With one microphone and stool, speaker Denny Kolsch walked on the stage for the Active Mind’s event To Write Love on Her Arms on Nov. 12. According to its website, Active Minds is a nonprofit organization that brings information and awareness about mental health to campuses around the country.
According to Active Mind’s President Alex Borowsky, the main goal of the University of Indianapolis chapter of Active Mind’s is to start the conversation about what students are dealing with and to diminish the stigma that comes with mental illness,. Active Minds meets once a month on campus for undergraduate and graduate students to come talk with others who are dealing with similar issues.
“One of our biggest goals is to make a space where people can open up and really talk about these things that aren’t talked about so much,” Borowsky said.
Active Minds and UIndy students welcomed TWLOHA, another nonprofit organization, that, according to its mission statement, makes sure that people are informed about mental health issues.
Kolsch shared with UIndy students his journey of recovery from depression, anxiety and addiction. Kolsch also shared the story of TWLOHA, and how it came to be after founder Jamie Tworkowski fought to help save the life of a young woman battling mental illness and addiction.
According to the TWLOHA website, 80 percent of people diagnosed with major depression can be treated and return to their usual activities and feelings.
Junior occupational therapy major Joana Miranda attended the event. She said that after seeing the flyer and learning the event also offered lecture and performance credit, she thought learning about topics on mental illness would be interesting.
“For someone [Denny Kolsch] to talk about their personal experience and what they went through was really interesting,” Miranda said.
Miranda said she left with a new outlook on mental illness because of the event.
“People can still help others, even when they’re going through something themselves,” she said.
More information about TWLOHA is available at the organization’s website, twloha.com. More information on Active Minds on campus is available at the RSO website on MyUIndy and by sending an email to request updates on meeting times, location and dates.
