We'd love to hear from you!

 

If you're interested in contributing, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Include your words (of any length) and a small picture of yourself (we can only show your smiling face - so please send a head shot, which is preferably 2-3KB and 68x72 pixels in size).  All submissions become property of Active Minds, and we reserve the right to edit them for clarity and/or length.

TK Truong from Active Minds at UCLA says:

"There's a lot of senselessness in the world - whether it's a suicide that could have been prevented or a mental illness that you have no control over.  Active Minds helps me make sense of all this senselessness.  It's helped me make meaning from tragedy..."

Samantha Sekulich from Active Minds at Lake Forest College says:

"I was always taught to stand up for myself regarding my mental health, but Active Minds has shown me how to stand up for mental health as a cause and it's something I will fight for the rest of my life!"

Robin Richardson from Active Minds at the University of Montana says:

"I have always been interested in raising awareness of mental health issues and have found a calling in trying to remove the stigma surrounding these issues with my Active Minds chapter"

Lucy Ingram from Active Minds at Connecticut College says:

"My personal experience with mental illness in college made my realize how important it is for students to be aware of resources on campus, be educated about mental health issues, and know that they are not alone in their struggles. Active Minds has allowed students on our campus to come together to share their experiences and encourage others to do the same"

Nicole Teitelbaum from Active Minds at Smith College says:

"As a survivor, leading Active Minds has proved to be my best means of recovery. By encouraging others to reach out and get the help they need, I am reminded each and every day the importance of taking care of myself."

Mika Moriwaki from Active Minds at University of Wyoming says:

 

"Active Minds provides us the place to get together, take action, and make the actual difference in our community... And all of us have the responsibility to show the way to make the better community to the next generation."

Darrin Ward from Active Minds at University of California-Riverside says:

"It is so important to reach that hand out to someone when he or she is feeling down or provide an ear so someone's story can be heard.  Active Minds is more than just another student organization- it's a community of people who are dedicated to mental health outreach."

Chloe Damukaitis from Active Minds at Collin County Community College says:

"The whole idea of Active Minds excited me because I had finally found a place where it was okay to talk about what no one else would; I had found a place where depression was understood and people were willing to stand up and say something."

Lauren Lawler from Active Minds at Florida Institute of Technology says:

"Instantly, I was drawn to Active Minds. The message was so positive and straight forward that I could not wait to sign up...I am thrilled to be part of an organization where people come together to break the negative stigma associated with mental health and will forever hold Active Minds near to my heart."

Sean O'Callahan from Active Minds at The Ohio State University says:

"Active Minds has given me a voice and provided opportunities to develop skills essential to be a leader in our generation.  I encourage you to commit to Active Minds and be part of something incredible as we work to change the conversation about mental health."

Wendy Guillen from Active Minds at Florida International University says:

"Active Minds is here to make a difference, to try to fight against stigma, and to hopefully save someone from committing suicide. Every day that we spend advocating is a day closer to helping or saving someone's life, even if it is just one person at a time."

Reissa Decena from Active Minds at University of California-Riverside says:

"Active Minds challenged me to think creatively about ways in which the issues of mental health can be embodied and presented relevantly to college students. In the process of helping draft projects which have a basis in mental health topics, I have become more informed about these topics - as well as the specific student body that is our target audience."

Carolyn Latkovich from Active Minds at Moravian College says:

"I am dedicated to spreading the word about important topics such as suicide awareness because I lost a close friend to suicide in high school... Active Minds provides an arena for college students to voice their opinions about mental health, share their personal experiences, and learn more about a subject that is otherwise ignored."

Barry Schreier, Director of University of Connecticut Counseling and Mental Health Services and Advisor for UConn Active Minds says:

"My strong message to counseling center directors is to either start a chapter or contact your current chapter and form a close alliance between Active Minds and the campus counseling center. This alignment allows for close collaboration not only on the variety of campus mental health issues, but on the framing and messaging of these issues."

Brandy Hunter from Active Minds at University of Memphis says:

"Words can’t express the impact that Active Minds has had on me personally and professionally...I have learned to work with a wide range of people, and I have learned more about mental health issues in the past two years than I believe I ever would have if I hadn’t become a member of Active Minds. Most of all, my work with Active Minds has enabled me to openly discuss my own mental health issues."

Jacob Kreeger from Active Minds at Muhlenberg College says:

"Though it may seem like an insurmountable endeavor, there are those out there who are willing to talk, willing to engage, and willing to make a difference. Not always having felt this way, it was Active Minds that first offered me this encouragement."

Nicole Kacmar from Active Minds at Stevenson University says:

"Our chapter of Active Minds held its first successful National Day Without Stigma in the fall of 2009, and due to the success of this event, awareness in our school and the surrounding community has increased exponentially.  People stop our members on a daily basis and ask about our organization, hoping to become involved in raising awareness of mental health issues."

Laura Faith from Active Minds at Ursinus College says:

"My confidence in becoming a mental health leader grew tremendously after frequent contact with and encouragement from the Active Minds staff. After participating in the Emerging Scholars Fellowship, I felt as though I could reach the stars."

Erik Oliver from Active Minds at Worcester Polytechnic Institute says:

"Looking back on my decision to start Active Minds at WPI, I could not be more pleased with how the organization has progressed on our campus as well as campuses all over the nation.  I really believe in a future where people will be better informed about mental health issues and will not be ashamed to say that they suffer from a mental illness."