, our goal is always the same: to create environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to show up as their authentic selves. We often say, “We Heal Better Together™,” and that philosophy is at the heart of everything we do.

I want readers to know that THRIVE is for anyone who believes creativity can be part of the healing process. Through workshops, trainings, performances, consulting, and community-based programming, we’re helping people create, heal, and THRIVE.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is that conversations around mental health are becoming more normalized. When I first started THRIVE, I often felt like I was convincing people that this work mattered. Today, I find that individuals, organizations, schools, and community groups are reaching out to me directly and are immediately interested in learning more about our services.

I believe that over the next 5–10 years, we’ll continue to see mental health become more integrated into spaces where it wasn’t traditionally discussed, including the arts, education, workplaces, and community programs. While stigma still exists, I think more people are recognizing that mental health is something we all have and that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. That’s encouraging to see, and I’m excited to be part of that shift.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thriveartistsgroup.com/
• Instagram: @thriveartistsgroup