We recently connected with Claire Sully and have shared our conversation below.
Claire , we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
My story, when it comes to mental health has a lot of ups and downs. One day, I feel like the world is against me, and others, it aligns with me. I’ve overcome a lot of different obstacles in mental health. I’ve dealt with Emotional abuse, Verbal abuse, and Mental abuse. One of the things that has helped me tremendously is having someone to talk to. I’ve been in Therapy for about 4 years now, and it’s become one of the best ways to release my thoughts, the inner voices that attack me during the day or in my dreams. I also have a solid group of friends who have been in my life for a very long time, who I lean on for help. I’m very high maintenance, and I know that, but I’ve been very fortunate to surround myself with people who provide me that source of emotional support when I’m abused, and don’t know who to run to. Another way I’ve persisted through the challenges of my mental health issues, is being surrounded deep in nature. I feel very connected with Mother Nature, I like digging my feet in the soil of the earth to feel that bond. I’ve always felt messages through clouds, and trees, and sometimes animals. Everything around me, means something. Nature, has become my best friend when I struggle. I only need to be wrapped around it to feel better.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a professional singer and songwriter. I stepped into the music industry as a professional at 17 years old. I’ve had a passion for music since I was very little, and since then, I’ve gotten to collaborate with some of the best artists around the world and work for very big music companies such as iHeart Radio and Livenation. Music plays a big part in my life when it comes to my mental health. My songs highlight the mental and emotional aspects in my relationships both positive and negative. Being in the music industry, has opened my eyes in ways no one could ever imagine. I’m learning so much everyday. I learn the performing side, the production side, and the business side. We work harder and smarter. There are so many highlights and achievements when it comes to what I’ve done. I’ve been played on the radio since I was 16, I’ve worked with producers at Warner Music, country artist, Kelsea Ballerini’s former tech, Berklee College of Music students, American Idol contestants, worked for Livenation, just to name a few. I’m an artist made up of so much, and I think you’ll be able to hear it in the songs.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think when it comes to dealing with mental health issues, It’s tied into my music because I’m writing and expressing the way I was impacted. There’s no right way to do things, but I do have a voice and I am a strong songwriter. With this, I’ve been able to carry the messages in the songs and the goal is to help the next person struggling, or to inspire them. Another skill I’ve carried with me, is the power of communication. I’ve always been someone who holds back when it comes to asking for help, which is why, I’ve poured everything into my music. I write based on real life events, and when I feel that I need to communicate a powerful message, you’ll very likely hear it in my songs. Communication goes such a long way, and I learned that, when it comes to dealing with mental health, I can’t hold back anymore. I need to vocalize how I feel and what I’m going through My last skill I’ve carried with me is, writing. Writing, Journaling is the most healing thing. When I’m not in therapy, writing is my go to. I allow myself to feel the emotions.. If I feel, that my entry is good enough to put into a song, then, it becomes a song that I work on to release. Other times, It’s just for my eyes and to benefit my mental health.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
We face challenges daily right? I’ve dealt with a lot of obstacles when it comes to my mental health. For the last couple years, I’ve stayed silent because I was never allowed a voice to express how I genuinely feel. I used to watch documentaries about other artists, and listening to their struggles with mental health, helped in many ways, because I thought “Maybe, now is a good time to vocalize my story” I still stayed silent. I was put in a very toxic relationship when I was 19. I’m 24 now, and I’m constantly learning about people, behavior and society. This relationship, at times, brought me so much happiness, but I was also heavily struggling. I was abused verbally, mentally and emotionally. I landed in therapy for the first time at 19 and learned, there was northing wrong with me. That it was okay to cry, that it was okay to scream, that it was totally okay to write a song and share it with the world, no matter what the other person felt. It was my turn to take my power back. I dealt with a lot of body dysmorphia. I was constantly compared to their body, and told things like “your chest is too small, your butt needs to be like mine, or else you won’t be liked by others” Being told that for the past 4 years, does a lot to you. I couldn’t wear a bikini comfortably until this summer of 23. My confidence, was down the drain and I felt that If I didn’t look or act a specific way, I wasn’t going to be liked. I was verbally abused, being sworn at in every sentence and using derogatory terms towards me, left me shattered. in 2020, I found out, I was diagnosed with depression. I remember talking and asking to my doctor, “could the relationship I’m in be a reason as to why I’m so depressed” and to no surprise he answered “Absolutely a factor of it” For many years, I tried telling myself, “Claire, you’re okay, the pain will go away on it’s own, and their actions will change overtime” As time went by, I was still so emotionally affected. I lost sleep at night, because all they wanted to do, was stay up and talk about their life and problems with me, and watch tik tok videos, and when I’d try to say, I wanted to get sleep, I was looked at and told, I was being petty. I’d wake up to texts that read “Good Talk.” , or “K bye” For just wanting to get to bed earlier?
These obstacles continued to be shown on my path for so long. I thought it was never ending. Communicating with their friends, was seen as this horrible thing in her eyes. There was always a problem If I was friendly. To them, it was seen as a form of something more than just being nice. Every time this happened, she’d cut ties with me to cut off any form of communication. Then months later, they’d call back, just to land right where we started. I had so much I wanted just get out of my system but with the abuse, I just didn’t have the voice and confidence yet. I found myself wrapped up in her lifestyle for a very long time. I started thinking the way she did, I was convinced to share very similar beliefs, and if I didn’t I’d get judged or we’d get into fights. I was very brainwashed. I lost sight of who I was, I was loosing friends on the way, because people noticed a change in behavior, people noticed, I’d be so consumed in this relationship, I never made time for my other friends. People were done hearing about my relationship, people were done listening to me crying one day, and then smiling the next. With this relationship, I’ve also studied the behavior of the people in their life. Some people, had very kind hearts. Others, not so much. They’d be mocking the LGBTQ community, and saying jokes that really would just bring someone in that community a lot of damage. I look back now, and think, I was so close minded to that community not only because I didn’t understand, but because I had to believe the way they did. With this, I stayed silent and closeted for years. I always knew I wasn’t straight! I just chose not to make a big deal out of it hahaha!
Fast forward to 2023, I chose to gain my power back. My mental health plays tricks on me from time to time, but leaving that bad relationship was the hardest thing, I’ve ever had to do, but one of the healthiest things I’ve done. Coming out on the other side, I’m healed more than ever, but still a work progress. I’ve been open to making new friendships, I’ve been working on new music with new artists and producers, I’ve been put in this healthier environment, where I attract positive not negative. I take pride in who I am, I’ve gained my confidence back, and am showing my body love daily. I’ll be modeling for New York Fashion Week, then flying back home to Milan Italy for another fashion show! As Selena Gomez puts it: “I didn’t fall, I rose up” I now know, what my body needs, and what’s healthy for my mental health. I’m never going to let anyone treat me the way, that I had been, and I do not tolerate, women putting other women down and showing disrespect, wether that be mentally, verbally or emotionally. Abuse, doesn’t just show up physically, and I think people are quick to think that. As a society, I’ve noticed, we’re not perfect, but if we use our voices, we can help change the world. Mental Health is an important topic, and I think it has to be talked about lot more often. To me, your voice matters, your ideas matter, your opinions matter, and YOU MATTER.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairesully27/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007194138115
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-sully-64a077137/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4qf74hr7kqauSSMSXX4FVw
Image Credits
Andrew Powers IG: @AndyPowersPhotography
