**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.
Dayna Altman is an energetic and dynamic author, speaker, and entrepreneur. A nationally recognized mental health advocate by the Biden Harris administration, Aerie, Yahoo, and MTV, Dayna is the full force and sole operator of Bake it Till You Make it LLC (BITYMI). BITYMI is a community-based organization that uses food and baking to cultivate authentic mental health conversations. Dayna channels her passion for mental health advocacy into baking, creating authentic recipes that foster vulnerable storytelling. An active Boston community member, Dayna is a dual graduate of Northeastern University, where she earned both a BS in Human Services and a Master’s in Public Health. Additionally, Dayna has many years of experience working with youth-based mental health organizations across Massachusetts.
Currently, Dayna travels the world to share her mental health story, feature-length documentary, and mental health cookbook on behalf of Active Minds and the Contemporary Issues Agency. Follow Dayna on Instagram at @daynaaltman. To learn more about Bake it Till You Make it LLC, check out our previous Recovery Conversation with Dayna on the blog.
Tell us about your documentary, Bake it Till You Make it. What inspired you to create this film?
The Bake it Till You Make it documentary is a product of the Youth Mental Health Action forum! In 2022, I was invited to participate in this inaugural forum hosted by MTV and the Biden-Harris administration at the White House. This experience shaped my life in so many ways, including connecting with other forum participants. Film producer and fellow participant Thea Touchton reached out to me after the forum with an interest in telling my story after being introduced to pieces of it I shared at the forum. I didn’t miss a beat before I enthusiastically said “yes!!” Telling my story in this way was truly a dream. I have always been interested in the power of storytelling through film, but without the skills myself, I didn’t quite know how I could do this. However, we made it happen!
The documentary is about 75 minutes long and tells my recovery story as well as the healing impacts of Bake it Till You Make it LLC. It shows not just how my recovery has supported me in founding the organization, but also the broader impact Bake it Till You Make it LLC has had on those who learn about it. Watching your life unfold on a big screen is very surreal, and being part of the creative process was incredibly fulfilling. Creativity has been at the center of so much of my recovery, so playing a part in the way my story was told was also very healing (and fun!!).
How did the process of making the documentary impact your recovery journey?
The process of making the documentary certainly impacted my recovery in several ways. On one hand, this felt like an incredible platform to celebrate and reflect on the strides I have made in recovery. I have never had an experience like this before! However, the process was also difficult. Although I often share my mental health story in front of audiences as part of my work, telling it on camera—and doing so multiple times in a row—definitely brought me back to the moments, both wonderful and difficult. I’m really glad that I was able to feel so deeply while telling my story, but of course, it took its toll.
What do you hope viewers will take away after watching your documentary?
The number one thing I hope viewers walk away with is the notion that they are not alone. Mental health challenges are often so isolating; you feel like you are the only one–or at least, that’s how I have felt, and occasionally still do. It is my hope that viewers realize that if they are struggling, they absolutely don’t have to hide, and there is power in owning and telling your story. I also hope viewers feel inspired to join the Bake it Till You Make it community!! There is certainly plenty of room for anyone and everyone who may be interested in joining events, hosting a screening or a workshop, or even following along online. At the center of this work is authenticity, and everyone is invited to join exactly as they are!
What kind of response have you received from audiences so far?
I have been so overwhelmed by the incredible amount of support and response we have seen. The documentary has been on the film festival circuit for almost a year now and has won numerous awards, which was something I hadn’t even thought about when we were making it!! One area of surprise is the international attention and celebration of the documentary. I often think of the mental health crisis as something local or unique to the US, but we ALL have mental health. Not everyone has a mental illness, but like physical health, everyone has mental health, and I am so glad that there is this broader conversation.
What advice would you give to someone who is inspired by your documentary and wants to use film or other media to share their recovery story?
I hope anyone who watches the documentary and is interested in sharing their story–in any medium–just starts!! For me, getting started has been such a barrier. I always feel like I have to have a perfect outline or plan, but often, in that pursuit of perfection, the story never ends up being shared. I would encourage anyone to lean into their authentic voice and share. Being vulnerable is so scary, but it has given me the life I have today: the relationships, the opportunities, the support…that was all the result of when I showed up as me. I would encourage everyone to embrace vulnerability. As hard as it may feel, it is certainly worth it!
Do you have any future projects planned?
In addition to sharing the documentary in communities across the country, I am currently working on my fifth book, For All My Tiers: Baking Cakes and Embracing My Big Emotions. This book is a collection of short stories and recipes, similar to my books Bake it Till You Make it: Breaking Bread, Building Resilience and A Unifying Blend: A Compilation of Recipes and Stories to Celebrate All That Makes Us Human, as they are anthology-type books. However, the stories in this new book are unique to my experiences and are all written by me!
I am also exploring what a stage adaptation of For All My Tiers may look like! I have always been someone who dreams big, but I think the documentary helped show me in real time that those dreams can be actualized, too! So, as hard as it is to imagine in the beginning stages, I know I can count on myself to bring it to the world!
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