Mental Health Stories | Amie Isfan

Video Credit: Kevyn Tapia

What is your story?

My story starts with control. The lack of and the need for it. I was always a very independent kid. I felt like I needed to be where everyone else was and that tainted my own perception of success. I never liked to ask for help. It made me feel weak. Life was just me, working way to hard to live up to unattainable standards. There are days I wish I had a more childlike childhood. Less stress, more time outside. But I am where I am now and I am proud of myself for making it this far. I still have days that I can't sit still because my mind feels like it's going to explode, but one day at a time right? Healing isn't linear and I constantly remind myself to take a break. Reflect a bit. It'll get better, I just need to be patient.

How has your story impacted who you are today?

I have been negatively and positively impacted by my story. Positively, I am very self aware. I am independent and mature. I am compassionate and am good at taking care of others. Generally, I would say I am a pretty great person (not to toot my own horn). Negatively, I am almost constantly anxious. I overthink and am way too hard on myself. I have a tendency to push myself until I am no longer functioning, physically or emotionally, and when I finally break down I blame myself for not handling things better. It's an ugly cycle, but hey at least I am aware of it. I think that's the first step.

What has your mental health journey looked like?

My mental health journey has consisted of on and off therapy. I tried tai chi for a bit. Dabbled in journaling. Nothing ever stuck though. I think therapy has been most beneficial for me, but currently, I am looking for a new therapist. I hope to have one again by the summer time. I tend to fall into these seasons where I feel better for a little, so I stop taking care of myself until I fall into a bad place again. I'm not very good at consistency. I'm working on it though. Each spiral follows a better debrief and an even better plan about how to avoid another spiral. I would say compared to myself a year ago, I am doing better. More aware per-say. Hopefully by next year I can say the same.

What encouragement would you give to someone who shares a similar story?

Find things that give you comfort. People, places, experiences. Make sure not to over indulge, but definitely allow yourself to enjoy things. If that means going to the spa, inviting some friends over, or making a pb&j, do that. You deserve to experience joy. So take a minute and figure out what brings you that. You might have to start small. On my hard days, I resorted to driving with Moses Sumney in the background. On easier days, I would go shopping for clothes. My point is that we all start somewhere. You're not alone.

Photo Credit: Dulce & Jasmine

The Art Of Therapy | Dana Harris

Photo Credit: Amie

This past Saturday, Dana from Paint on Purpose came back to TFD! Dana teaches art to people of all ages. She finds joy in guiding others through something so therapeutic. As we move through Mental Health Awareness Month, we have seen community members arrive excited to learn new things and find a moment of peace in their busy lives. A few members joined us on Saturday to relax with some smooth jazz music in the essential oil-filled air while painting. Dana guided them through painting beautiful cherry blossoms, which signify change in the seasons of our lives. Everyone enjoyed the peaceful environment and left with incredible artwork!

You can find more on the work Dana does on her website!

Photo Credit: Amie

Mental Health Stories | Saffron Hurt

Video Credit: Kevyn Tapia

What is your story?

I grew up in a single-parent household, something that people thought would affect me heavily. But when I didn't show any signs, people who knew me thought I was a healthy child. Little did they know, I just taught myself to hide my feelings and then let it all out at odd times. This led to me developing different personas instead of embracing who I am, thus slowly hating myself. Anything I said, things that I did or didn't do. It was just a really confusing time for me.

How has your story impacted who you are today?

There's never a day where I don't think about what I could have done or said differently. How I missed so many opportunities because I was afraid to say something or stand out. So I guess I take every day as a "there's no need to be afraid" and "go out and do it type of day” because if I don't, then it may not happen again.

What has your mental health journey looked like?

Towards the end of my freshmen year, I started taking therapy through my current doctor's clinic. At the start, it was clear that I had some some unresolved issues and I was as transparent as I could be. But most of my journey has progressed because of the pandemic. Since I was stuck in the house, it gave me time to really think about myself and my struggles as a person. So when the quarantine was lifted, I came out of the dark and embraced myself just the way I am. Now, while I still have some things to sort out, at least I can say that I'm going to be myself. To remind myself that there are people who will love the true me.

What encouragement would you give to someone who shares a similar story?

No matter what, don't change who you are to please anybody. Whether they're in your life constantly, or once in a lifetime, it is not worth putting on a mask just to take it off when no one is around.

Photo Credit: Layla, Jasmyn, Janessa

Practicing Mindfulness | Crystal Dorado

Last night we had our second of five workshops for Mental Health May! Crystal Dorado and her assistant, Stella from Verde Holistic Wellness Studio, led a workshop on Mindfulness. A few members from our community came to join this exciting workshop. We began our time learning the cultural aspects of holistic practices and understanding what mindfulness is all about.

Crystal describes mindfulness as “the capacity to be fully present, aware of who we are and what we are doing, and less reactive or overwhelmed by external forces”. With this definition, she led us through practicing these moments of mindfulness. We began meditation and viewed our thoughts as if they were playing on a TV in our minds, we then attempted to turn it off and clear our thoughts. Crystal shared her Mandala beads and how to use them, as well as some beautiful clear quartz crystals and a singing crystal pyramid that produced a sound and vibrations when tapped.

We ended our session with another meditation in which we were guided through “the cosmos” and attempted to view ourselves as one with our surroundings. While everyone slowly began to go deeper into this meditation, Crystal began to chime the singing pyramid. This meditation was a way of opening up our minds to understand that we have more access to our sub-consciousness than just within our physical body. Crystal taught everyone so much and we all had a great time learning about these holistic healing practices! To learn even more about Crystal and her practices, you can visit Verde Holistic Wellness Studio in Chicago!

Mental Health Stories | Mya Rose

Video Credit: Kevyn Tapia

What is your story?

My story is kind of a long one. It began pretty early on in my life when my parents separated. I was raised by a single mom with my younger sister, Mariah. Growing up, I knew things were rough for my mom, but we were fortunate enough for my grandparents to be there supporting us. I knew I had feelings about all of this but I never really understood them. Fast forward to 3rd grade, I was diagnosed with separation anxiety and that was the first time I had gone to therapy. I had a lot of feelings and it was so hard to navigate them at such a young age. Even further in the future, around middle school, is when things really turn a negative turn. It's hard to describe, but I just had an overwhelming feeling of sadness and I was never sure why. I began therapy again and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which made a lot of sense. This is also when a lot of my feelings began to come out and I was finally beginning to understand myself. Understanding myself, however, wasn't necessarily a positive thing at the time. It just felt like I was finally able to name the feelings I had but there were so many, that it began to feel so complicated and that I would never be able to help myself. Over time, I learned new techniques to cope and through a lot of time and effort, I am in a much different place. I still have many moments of weakness but I am working on not viewing those moments as a weakness, but instead an opportunity for growth. I know this is something I will face for the rest of my life, and this I have accepted.

How has your story impacted who you are today?

My story has impacted who I am today in so many ways. In a sense, I had to mature pretty early on in life due to navigating all of my crazy thoughts and emotions. My story has also helped me to be a more caring and sympathetic person. I always try to look at the bigger picture and try to see things from a new perspective. It is so easy to get caught up in the moment and lose yourself, but trying to look at the situation from a different point of view has been something I try to incorporate into my everyday life. To me, the topic of mental health is so so important and I feel that it is something that needs to be shared. At this point in my journey, it has made me want to put myself out there and help others using the knowledge I have gained through my own personal experiences. It has also made me stronger in a lot of ways and helped me to grow my confidence in other areas of life. My mental health is constantly evolving even though I may not always notice, and little by little I am getting better.

What has your mental health journey looked like?

My journey has much to do with therapy and trying to understand myself. As I previously mentioned, I had gone to therapy beginning at a very young age. At that time though, I really didn't understand what it was all about, just a nice lady to talk to. When I grew older and went back, it had a greater impact on me since I understood more at that point. This therapist unfortunately ended up transferring and I needed to switch to someone new. This new therapist was also very kind, but I knew she would be leaving the organization within the next year. Having to switch therapists was difficult because I had already shared my story and my life to someone and I had to start all over again with another person. After this, I stopped going to therapy for a long while because I didn't feel it was stable. After lots of trial and error, I came to understand more of what my mind and body need, and with the help of those I love, I began to heal. I started to focus on the positive and happy parts of my life and took time to enjoy the little things. I realized how important it is to find joy and light in everything I do because without these things, life wouldn't be, well, life. Now, I am currently back in therapy, provided to me by TFD, and I am learning even more about myself and connecting all the parts of my journey that have led me here and to who I am today.

What encouragement would you give to someone who shares a similar story?

Encouragement I have for someone going through something similar is just to keep pushing through because there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long it may be. It may seem impossible in those moments but there is good everything, you just have to look in the right places. It is also really important to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. Life is about evolving and growing but also about finding joy in where you are now because life really is beautiful and it is a gift we are given each day. That to me is definitely something to celebrate! Don't ever forget that there are always people who care and you are never alone in what you face.