Dear Friends,
As many of you know, I often make FB posts about mental health issues, stigma and other related issues. This passion for Mental Health stems from a very difficult struggle with depression in high school and in the midst of my post-secondary education at SFU.
Depression eventually pushed me to the edge in 2009 when I felt there was no other way to escape the negative feelings of hopelessness except for ending my own life. I was hospitalized at Lions Gate Hospital and made a promise to myself that if I survived this hurdle, I would make sure to dedicate the rest of my life, fighting stigma surrounding mental health and supporting others with similar experiences.
Being vulnerable and sharing my story openly is one of the ways that I have worked to reach out to others, break down stigma and help others know that they are not alone. Today I have had the incredible opportunity to share my journey from my darkest moments to where I am today, and how my experience of depression has inspired my approach to counselling and life in general.
I hope that you can join me to share in this monumental moment for me as I return to the Lions Gate hospital, no longer as a victim of mental illness, but a survivor and overcomer; sharing my passion and inspiration.
Thank you to each and every single one of you that have been there with me through this process, would not have made it here today without you,
Christina