TW: Mental Health, Suicide
I have been very open about my mental health struggles in the last few years, especially during my time in law school and how choosing to put myself, my mental health and my passions front and center. It was an unpopular choice at the time but in the last 3 years I have been so happy to see and hear of the shift in the profession and society as a whole emphasizing the importance of mental heath care and therapy so we can be the best versions of ourselves, not just at the office but in everyday life.
It has been a slow shift, but one a long time coming as it’s widely known that the legal profession has the highest rates of substance and alcohol abuse and suicide of all the professional careers. And it begins in law school. I’m grateful that my school chose to battle this statistic and provide counseling resources and services to students free of charge through the university’s social work and mental health counseling master’s programs. I think this shows that change is coming but it’s up to us to talk about how important it is and encourage others to seek help when they need it.
With the pandemic, this need was only magnified and more resources were implemented. More organizations were formed to combat the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental health care and society overall began to do something. We started seeing the focus on “work-life balance,” 4 day work weeks, the rise of employees resigning to seek out jobs that would provide more support and place mental health high on the priority list.
These are amazing steps by our institutions and employers. But there’s more we can do for ourselves too, beyond prioritization and time management which I’ve talked about in previous posts and on my podcast, The Let’s Get Candid Podcast! I have always been open on the podcast about how essential therapy and healing has been for me.
In the last 3 years, I have truly embarked on a transformative and healing journey, kick started by law school and a few key friends encouraging and supporting me through the dark and hard times along the way. Healing isn’t linear and it is not meant to be done alone. There are so many incredible resources out there and I am so honored to work with Headway, a new mental health marketplace on this post to share some of these resources with you.
Headway makes it more accessible to find therapists that are covered by insurance so you can get access to affordable mental health care without having to go through the process of finding an in-network provider. They are connected to over 15,000 providers nationally already and help you connect to the right therapist for you based on your preferences and support needs. My favorite part about Headway is their extensive collection of mental health resources and support to help educate people on the importance of therapy, how it works and basic treatments for in need on how therapy works and why it’s important. My objective has always been to share my story to inspire and encourage you all to join me on a journey to alignment and living an intentional, purpose driven life. Access to mental health care so we can achieve these goals for each of us is essential. And it is so special to me to be able to share with you now tangible ways to achieve them.
It can be very intimidating to start therapy, it took me over 12 years to truly embrace the power of therapy and how it can really benefit me. I was in and out of therapist’s offices, from in office counseling, psychiatrists, Telehealth and more. It wasn’t until my best friends in law school and a few faculty members showed me their love and support that I felt safe enough in my emotions to make that step. For the first time in my life, I wanted help and that was the difference. If it wasn’t for my school providing access to free counseling, I wouldn’t have gone. I have insurance but I wasn’t ready for that step yet, I wanted a low pressure, on campus option. And she was a student counselor, so I loved that she understood some of my struggles as a grad student, 20something in the dating world too.
I’ve now switched to an in-network provider I found through Better Help initially and I’ve used Talk Space in the past too. I like Telehealth personally now and do my therapy through FaceTime weekly so I can do it from anywhere since I travel often. Headway makes it super easy to search for providers with filters that fit your preferences not just for therapists but for the therapy experience.
It’s beyond important to do your research on the types of therapies that can benefit you and work better for the particular diagnosis or symptoms you experience. I wanted to provide a few additional resources to help you get started! The National Institute of Mental Health has a great website sharing information on the common diagnosis, symptoms and medical research available to us. Another especially important resource and one that is close to home is the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I’ve never been shy from saying I have struggled with suicidal ideation and I am so lucky I had friends I can call at those times. If you’re afraid to call someone or don’t have someone you feel comfortable calling, please know you are never alone and their hotline is available to you.
A few more of my favorite resources come in the form of podcasts of course. If you follow me on IG you know I really enjoy the MadHappy Podcast, which in conjunction with their resource arm The Local Optimist, does a beautiful job of sharing a wide variety of stories and support for mental health. The hosts Mason and Peiman, two of the co-founders of the brand, both have their own unique stories as we all do, and it is a true testament to the power of resources and community. I also really enjoy the Real Pod podcast hosted by Victoria Garrick, a former NCAA Division I athlete with a passion for sharing the student athlete experience and the downside side to social media. She has incredible guests on too and her work as a body image advocate is powerful as well. They both provide impactful stories and resources, so I highly recommend giving them a listen. If you have any other resources to share, please comment them below.
I have now graduated from law school and returned to Miami, but before I finished and left Knoxville, I had several conversations with my parents, close friends, mentors, faculty and staff on my growth and evolution over the last 3 years. They all shared with me how proud of me they are, how inspiring I am with my story, my passion for sharing my story on my platforms, my perseverance and resilience in pursuing what makes me happy and more. I always respond the same, that I owe it to therapy and my community of support, encouragement, and love.
I truly would not be the person I am today had I not come to law school, but it is so much more than because of my education. I am so grateful for my growth, both personally and professionally and I couldn’t have done it without the encouragement to go back to therapy. Knowing I wasn’t alone, that my closest people wanted me to want the best for me, was the defining moment for me. I hope that I can be that for you and pay it forward.
We all go on our own journey, we all heal in our own ways and healing most definitely isn’t linear or easy or always fun, but it is so rewarding and beautiful. I am still working on improving myself every single day and I always will. It is a constant journey of its own but it is incredible to look back and reflect on the growth I have experienced thus far and see all the abundance and opportunity that has come my way since embarking on this journey. I want you to know you’re not alone either, we’re all in this together, working to heal ourselves, break down the stigma in society, little by little and supporting each other in all our endeavors. It’s ok to not be ok, this is your sign that you do have a purpose here and it can be something you haven’t even discovered yet. It may not even exist, so keep your chin up, we got this!
xo Kayla
This post is in partnership with Headway. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
If You or Someone You Know Is in Crisis and Needs Immediate Help Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.
Beginning July 2022, the 3-digit code 988 will also lead to the hotline.