Last Updated on October 19, 2024

the idea of becoming a mental wellness advocate

“In order to become a Mental Wellness Advocate, a helping professional should go through a self-discovery process themselves”, said a wise college instructor of mine. I could still remember vividly how bewildered I was when writing a 5000-word final assignment of “I” at age 18. What did I know about myself? How would I support others as a helping professional but not as a volunteer?

I volunteered for an Autism Foundation a few months after graduating from high school. What I had was enthusiasm because I didn’t even know what “Mental Health” was, let alone “Autism”. The team saw my potential and they consulted with me and learned my schedule – I joined the leadership team a year later. This was the beginning of my journey to become a Mental Wellness Advocate.

Working as a long-term volunteer inspired me to become a powerful individual. I wanted to be an influential helping professional and make a great impact on others. “If I could complete this 5000-word report of myself, I would be one step closer to being the person I want to be.” I said to myself. Indeed, I spent a great deal of time exploring who I was. I felt relieved after submitting my assignment. The entire process was terrifying but rewarding (read my latest voyage of self-discovery here). A few weeks later, I received an A+ on my final report. The course instructor was very impressed with my sincerity and honesty – I was one step closer to being a Mental Wellness Advocate.

learning and influence

I discovered what differentiates me from others through “Group Dynamics” course and “Social Group Work” course. Both courses were designed and instructed by the strictest professor of all, where I acquired my leadership skills and technical skills, including custom project design, script writing and data visualization. I have always worked well under pressure, so my learning outcomes were phenomenal.

Knowing the instructor became a Professor¹ at age 40, I felt very honoured to be her student and the team lead of our group. As far as I know, most people complete their PhD degree (Doctor of Philosophy) in their late 20s or early 30s. She was one of the few college instructors who shared about her life experiences with us sincerely, e.g., how to establish a trusted and long-lasting relationship with one’s significant other and the importance of communication, family dynamics and role modelling when becoming a parent.

Make it official

Being a Mental Health Professional² is different from a Mental Wellness Advocate. The former doesn’t always go above and beyond, but the latter almost always does. I chose to become a Mental Wellness Advocate because I realized that working as a frontline worker, empowering individuals, families and businesses could only go so far.

Although I worked with children, youth and families at the beginning of my career, I was eager to join adult services after learning how resources are distributed in our industry. It occurred to me that I really wanted to be a part of the change.

From a Mental Health Professional to Mental Wellness Advocate

Over the past several years, I worked closely with children, youth and adults with mental health concerns, mental diagnoses or concurrent disorders at any age regardless of their social status. I also provided training and guidance to their support networks to maintain the effectiveness of age-appropriate behavioural treatments. It came to a point where I wanted to make a difference in adult’s life in general.

“What is the best way to disseminate ideas and information?” I asked myself. Through words. I was once a storyteller in primary school – I loved to write stories and tell stories. During my adolescence and early adulthood, I was at times reminisce about writing stories.

Having been blessed with the opportunity to make a drastic career change, I chose to run a blog and write educational and informational articles to promote advocacy.

The creation of the self-help blog

A little more about me:

As you know, I used to work in the social services and mental health industry. I will not lie to you that I do at times miss working with my clients and wondering how they have been. Even though I was significantly underpaid, I was one of the few people who still went above and beyond.

Despite having found a different purpose in life, I know I will always cherish the memories of working as a frontline worker.

If you are my long-term reader, thank you so much for being a part of this community. I am so glad my words can empower you to believe more in yourself!

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Endnote

Professor¹: The standard academic ranks are: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.

A Mental Health Professional²: A person who holds Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Master’s Degree (M.S. or M.A.) or Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S) in psychology, social work and/or other relevant disciplines.

Reference

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2020, April). Types of Mental Health Professionals. https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Types-of-Mental-Health-Professionals/