Blog Posts by Laura Horne
Mental Health Care Is Expensive: A Guide to Finding Affordable Services
The mission of Active Minds is centered around mobilizing youth and young adults to be the mental health change in their schools and communities. In my ten years at the organization, I have seen the power of grassroots advocacy in improving mental health culture nationwide — but I’ve also seen the toll it can take…
How to Put Mental Health First This School Year (And Get Others to Join You)
Pencils? Check. Notebooks? Check. The planner you were obsessed with that you’ll use diligently for one week and then forget about? Also, check. As you prepare to head back to school this fall, it’s just as important to check in with your mental health (and the well-being of your friends and peers!) as it is…
Five Mental Health Parenting Tips To Start the School Year
One day, I was unpacking my two oldest daughters’ backpacks (both elementary students), and a worksheet caught my attention. It was a “gratitude jar” coloring page, and both of my children scribbled into their jars pictures of things they most appreciated: our dog, their friends, cheese, and more. The worksheet stood out amid all the…
Yes, And: Reflecting on 988
Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. When I first learned about 988, the new three-digit number for mental health crises, I immediately thought of Keller Zibilich. Keller tragically lost his life to suicide as a second-semester Sigma Chi freshman at LSU after making five desperate and unsuccessful calls for help to local hospitals….
Active Minds Young Adult Leaders Take the Stage at the White House
Today, a group of thirty youth mental health leaders, including five affiliated with Active Minds, presented creative, thought-provoking solutions to the youth mental health crises currently unfolding in our nation. The inaugural Mental Health Youth Action Forum, created by MTV Entertainment, and featuring mental health nonprofits, senior officials from the Biden-Harris administration, and special guest…
Seeking Mental Health Services for the First Time: What You REALLY Need to Know
As the pandemic continues, a recent report from the Healthy Minds Network found that half of students screened positive for depression and/or anxiety in Fall 2020. Many with pre-existing mental health challenges may be experiencing exacerbated symptoms, while others may be struggling with maintaining positive emotional wellbeing for the first time. If so, they may…
67% of Us Feel Like Naomi Osaka: How Should Our Culture Shift Post-COVID?
It’s a common refrain spoken in all aspects of life but especially in sports: “If you’re tired, learn to rest, not quit.” So, why wasn’t tennis pro Naomi Osaka allowed to rest? In case you haven’t been following, Osaka recently sparked a heated national conversation after announcing that she would not participate in any press…
Mental Health Care is Not a Bad Look
Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicidal ideation. One year into the pandemic, there is so much we are all hoping to put behind us once we emerge from it. However, lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about all that I hope is here to stay. We’re witnessing real-time innovations in digital health, for…
How to Take Care of Yourself in a Traumatizing Moment
Today is just a start. We’re starting a new year, but it’s clear that national traumatizing moments are not to be left behind. It is important to be informed (as a friend once said, ‘do not be willfully ignorant’), but also to maintain balance to avoid harm to ourselves. Some may wonder, what does it…
After COVID-19: A Postvention Guide for Student-Led Responses
More than half of students say they do not know where to turn for mental health support amid the impacts of COVID-19, according to Active Minds’ nationwide Young Adult Mental Health Survey. This is concerning given that 20% report the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly worsened their mental health. After a traumatic event such as this,…
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults.