Nashville Foundation Transforms Teen Mental Health in 18 Months

Two months after her 18-year-old son Owen died during a panic attack, Dr. Liz Willers made a choice that would change countless young lives in Nashville.

She founded The Goldfinch Foundation in August 2024, creating exactly what Owen needed but couldn't always find: mental health support without the waitlists, stigma, or barriers that keep so many teens from getting help. Instead of another clinical program, she built a community centered on creativity, movement, and human connection.

"I knew I wanted to create something that was positive," Liz says. "That didn't have stigma, because a lot of people might not want to be involved if there was stigma."

The foundation's approach is radical in its simplicity. Rather than focusing primarily on parents or caregivers like most mental health organizations, Goldfinch puts teens and young adults in the driver's seat. Young people lead conversations, shape programs, and guide the foundation's direction.

Owen was an artist and athlete who worked hard to manage his mental health before his death from an unintentional medication overdose. His twin sister Izzy used to call them "Goldie and Dusty" after their grandfather's nickname for the premature twins: the gold dust twins. When Liz spotted a brilliant yellow goldfinch in her garden shortly after Owen's death, she knew exactly what her mission should look like.

"Whatever we do, it's got to be positive," she told her family. "It's got to be light."

After 25 years practicing medicine in critical care, Liz understood the limitations of traditional healthcare systems. She had already been imagining a more holistic approach to wellness before Owen's death, and he had been part of that vision, even working on logos with her. When he died, the dream didn't disappear. It transformed into something that could help prevent other families from experiencing similar loss.

The Ripple Effect

The Goldfinch Foundation addresses what research increasingly confirms: mental health can't be separated from social connection. By removing the clinical feel and replacing it with warmth and belonging, the organization reaches young people who might never step into a therapist's office.

The foundation offers Nashville teens something profoundly needed in an age of screens, comparison, and isolation. It transforms loneliness into community and gives young people agency in their own healing. Every program reinforces a single message: you belong here, and your voice matters.

Liz built the foundation as both memorial and mission, shaped by who Owen was and what he needed. The bright yellow bird that inspired its name carries double meaning: birds often symbolize departed souls, and goldfinches specifically represent hope and positivity.

Young people in Nashville now have a place where seeking help feels less like admitting defeat and more like joining a movement.