“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.

Alexander Wright

I’ve dealt with anxiety, OCD, and depression since I was a teenager. It got so severe I had to leave school at sixteen. I attained my GED in my early twenties just so I could apply to Berklee. It took all my strength at the time, but I knew I wanted to work in music—specifically in the parts of it that most people overlook. The details. The feel. The final steps. Read More>> 

Alex King-Harris

“Where Is Your King? – A Story of Persistence Through Mental Health”
The end of my marriage was the moment everything cracked open.

I was in the wake of profound loss, self-harming and self-abandoning—floating in a haze of grief, addiction, and confusion. That’s when a dear friend sat me down, looked into my eyes, and asked me a question I will never forget:
“Where is your King?” Read More>> 

Marena Koenka

I have dealt with mental health challenges for as long as I can remember, and was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder when I was 15. When I was 19, I was also diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder , which shows up for me most often in the form of intrusive thoughts and contamination OCD (a fear of getting sick from food or germs). I also struggled with disordered eating during my teens and early 20s.  Read More>> 

Diya Mankotia

For most of my life, I tried to keep my eating disorder hidden. I was afraid of what others would think, so I covered up my disordered behaviors with a smile, trying to convince myself I was fine. I thought that by staying silent, the problem would go away on its own. But hiding it didn’t help, in fact it only made things worse. The more I pretended everything was okay, the more alone and out of control of my own life I felt. Read More>> 

Diandra Marie

In 2014, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and in 2021, with anxiety. At the time, I felt like I was drowning in silence—showing up for work, being “on” for others, and creating content, all while feeling disconnected and overwhelmed inside. It took a lot for me to even admit I was struggling, let alone ask for help. Read More>> 

Silas Rounds

A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD, which helped to explain a lot of anxiety and depression I’ve struggled with throughout my adolescent and adult life. It’s been difficult carving out a niche for myself that allows me to work at my own pace and do things on my own time, but starting a record label for music that I’m passionate about has played a huge role in befriending parts of myself that I’ve historically treated as an enemy. Read More>> 

Ashley Cluskey-Gallagher

Every day is a challenge when you’re battling your own brain. In the depths of my depression, my thoughts were filled with self-doubt, shaming myself for not being able to do “normal,” everyday tasks and racing thoughts of how others perceived me. When my eldest sister suddenly passed away at 31, I fell deeper into that depression, unable to remember a time when I was happy. Now, eight years later, through self-discovery, medical intervention, and radical life changes, for the first time in my life, I’m truly happy. Read More>>