The Mental Health Side of Running & Dog Documentaries with Evan Birch

In this episode, Orsy sits down with ultrarunner, coach, podcaster, and mental health advocate Evan Birch (@ultrabirch) for a wide-ranging conversation about running, resilience, healing, and identity. Evan shares how his acclaimed short film *Supernova* came together, why running has been both a coping mechanism and a growth tool, and how therapy helped him move from running away from his problems to running toward a fuller life. They also dig into the mental side of ultra running: how to handle pain, why breathwork matters, what it means to keep showing up in hard moments, and how runners can use mindset to stay present when everything gets uncomfortable. Evan opens up about trauma, asking for help, body image, and the process of rebuilding after burnout and injury — all while continuing to chase bigger goals in the sport.