GH’s Maurice Benard and Jophielle Love Spread Pure Joy

General Hospital’s Maurice Benard has spent the better part of his life as a spokesperson for people struggling with mental health issues. He began his video podcast, State Of Mind, to reach a wider audience. This week he detoured from his heavier topics and welcomed Port Charles’s vivacious young actress, Jophielle Love. Nothing heals a heavy heart more than honesty from the mouth of babes.

Jophielle Love: Tackling Sadness

Benard (Sonny) welcomed his young guest for the second time to his podcast, and the two began a candid conversation immediately. She may be young but Love, who plays Violet Finn on the soap, knows a thing or two about sadness. The spirited girl, who is just shy of 10 years old, shared with the host what makes her sad – and it is something that all adults can relate to: Feeling left out.

“There’s a lot of things that make me sad. I have a friend, and she once did this to me,” Love revealed to her co-star. “I have this brother named Gabriel. You have probably met him before on the set of General Hospital. Let’s call her Em because I don’t want to say her real name. She used to spend a lot of time with me but also with Gabriel. This one time, after a camping trip, she spent way more time with Gabriel than she does with me. That’s the part that makes me feel sad. When I feel left out, I feel hurt inside. I know it is not a big deal, but to me, it hurts me.”

She continued to hit the subject home. “And there is another thing that makes me feel sad. I have this friend, let’s just say her name is A. Basically, we used to get into a lot of fights, but we used to always get back together. I used to actually live in her backyard because we have a bus that we could park there. I used to see her every day after school.

“One time, she really hurt my feelings,” Love continued. “We were at her place, and she has another friend with her, and they kind of made me feel left out again. People say, ‘Don’t take it personal.’ But, to me, it just hurts.”

The spunky actress offered up her cure for sadness. “I brought this little companion with me [lifts up a stuffed octopus]. Basically, it shows my emotions for me. If I feel happy, I show this side [Happy face]. If I am sad, I punch it out and show this side [Sad face]. It tells people how I am feeling without having to talk. The blue one [on the inside] kind of stands for mad and sad.”

Healing Through A Child’s Eyes

Sometimes it takes the purity of vision through a child’s eyes to heal sadness. Watching the always energetic and entertaining young lady is like plucking a color from a rainbow and having it wash away all that ails you. Love shared her unique family history, her parents’ marriage taking place on a high wire, their beautiful home in France, and the family’s menagerie of pets they keep there.

Love detailed her summer plans, gave a behind-the-scenes look at her life on the set of GH, spoke of a feud with Elizabeth (not Herbst, a wardrobe lady who is her nemesis), revealed her special bond with her co-stars Gregory Harrison (Gregory), Michael Easton (Finn), and Benard. Then she polished up her Barbara Walter skills and asked the host questions. Do yourself a favor and watch the full episode here.

Love teased a future storyline coming up by leaving the audience with a song titled Moon Girl. Stick around to the very end for a special message from Maurice Benard on next week’s special episode of State Of Mind on Sunday, July 23rd.

Fans can follow Jophielle Love on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To follow State Of Mind and subscribe, go to YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Fans can now purchase inspirational merchandise for Benard’s State Of Mind. Check it out.