WE DON'T NEED MORE PSYCHOLOGISTS

well, we do. but that's not the solution.

the reality is, we're always going to need more psychologists. just like we're always going to need more doctors - there's a growing demand to treat both the physical and mental health of individuals throughout the world. but training more psychologists isn't the solution, we need to train more people. people like you and me.

what would happen if every time you cut your finger you needed to see a doctor? or every time you had a headache, you went to see a doctor? you would never be able to see a doctor because doctors would be inundated. fortunately we don't need to see a doctor for every physical ailment we encounter - we have tools and resources to be able to treat many of them on our own or with the assistance of friends / family. but what about our mental health? can the same be said for our mental and emotional ailments? judging by the high demand for psychologists, it would appear the answer is no.

what we need then, is better training. we need every day humans to be better educated. better skilled. better equipped to handle the mental stressors of their friends, family, coworkers. and this is what i'm wanting to do. i want to train other adults on how to listen, how to respond, how to manage crises. i want to train people to have difficult conversations. to equip them with skills to navigate what an individual needs. to help those individuals feel seen, heard, validated.

one of the saddest things i found volunteering as a crisis counsellor was that individuals needed to text a crisis text line just to have someone to talk to. someone to listen. are we really doing that poorly of a job to our fellow peers that they need a crisis text line to get the validation they seek? the solution here isn't more counsellors, the solution is better equipped humans.

if you’re interested in becoming one of these humans, shoot me a message. i’d love for you to be a part of this training. and together, we can learn to take better care of one another.

LESS TALKING, MORE DOING

yesterday i finally did what i’ve been talking about doing for a while - i ran my first mental health training session for individuals to learn how to navigate difficult conversations.

since graduating from college in 2015, i’ve spent years acquiring knowledge from books, people, and life experiences. but none of this knowledge is any good unless you decide to do something with it.

and so this week i decided to act on what i’ve been talking about for months. in the space of one night, i designed a two hour training program which i held yesterday for five fabulous volunteers. and although there’s much for me to learn, the act of doing is where the growing and learning occurs; for both the participants and myself.

so for those of you who have supported me in my visions - either by your participation or your interest, i thank you. and for anyone else - if you’re interested in being a part of this training program, in learning how to respond to individuals who might be suicidal or who are just struggling in general, please contact me.

and together we can learn to take better care of each other.

FRIENDSHIP APPRECIATION POST

recent events have had me reflecting on my past, specifically my time in college. my four years in college were particularly challenging and it wasn't until i re-read my journal that i was reminded of the emotional struggle i experienced and the extreme loneliness i felt. i was also reminded of the all-encompassing darkness that consumed my mind and soul for almost a year.

i've written a lot about what it means to be a friend when someone is struggling - it's someone who doesn't try to fix you, but someone who is willing to sit with you through your shit. and i can write about this because i've experienced it.

and i've experienced it from my former teammate and roommate Ida Hepsø. she was the first person who showed me what being a friend really meant. i went through a really difficult, dark time in college and i put ida through a lot of shit too. i was horrible to her

- i often vented to her that no one cared, even though i knew she cared. and i said this because i was sick; my needs weren't being met. not by her, but by other people in my life.

it was ida though, who called my doctor when i was crying out for help. it was ida who came looking for me when i left a suicide note. and it was ida who was there for me, before, during, and after i hit rock bottom. and she was there despite everything i said, everything i did. and i genuinely could not be more thankful for the love, kindness, and patience she gave me. she helped save my life and she did so by never turning her back on me.

so for that, i thank her. i thank her for being the friend i so desperately needed. her friendship changed my life and i will forever be grateful to her for that.