About me
My name is Sarah, and I am a 24 year old living in Ōtautahi Christchurch. I am currently studying pat time towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology and Education at the University of Canterbury. I work as a youth worker at Riccarton High School, as a Youth Tutor for The Collaborative Trust, and am a Leader of a youth group at my local church.
But rewind to my teenage years, and I was not in such a good place. I was battling with my mental health, denying there was any problem and didn’t want to admit that I was struggling.
In my final two years at school, I became a risk to my own safety. I remember at one point my counsellor saying, “We’ve spent these last few terms just focusing on keeping you alive”. The child and youth mental health system surrounded me with people trying to help, but that wasn’t enough. Something needed to change. I needed to put all of my own strength into recovery.
In 2020, I travelled to Auckland and took part in a residential programme called ‘A Girl Called Hope’. During and after my time there, I experienced more hospital admissions.
Throughout that season I created a book for myself; a compilation of resources that I could turn to whenever I felt I was losing my way. When I realised that it could help other young people navigate their mental distress, I created and self-published this guide so it can be a resource for other young people wanting to improve their own mental wellbeing.
Fast forward to today, and I now see each day as a blessing. I didn’t believe that I would get to this point in my life, so being able to help others and find joy in day-to-day activities is something I no longer take for granted. I’ve learnt that there will still be days when things are hard, and I still struggle at times, but I know there is always hope. No matter how dire situations get, there is always a way through.
It’s my dream that maybe my story can be a testament to that. My Mental Health Took Kit: A Recovery Guide has been published with the idea that even if it can help just one person, then it’s worth it.
Contact me
Contact me directly for bulk orders of My Mental Health Tool Kit: A Recovery Guide. If you choose to ‘sign up for news and updates’, I may send you an occasional email with links to useful mental health resources.
If you work with young people and are looking for ways to spot the signs of mental distress and add early intervention ideas to your own or your team’s kete/tool kit, contact The Collaborative Trust to discuss training workshops. I might be part of the team who delivers workshops for you!