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May 1, 2023 — When I founded Active Minds nearly twenty years ago, a few things were clear to me. First, we needed to open up the conversation about mental health — stigma was incredibly pervasive, and far too many people were struggling in silence. Second, I knew where I had to start: college campuses. Young adults were going […]

April 26, 2023 — Editor’s Note: While this blog was originally published on April 30, 2019,  the advice on supporting survivors of sexual assault remains true to this day. Additionally, please be advised that this blog does contain mentions of sexual assault and rape. According to RAINN, an American experiences sexual assault every 92 seconds. One in six women […]

April 21, 2023 — Before the age of 11, I traveled frequently between Kenya, my home country, and the United States. I also switched schools four times. At the time, I considered all of this constant change and movement to be normal. I rarely took the time to form strong friendships with those around me because I knew I’d […]

April 20, 2023 — What happens when you link creative art therapy with a revolutionary treatment that helps people navigate their mental health? You get Alyse Ruriani’s The Big Feelings Survival Guide! From scribbling out angry impulses to embracing confusion by working through an intricate maze, the illustrated workbook is packed with practical, creative exercises designed to improve your […]

April 13, 2023 — The numbers are staggering: it’s been revealed that 82% of LGBTQ+ students reported experiencing first-hand bullying or harassment. The impact of this behavior, coupled with a lack of safe spaces, contributes to LGBTQ+ youth reporting higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Creating inclusive spaces for historically oppressed communities, like individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, […]

April 10, 2023 — Nobody knows stress better than students — and at the same time, no one knows better how to help young adults manage stress than other young adults. April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to check in on what we’re doing each day to mitigate stress and manage negative emotions surrounding productivity, burnout, and fear. […]

April 5, 2023 — “Log kya kahenge?”, which translates to “What will people say?” is a phrase often explicitly or implicitly brought up in conversation in response to individual actions or words that do not align with the cultural norms of the South Asian community. As a South Asian woman, I have observed that mental health is still viewed […]

April 4, 2023 — At Active Minds, we believe policy is key to enacting lasting mental health change – and students play a huge role in facilitating this change. Our new policy platform identifies core policies that we value as an organization and helps us determine what actions to take and legislation to speak out about.  Last month, we […]

March 31, 2023 — As a Transgender man, I’ve always noticed the many ways people convey their shock that I am a man before and during transition. It was just this morning that someone asked me, “You have a feminine voice, are you a girl?” and I had to “out” myself to feel affirmed. I remember being in an […]

March 30, 2023 — Have you ever heard someone say, “The weather has been so bipolar”? Or make an off-hand comment of “He’s been acting so bipolar,” when someone’s mood has been more erratic than usual? These phrases, while seemingly harmless, actually have a deeper impact than we might realize. When we use mental illnesses like bipolar disorder as […]