Influencer Ally Petitti On Mental Health Journey And New Podcast ‘Trying To Figure It Out’

The perfect voice for the Gen Z generation!

Entertainment Industry-native Ally Petitti has quickly become a powerful influencer in current times. Recently, she launched a star-studded and inspirational podcast entitled “Trying To Figure It Out”.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Ally about who inspired her to start a podcast, favorite podcast episode so far, and more!

What first inspired you to want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?

A: “I grew up in a family where multiple family members worked in entertainment. My dad has worked in TV and sports since I was born. I have always loved the entertainment industry and spent years trying to figure out what my niche in the industry would be. I love music more than anything and majored in music business at USC and have worked in the industry for over 6 years. I took 3 months off this year and really reflected on where I wanted my career to go and what I wanted to do to make an impact in the entertainment industry. I have always been open about my experiences and my stories. I never hold back when talking to friends or family and have been in therapy for years. After going through one of the hardest years of my life I ended up leaving my job at the time and spending a few months trying to decide what would be next for me. In that time, I realized how much I wanted to do something with my experiences and share them. I reached out to my mentor, and she said that I should start a podcast and create a space to open up about everything I want to open up about and that was really when the idea came to fruition. Once I decided I was going to do it, there was no stopping me and within 6 months “Trying To Figure It Out” went live!”

Tell us about your amazing podcast ‘Trying To Figure It Out’.

A: “I started TTFIO with the goal of sharing my stories and creating a space for others who might relate to me. The podcast focuses on everything from mental health, to growing up in a split household, to friendships, relationships, sexuality, body positivity, and other topics that we are all just ‘trying to figure out’. With solo episodes and guests, we dive into so many topics and aim to aid anyone who might be going through something similar or who has gone through something similar. It can be scary to share such personal stories but the space I have created with my podcast has made it feel easy and has been incredibly rewarding.”

 You have already had incredible guests on your podcast. Which podcast episode would you say has stood out for you so far?

A: “It would be hard for me to pick one episode because every guest has been so open and honest for my listeners and that has been so special for me. I will say, my two-part episode with Haley Jakobson was extremely special for me for many reasons and I think resonated with a lot of listeners in many ways. She blew me away. My job is to create a safe space for my guests, but with Haley, she created that space for me, and I shared things with her that I had never shared with anyone. The feelings I had in the moments after that interview changed my life. I know this podcast is what I am supposed to be doing. I learned so much from this episode and interview and am excited to see how the things I learned unfold in my future episodes!”

 Is there an artist/influencer you would love to be a guest next?

A: “I aim to bring guests on the podcast who can be relatable to others, who are comfortable opening up and getting deep with me, and who have stories to share from a perspective that I can’t necessarily speak on from my own experiences. I have a lot of people I would love to have on, but I wouldn’t say there is any dream guest. I am grateful for any person who steps into my studio and opens up and anyone who wants to do that is a dream guest for me.”

You are a big mental health advocate-which is so important to discuss for Gen Z. What made you realize you wanted to talk about it as part of your platform?

A: “I’ve dealt with anxiety and panic disorder for as long as I can remember. Growing up, this wasn’t something we talked about at home. Instead, I internalized my struggles which led to more issues. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized, talking about my experiences has allowed me to cope in a healthier way. After I started therapy I knew, sharing was healing. TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT is a safe space that I’m hoping is a stepping stone for my listeners to open up about what they’re going through and feel like they’re not alone. Therapy might not be for everybody. And TTFIO isn’t therapy, but we’re talking about a lot of the issues my guests and I have dealt with, and my hope is that listening to the podcast can be cathartic. It is so important to talk about the subjects that I am talking about openly on TTFIO and I truly believe that there needs to be a way to destigmatize and simplify access to mental health care.”

 Do you want to share any advice for Gen Z’ers struggling with mental health?

A: “My advice to anyone who is struggling to see a way out is to not be too hard on yourself. Sometimes looking for the light at the end of the tunnel is thinking too big and too far. It is not a linear journey, and you aren’t going to just feel better immediately. Instead, listen to your body – if you’re having a bad day and need to stay in bed and order comfort food…do it! If you are feeling bad and want to do something to make you feel good…get out there and do it! If you strive for this huge goal of complete happiness and some sort of a cure it can be really discouraging when you have a bad day. So, listen to your body, depend on those close to you, seek help if you are comfortable and most importantly don’t be too hard on yourself.”

We can’t wait to tune in next Tuesday for your podcast! Can you give us any hints on future episodes we should look out for?

A: “My next episode (6/28) will be kicking off TTFIO’s first ever “Toxic Friendship Awareness Month.” This month of episodes will focus on everything friendships from healthy to unhealthy and we will really dive into a lot of important issues that aren’t always talked about with regards to friendships.”

 Where can we follow your amazing journey?

A: “You can listen to TTFIO on all platforms that you would get a podcast from (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Audiomack) and you can also watch the episodes on YouTube if you are more of a visual person! If you want to keep up with me on socials follow my Instagram @allypetitti and my TikTok is @allypetitti.“

Photo Credit: Lindsey Ruth

Listen to ‘Trying To Figure It Out’ now!

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.