Service Array:
Individual Skill Development and Enhancement 
I was adopted as a baby and raised in Central Wisconsin. There was an importance put on the public perception of our family, but my home life could be chaotic at times. There were many times that I didn’t feel safe or protected. I often felt like I didn’t fit in. I’ve struggled with severe depression since high school and then sprinkled in anxiety to the mix as an adult.
I found myself drawn to jobs where I worked with people who have mental health issues and/or addiction. I have been incredibly honored to be a part of each person’s journey and to be able to walk alongside them through the highs and lows. There will never be a day where I take for granted the courage it takes for someone to share even a little bit of their life and for them to allow me to have hope for them.
As a professional in this field, who also lives with mental health issues, I know the stigma of openly discussing mental health. I have worked in places where disclosing your own struggles was frowned upon and turned into regular concerns about your ability to do your job. I refuse to work in this field and not have open, and sometimes difficult, conversations about mental health!
I have found strength from being vulnerable about my own struggles. I have also found healing from regular therapy, finding humor in everyday life, mud/obstacle courses, and my regular yoga practice. I have learned that it is way more important to embrace my weird rather than trying to fit in!