HAVING A CHAT WITH THE CEO STEPHEN HOWALD…

I am an expert in mental health. I was diagnosed with mental illness in my early 20’s. My primary diagnoses are major depressive disorder and social anxiety. Mental illness is part of me and that’s okay. Although I have struggled, I am strong and powerful. Through the pain and suffering, I have found happiness. I have family and friends and have worked continuously at my business Intensive Support (support.org.au and do.org.au) supporting other people with mental illness in the child protection, community, and justice systems. To keep well I do various modalities of psychotherapy and am on medication prescribed by my psychiatrist. I have a self-care routine that includes diet, exercise, yoga and mindfulness. One of the best things I did at the start of my illness was to share it with other people. There is a lot of shame and stigma attached to mental illness. When I had that initial conversation I felt immediately better, it was much easier to seek help. I will always have mental health. I am going to keep talking about mental illness and keep working to reduce mental illness stigma because there is no way out of mental illness without talking…