About this episode
Alyson Stoner is the founder and CEO of Movement Genius, a mental health platform designed to support child performers. Stoner started their career as a child star, acting in hundreds of projects as an actor, singer, and dancer. They got their big break as a dancer in Missy Elliot’s “Work It” music video and went on to star in Disney Channel’s Camp Rock , Cheaper by the Dozen , the Step Up movies, and many others. At age 17, after a decade of nonstop work and growing up in the spotlight, Stoner stepped away from performing to take care of their mental health. In rehab, they questioned whether they would have chosen to be an actor after realizing how much it affected their well-being—and wondered what their life would have been like if they had felt more supported as a kid in the entertainment industry. After realizing that their true passion was psychology, Alyson left Hollywood behind to study it. After gaining multiple certifications in the field, they founded Movement Genius with the goal of making mental health support more accessible and affordable online. They also created the Artist Wellbeing Essentials—a digital tool kit designed to support children performers. Today, Stoner is a fearless advocate for mental health, whether it’s on their podcast, Dear Hollywood , or in their new memoir, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything . Order the book here !