Thriving Through Adversity & Overcoming Mental Health Challenges

“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If you have love for yourself and others, you won’t need it.” – Shannon L. Alder

Some of the most successful folks in our community thrive despite experiencing mental health challenges. We are inspired by their strength and honored that they would share their stories with us below.

David Crismon

I have persisted for my entire career through a combination of ambition, occaissional ineffectiveness, and luck. to the extent i have overcome what is probably diagnosed today as ADHD, is that I have found way to actually use my tendency to move from task to task, in order to keep my interest up and hopefully finish what I started. Read more>>

Bailey Sims

The love and kindness of my friends and family. I have a diagnosis of severe depression with anxiety. Getting through my sophomore year of college during the COVID-19 pandemic and after losing one of my greatest support systems (my grandfather) was one of the hardest times of my life thus far.  Read more>>

Taina Santiago

Last December I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, an adrenal disorder that causes hormonal imbalance and cysts on the ovaries along with many other complications. My diagnosis was no surprise to me as I had been struggling with symptoms for many years. My delay in diagnosis was due to medical professionals not taking my pain seriously. Read more>>

MARCOS GABRIEL

Since the age of 12, when I first realized I was depressed, or experiencing depression rather, I struggled with my at-times crippling anxiety. It wasn’t until I was 26 that I found myself at a crossroad with my mental health and my well being as a whole, and something desperately needed to change.  Read more>>

Julianne Thomas

The relationship with my mental health is a rollercoaster. I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a kid. With the experiences I’ve endured in my lifetime, I’d definitely say I am still persisting. It’s super important to surround yourself with people who have your best interest at heart and can provide a safe space for you to be vulnerable with them. Read more>>

Bridget Papino

Fostering resilience amid mental health challenges has been a deeply personal journey for me all my life. Embracing vulnerability and seeking professional support alongside finding and trusting myself and my spirituality were pivotal steps for me. Through therapy, I cultivated coping mechanisms, gradually building a foundation for mental well-being. Read more>>

Rayni Collins

During my undergraduate studies, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery regarding my mental health. I realized I had been struggling with anxiety and depression since childhood, mistakenly believing them to be personal flaws and feeling isolated in my experience. With the guidance of a college counselor (who sparked my own interest in the field), I discovered the prevalence of these struggles and learned to embrace my vulnerabilities. Read more>>

Bianca Russo

Practicing and playing on sports teams is where I learned to leverage challenge, strategize and overcome. My coaches demonstrated how to re-frame my limiting beliefs to be optimistic; athletics have taught me how to be resilient in the face of defeat because of the togetherness with my teammates. Read more>>

Courtney Dorsey

The more self-aware I am about my condition, the more it actually worries me when decision making. The more aware I am of God, is the more I learn to have grace for myself as well as disciple myself based on my needs. Living with anxiety right now is really outside of my control. I’ve tried to pretend like it didn’t exist.  Read more>>

Jake Jansing

Something that gives me an immense amount of hope for the future is the focus we now have on mental health. For far too long, mental health was placed on the back burner and the impact was often ignored. Now that further research has been conducted and people are having more open discussion, we are learning crucial information about mental health and people are finding answers to long-held questions. Read more>>

Marisa Nikole

I was in one of the darkest places in my life a few years ago, and it was not easy to pull out of that, and took me about 6 months to finally come together once more. First and foremost, by the grace of God, I was saved from one of the hardest times in my life when I almost gave up and gave in. I became a recluse and didn’t leave my home because I struggled with not wanting to be here, and couldn’t get out of bed. Read more>>

Jim Livingston

When I was younger, I injured my back which causes quite a bit of chronic pain and now as I get older, I have mobility issues. Chronic pain grinds on a person. It is something you can’t escape. There are various kinds of pain meds but frankly, they interfere with my ability to think. Read more>>

Jenna Bruxvoort

Several years ago while in the U.S. Army I was struggling with suicidal ideation. I was lonely, isolated, and felt I didn’t have any good options, particularly options that were my own. I was looking down this long, set path that was “success” by every definition, but it just didn’t feel like it to me. Read more>>

Vince Martellacci

I’ve had mental health issues for as long as I can remember. After working in a traditional setting at the same time I was getting diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder when I was 21, I realized I never wanted to work traditionally again. So I took business classes, read books, and signed up for every marketing blog’s email list.  Read more>>