KickBack Mental Health Marathon returns with local voices, real conversations and a message of hope

County of Brant Coun. Lukas Oakley takes part in a conversation on mental health during filming for KickBack 2026, a locally produced Rogers TV series that features real stories and lived experiences from across Brantford and Brant County. The mental health marathon premieres Jan. 19.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

A locally rooted mental health series that has helped normalize honest conversations is returning to television this winter, with a renewed focus on community, lived experience and the power of speaking up.

KickBack will premiere its 2026 mental health marathon on Rogers TV on Jan. 19, bringing more than 30 conversations filmed across Brantford and Brant County into living rooms across the region 

Now in its ninth year, the locally produced series was created by Ben Strasser as a way to create space for real people to talk openly about mental health. The conversations do not take place in a studio setting, but in the everyday places where life actually happens.

“Mental health happens in real places such as kitchens, workplaces, community spaces, hockey arenas and therapy offices,” Strasser said. “Filming across Brantford and Brant County grounds these conversations in the same spaces people live their lives. It quietly sends the message that this could be you, this could be someone you know, and this conversation belongs here.”

This year’s broadcast is presented by the Canadian Mental Health Association Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk, a partnership that reflects the growing collaboration behind the project and its focus on community-based support 

Since its launch, KickBack has aired more than 70 hours of programming, featured over 200 guests and reached hundreds of thousands of viewers. The 2026 series explores five broad themes that touch nearly every family in some way: men’s mental health, women’s mental health, children and family mental health, grief and bereavement, and substance use and addiction 

Rather than centring on diagnoses, the conversations focus on lived experience such as parents navigating their children’s mental health, leaders reflecting on responsibility and burnout, artists and caregivers speaking about grief, and individuals sharing their journeys through trauma, addiction and recovery.

“What stood out most was how willing people were to speak honestly once they felt safe to do so,” Strasser said. “Many of these guests are used to being the strong one or the helper, yet they showed up willing to share uncertainty and moments where they didn’t have answers. That level of vulnerability speaks volumes about our community.”

Several panelists come from Brant County and the surrounding area - Lukas Oakley, Shawn Watson, Todd Gould, Tammy Adams and Jordon Iorio. Their conversations reflect the realities of parenting, leadership, grief, trauma, addiction and workplace stress,  experiences shared quietly by many across the community.

“These are people who shop at the same stores, attend the same schools and cheer in the same arenas,” he said. “When someone recognizes a name or a face and hears ‘I’ve been there too,’ it reduces isolation and builds trust.”

At its core, KickBack aims to normalize conversations about mental health and remind viewers that struggle is not a personal failure.

“If someone watches even one episode and walks away feeling a little less alone, then the series has done its job,” Strasser said. “Struggling does not mean you are broken or weak. Mental health isn’t linear, and healing can take many forms from therapy, community, rest, medication, creativity, or simply learning to name what you’re feeling.”

For those who may be hesitant to tune in, Strasser stresses that the series is not only for people in crisis.

“You don’t need a label or a diagnosis to belong in these conversations,” he said. “If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or like you’re carrying more than you let on, these stories are for you. Start with one episode. Listen quietly. Take what resonates and leave the rest.”

KickBack 2026 premieres Jan. 19 on Rogers TV. Community members interested in sharing a story or offering a message of hope are invited to contact the production team at kickbacktogether@gmail.com 

If you or someone you know is struggling, local mental health supports are available through CMHA Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk and other community agencies.