We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Swensen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. 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.
As a child, I grew up in an upper-middle class community where I was bullied and it led to me experiencing depression and low self esteem. A passion of mine that helped me greatly when I was struggling was writing. Writing poems and songs allowed me to have an outlet for my emotions and helped me feel better even on my darkest days. Another passion of mine was singing. When I sang, I felt like I was unstoppable and all of my insecurities seemed to fade away. Those were two things that I loved to do, and it wasn’t until much later they would play a huge part in my life.
After going through my personal issues, I realized I could have a job helping people with similar issues, so I decided to go to college and graduated with a Master’s In Social Work to become a mental health therapist. Over time while still working as a therapist, I reflected on what I am most passionate about and had began to song write, which is now a my primary focus for my future. Music has this unique ability to heal people, and in my time working as a full time therapist. I’ve referenced music many times in therapy to help clients overcome their adversities. While my main focus is on writing songs for artists who are releasing music of their own, one of my personal goals is to release an EP with songs related to mental illness in hopes that it will bring more awareness to mental health and connect with people so they feel less alone.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My main focus is to continue to improve on my songwriting skills and to be offered a publishing deal. I love to sing and perform but my love for writing and creating music is the most important to me. I hope someday I can have a job where I can come in a room and help an artist build their brand and help them continue to have songs that connect to their fans. I am still working as a mental health therapist part-time and building a private practice called Inner Strength Counseling located in Tennessee.
I also released two singles that represent my own story. The first single, SOMEWHERE NEW, is about leaving my hometown and not having any regrets, The second song, RISE, is about resilience and facing your fears to become a stronger person. My dream for this song is to be a song of hope speaks to anyone who is struggling. As I continue to write with people, I hope to find more songs I personally connect with that I am able to release.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that are most helpful in my life are resilience, creativity and instincts. Even though I have experienced trauma and pain in my life, I kept going and I feel overcoming that led me to be the person I am today. As we deal with life’s challenges, I think it’s important that we are able to have outlets to release the emotions we have. I feel that being creative is one way people can be their authentic selves and can help bring them solace. Lastly, always follow your instincts. Prior to going into social work, I wanted to pursue a career in music. I let that dream take a back burner in my life for over a decade, and now life has come full circle where I’m doing it daily and am the happiest I have ever been. My advice for anyone is that you are not alone, find your support system and cheerleaders and do not let the past define who you are and keep pushing to reach your dreams.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
If anyone is ever feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to stop and take care of yourself. It’s very easy to get caught up in life’s responsibilities that we don’t make time for ourselves and prioritize our own needs. Making time at least 30 minutes a day to do something fun or relaxing helps us find the energy we need to continue to handle everything else in our lives. If someone feels like they cannot handle their anxiety or depression on their own, I always encourage people to reach out for help. There are professionals available to help you live a happier and more fulfilling life. Just because someone hasn’t experienced a significant trauma does not mean they cannot benefit from therapy. Therapists are there to encourage and help guide you on your path. As a therapist who also sees a therapist, I know her role has been life-changing for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahswensenmusic.com
- Instagram: @sarahswensenmusic
- Facebook: facebook.com/sarahswensenmusic
Image Credits
Brain Candy Studios NashBash Collective
