As the prevalence of mental health issues increases and affects an ever larger number of our friends and family, it becomes essential that we create spaces for folks to talk about how they overcame or persisted despite mental health challenges. Here, we’ve tried to create a safe space for people to come together and discuss their stories, experiences, triumphs and failures with managing their mental health issues.
Kelly Spieker
When I was a kid, and even into my teen years, I used to say I was destined for greatness. I didn’t really know what that meant, but I just had this feeling my life was meant to be something more. Fast forward to 2008, I’m 22-years-old and out of the blue, my mom died. I was devastated … how could I exist in a world where she didn’t? I had two choices; the first was to continue down the path I was on, which was full of drugs, alcohol and poor choices. And the second was to get my shit together – sober up, go to college and start planning a positive future. Read more>>
Theresa Stroll
Early 2022, I went through an event that forced me to take a hard look at my life, face truths I’d avoided, and take responsibility for the chaos I caused for myself. Prior to this event, most of my coping skills were unconscious, maladaptive, and disempowering. It had been easier to blame others for my problems, instead of taking responsibility for what I could control and/or accepting what I couldn’t. I’d gotten to a point where my way of living had become unsustainable and change needed to occur or I was not going to survive. Read more>>
Lord KraVen
My faith and spirituality are the foundation of my Individuality. It provides me the strength, courage, and confidence to be bold and daring in the pursuit of my dreams and passions. However, there are times my anxiety gets the best of me and it doesn’t allow me the freedom to seize opportunities in my career or be there for my friends and family the way I would like because of fear. Read more>>
Tamryne Jefferson
I came to the conclusion that my mental health should be just as important as my physical health and my emotional health. I have overcome and am still overcoming by following certain principles. After battling with different types of depression from post partum to suicidal thoughts to battling with insecurities and failures. I have found that if I don’t stand on truth, the reality presented to me will have me at the edge of a mental breakdown. Read more>>
Heather Geraghty
First + foremost, I’d like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to share a bit more of my story. I love the focus for this series + am a firm believer it’s something that should be addressed + discussed more openly. When posed with a series of questions for this particular interview, this was not the direction I was initially planning on heading. Although the question surrounding mental health struggles instantly resonated, it was also the question I wanted to avoid at all costs. Read more>>
Lauren Torres
As crazy as this may sound but sometimes the best way to overcome challenges and adversities, is to sit through and witness these experiences like a roller coaster. Instead of trying to climb over the wall or find ways of avoiding it, look at the challenging situations and observe from an outside or unattached perspective from yourself and see the “why” or the lessons that are popping out to you. Read more>>
Ben Fairbrother
My willingness to expand my perspective and open my mind to other possibilities has been the most important tool in overcoming my mental health issues. When I was deep in depression and facing suicidal thoughts on a regular basis, I was also at my most rigid. I completely believed the self-deprecating thoughts that were running through my mind, and that fueled my feelings of complete worthlessness, hopelessness, and despair. It was only when I learned to zoom out and see the connection between my beliefs, my thoughts, and my feelings that I could begin to understand that I could forge a new path for my mental health. Read more>>
