It’s that time of year again, folks! We’re looking for bloggers to join the 2019 Fall/Winter You Matter Blogger Council. The deadline has been extended! The deadline to apply is now Friday, August 30th, 2019. You Matter has always been a space for youth, by youth, to share stories and make your voices heard. If you’re […]
I can’t seem to care about my feelings. To me, all feelings are overwhelming because I either don’t know how to take care of them or I just don’t have the energy to. I feel ashamed of this helplessness and it’s been a big stumbling block in my relationships. However, all I’ve been able to […]
The first time I brought up suicide to anyone, I felt scared. I was confused and concerned about what they would think. I had never even thought about reaching out to someone to tell them what I was thinking until that point, and instead I questioned everything that went through my mind. “Does it even […]
The news spread like wildfire: there was a dead body on campus. For hours, students were scrambling for information. Who, how, when, why? Rumors were flying with misinformation and stories. The school was quick to email everyone with a vague description and a promise that as information came and was appropriate for the public, we […]
Over the past couple of years I have read countless self-help books on the effects of a dysfunctional upbringing. For better, or for worse, these books have opened me up to types of pain that I have avoided, and given me permission to feel them. While this awakening has been very exciting, it’s also been […]
[Content Warning: The effects of sexual assault on mental health] I think for a long time I’ve strived to be normal or to “pass” for normal. I’ve tried to hide my past and my continued struggles, but my past is a part of me. And those struggles? Well, they are too. Today, I feel stronger […]
Growing up, I had heard meditation discussed as some sort of new age nonsense. Subsequently, I had never given much thought to meditation or its possible benefits until my junior year of high school when I had the opportunity to listen to a talk given by a group of Tibetan monks. Seeing the monks in […]
Sitting on the grey couch in my therapist’s office, I remember telling her that I didn’t feel safe. At the end of the session, I had asked, “What am I supposed to do? This is the only thing I can think of.” That’s when she brought up the Box Method. “Picture a box. It can […]
It is hard to remember a time before I understood the meaning of the word “suicide.” My mom Joanne, who works in the mental health field, made sure it was never a taboo subject in my household despite the deeply personal weight of the subject. Five years before I was born, my mom lost her […]
Name: Laurie Age: 25 Living in: Boston If you could see one movie again (or read one book again) for the first time, which one would it be and why? Harry Potter! This will forever be my favorite book series and it would be amazing to relive the magic with fresh eyes! Name: Irina Age: 18 Living […]