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Why Justin Goodman Is on a Mission to Equip Everyday People with Mental Health Tools
For years, Justin Goodman lived with undiagnosed type 2 bipolar disorder, struggling to make sense of what was happening inside him. Alongside chronic physical pain that drained his energy and tested his resilience, he turned to substances as a way to cope—a pattern familiar to many who are trying to escape the relentless noise in their own minds.
While those experiences don’t appear on a résumé, they’ve fundamentally shaped who Justin is. They’ve given him a deep, personal understanding of what it means to hold things together when everything inside feels broken. Perhaps more importantly, they revealed just how little real support exists for people in crisis.
Why Mental Health Tools Should Be for Everyone
Through his journey, Justin realized something crucial: most people genuinely want to help friends, coworkers, and loved ones dealing with mental health issues—but they simply don’t know how. People hesitate, unsure of the right words or afraid of making things worse. That hesitation can make all the difference between someone feeling seen and someone slipping further into isolation.
Justin has experienced both extremes—being surrounded by people who didn’t understand what he was going through, and being supported by those who showed up with compassion and clarity, even when it was hard. What he truly needed in those moments wasn’t just kindness—it was action. He needed people who could recognize the signs, speak up in the right way, and take meaningful steps to support him.
That realization led him to a powerful question: We give people tools to handle physical emergencies—why not give them tools to respond to mental health emergencies too?
The Birth of Project 55
Out of that insight, Justin created Project 55—a free, accessible online training designed to teach everyday people how to support someone in a mental health crisis. The Mental Health First Responder Training breaks down what to say, what not to say, and how to take timely, appropriate action. It’s a paint-by-numbers approach that makes mental health support something everyone can learn—without needing a medical degree, expensive certification, or months of waiting for a seminar.
Project 55 wasn’t built to become a brand or a business. It was born from Justin’s lived experience and the gratitude he feels toward those who were equipped enough to step in and help save his life. His mission is to give others the tools he wishes had been available during his own darkest moments.
A Personal Mission with a Universal Purpose
For Justin, this mission is personal. He knows what it’s like to feel invisible, ashamed, and completely alone. But he also knows how life-changing it can be when just one person steps up in the right way at the right time.
This training isn’t meant to be a silver bullet. It won’t solve every problem. But it can empower people to take that first important step—something that could make all the difference for someone in crisis.
If even one person learns how to intervene at the right moment because of Project 55, then for Justin, it’s all been worth it. Because no one should have to face these battles alone.
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This content is brought to you by Noen Noah
Photo provided by the author
