Hey Y’all!
For Mental Health Awareness Month, I feel this is an opportunity to thank you all for being open about mental health and helping reduce the stigma associated with it.
I have been listening when clients tell me that they talk to their loved ones about therapy or that they referred people to me (extra thanks for that). Sometimes I see comments on social media from friends about their mental health successes and challenges, which also help reduce the idea that this must be a secret. As a person, I appreciate seeing more and more people share their experiences. As a professional, I believe this is a chance to see change within society unfold as people have become fed up with having to hide and mask their needs for help.
From religious organizations to the military to celebrities to royalty, mental health is being discussed in new spaces. Technology is being utilized to accommodate needs. Media is portraying conditions in better ways. Most areas of society are shifting how they consider the value of having support for mental health concerns. This started as a whisper and now it’s loud and out front. It started with those like you who pushed through your own challenges and shared with someone about your mental health experience. Just by saying “I am in therapy” or asking someone if they need help does a lot to reduce fear. That fear might have been in the way of someone getting some relief from what they are going through.
Thank you for doing your work in bringing awareness to mental health. Let’s keep it going!
-Marchele Lee, LPC-S
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