From Unawareness to Advocacy: One’s Journey to Becoming a Mental Health Advocate

As a mental health advocate, her main goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding conversations about mental illness by sharing her own experiences with mental illness and providing mental health education to various audiences. She has always had a strong desire to help people, especially those facing mental health challenges, which is why she pursued a degree in psychology. Her journey with Kids Minds Matter began when she volunteered while completing her associate’s degree at Florida SouthWestern College in 2020. She later continued her involvement with the organization as a behavioral health intern at FGCU, where she helped organize events aimed at raising awareness about mental health.

Throughout her college years, she gained valuable knowledge and skills that have equipped her to become an effective advocate. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2022, and sees this as a stepping stone towards furthering her advocacy work. Prior to college, she was unaware that being a mental health advocate was a viable option, but now she hopes to utilize her degree to provide mental health education and make a positive impact in spreading awareness and understanding about mental health challenges.