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November 9, 2021 — This year, Active Minds is proud to debut our inaugural Mental Health Advocacy Academy: the only leadership development and mental health advocacy academy that empowers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) high school students to enact change in their communities. Our 2021 Advocacy Academy students, listed […]

November 8, 2021 — Student health, especially mental health, has become a priority in higher education. To better support students that are dealing with a variety of issues, including mental health challenges, many colleges have implemented Leave of Absence (LOA) policies. These policies outline the processes that allow students to take a pause from their studies to focus on […]

November 3, 2021 — There are times when the unknown can be exciting: a new job, a surprise birthday party, the first day of classes. However, there are also times when the unknown can be unsettling, leading to increased stress levels and unwelcome emotions. Throughout the past year and a half, uncertainty has become even more prevalent because of […]

November 1, 2021 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. For the past two months, I’ve been traveling across the country to host Send Silence Packing, Active Mind’s award-winning suicide prevention display. When I began, I knew this position would be just as impactful as when Send Silence Packing came to my college and touched me as […]

October 31, 2021 — Every Halloween, we’re reminded that, sometimes, it can be fun to be a little scared: from haunted houses, to horror movies, to spooky costumes, it’s part of the excitement. But, there are also times we try to avoid feeling scared, or stressed, or unsure. For many, one of those instances is when it comes to […]

October 26, 2021 — College is everything they tell you it will be: challenging, freeing, exhausting, exhilarating, and so much more. It tests you at every corner, never giving you a break before a new challenge meets you at the next turn.   Of course, I was prepared for the start of my first semester. How could I not be? […]

October 18, 2021 — It was not until my freshman year of college, in the fall of 2019, that I realized I might be suffering from depression. I was sad for no reason. Still tired after getting a good night’s rest. Something felt off.  But, to those around me, I was still functioning “normally.” I was able to go […]

October 14, 2021 — As a young woman who comes from a Hispanic family and has seen first-hand how much culture and identity can impact access to mental health education and resources, I knew that when I was given the opportunity to do mental health research as an Active Minds Emerging Scholar I was going to take it. Stemming […]

October 12, 2021 — Content Warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide and suicidal ideation. I want to start by telling you about the bane of my existence in elementary school: card changes. Each day all the cards started on green, but if you did something wrong, the teacher would give you a card change. This meant you had […]

October 8, 2021 — When it comes to mental health, it’s easy to see that not everyone has access to the same resources or help when they need it. From a lack of affordable therapy, to cultural stigmas, to unequal access to mental health education, the disparities are apparent. The goal that this access should be equal is known […]