Here are the results of an interview we conducted with our school counselor Jessica Peters.
Q: What is the biggest thing you have you learned over the course of being a professional?
A: "I would say that the biggest thing I learned is that everybody is struggling with something and in general people don’t want to be struggling with something. Nobody wants to feel bad, it’s just that either people don’t know that it’s okay to ask for help, or they don’t know who to ask for help. I think breaking down these barriers is a very important part of the process. Thinking about teens and parents, there are more layers because the parents have their own ideas of what’s going on with their child that don’t always align with the child’s."
Q: What is important to have when looking for a mental health professional?
A: "I think it’s fit is important, like whether it is an agency or a doctor. You want to find someone you feel comfortable talking with. Without that it’s hard to make progress and move forward. While the process may be challenging, they shouldn't be discouraged if the first attempt doesn’t work."
Q: What do you think about the stigma surrounding mental health and speaking up about it?
A: "I definitely think there’s a stigma. I think the more that people are open about their struggles, (because everybody’s got something going on), the more the stigma will break down. If you’re talking to your best friend and they ask “how’s it going?” and you always say “fine” when you aren’t, it doesn’t help break down the stigma. If you open up to them about what’s wrong, it will help break down the stigma and maybe they will open up to you next time they have an issue."
Q: Why do you think the mental health stigma exists (who or what causes it)?
A: "I don’t know what the stigma is originally from but I think there’s a fear because people feel like there is something wrong with them but they don’t want others to know. Getting help requires a lot of vulnerability. People also generally think they can handle it on their own. There are also some cultural and religious reasons for people not reaching out."
Q: What actions do you think the average person can take to help destigmatize mental health?
A: "Just trying to be open with people, to the extent you feel comfortable, starting with your closest circle and going from there, will put us on the right path to destigmatizing mental health."
Q: What would you say to a teen who is hesitant to speak out due to the stigma? What about a parent?
A: "I would say your not alone and that you have people who are supporting you. Pretty much the same for a parent as well. The main point is that you aren’t alone. There’s most likely another family that has gone through a similar situation to yours, and there’s always someone you can talk to."
Q: What is the biggest misconception parents/teens bring you?
A: "It can be hard for people to figure out when people need to seek help opposed to handling it themselves. They find a therapist and think that after three sessions their child is “cured”. There is no magic quick cure. It requires work, time, and effort on everyone’s part."
Q: Why is getting help for mental health important?
A: "I think it’s just important to learn and to understand that things can be different. That things can be better. It’s going to be small improvements. I think that while you’re struggling with something it’s hard to think that it will get better. It can be better, I promise. It’s important for people to feel like they don’t have to struggle in silence, and that things can be different. It doesn’t have to be like it is."
Q: What is something you would like teens/parents to know?
A: "There’s help out there, and that you don’t have to go through it alone."