Hey everyone, I’m Anna!
I’ve been writing for Vent Over Tea for over a year, and I’m excited to be the new Blog Manager. I’m really glad to join this wonderful team!
I first heard about Vent Over Tea when I’d just moved to Montreal, four years ago. Having dealt with mental illness throughout high school, I wanted to stockpile a few resources for myself before starting university. I didn’t book a session right away, but knowing that it was available made me feel a lot safer in my new environment.
Fast forward to three years later, and I was completing my degree in literature at McGill. It was everything I’d dreamed of … yet something kept gnawing at me. I’d taken a few psychology courses at school – enough to turn it into a minor. Should I have pursued it as a career?
Against all odds, my mental health had improved in college. But I could see people around me struggling, and it almost felt like I was turning my back on them. Sure, I was keeping myself happy and healthy, but was that really enough?
Writing for Vent Over Tea was a great way to use my skills for a good cause.
I was in this mindset when I saw Vent Over Tea’s call for blog contributors on Facebook. I thought it sounded like the perfect opportunity for me. Plus, I was thrilled to learn that Elle, the Blog Manager at the time, was a fellow English major who’d also studied at McGill!
Writing for the Vent Over Tea blog gave me a huge self-esteem boost. It made me realize that even without a psychology degree, I could still raise awareness about mental illness.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a writer, an engineer, or a doctor; we all have that power. So try to talk about your own experience, no matter how awkward it feels. Rant to a trusted friend, make cringey jokes, or, better yet, consider writing for this blog! I’d be happy to publish what you have to say – whether you have advice to give, stories to share, or you just want to remind people that they’re not alone.
There’s been one common denominator in every awful situation I’ve ever gone through: as long as I could talk about it, I could still see a light at the end of the tunnel.
We can’t all be therapists, psychiatrists, or researchers, but we can all play a part in fighting against the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness.
