While most of my blog is meant to be funny or just random thoughts on my daily life there are some topics that are meant to be taken seriously. One such topic is Mental Health.

Since I was young the field of psychology has always been of great interest to me and it was this that caused me to pursue a career in mental health. I received my masters in counseling in 2009,  have years of experience as a psychological researchers working on various projects, and have spent a few years in the field. I have worked at a women’s abuse shelter, a child’s day treatment program, ran substance abuse and addiction groups, studied recidivism rates in a mental health facility, observed executive and cognitive functioning after a ICU hospital stay at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and ran studies for an emotion and cognition lab.

What I have learned from all of these different experiences is that mental health disorders are very real and more prevalent than many people think. Additionally, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about what it means to be mentally ill and the various negative effects they have on the lives of those struggling with them.

It is estimated that one in four people suffer from a mental illness, which is why we need to work on awareness, understanding, and recognition of these illnesses in order to help those who are struggling. The more we talk we can help to end the stigma that surrounds mental illness and advocate for treatment and recovery.

Since this topic is one that is close to my heart, I have decided that I am also going to be incorporating mental health related posts on my blog. This way I will be doing my part for mental health awareness.