Published for Mental Health Awareness Month
A few months ago, a new client came to Curo for an intake session. On paper, things looked fine—stable job, supportive family, no major diagnoses. But as she sat down and began to speak, her voice shook. “I almost canceled this,” she admitted. “I kept telling myself other people have it worse.”
That sentence stuck with us.
This client wasn’t in crisis. She wasn’t at rock bottom. But she was exhausted, overwhelmed, and trying to carry it all without support. What brought her to therapy wasn’t one big event—it was the quiet accumulation of stress, self-doubt, and emotional fatigue. And what helped her stay was realizing she didn’t need to wait for things to fall apart before reaching out.
This is the shift we need to make. Mental Health Awareness Month invites us to go beyond acknowledgment—to recognize that small, consistent care matters just as much as urgent intervention. That support should be available before someone is in crisis. That checking in, speaking up, and showing up are powerful acts of care—not just for others, but for ourselves too.
Awareness is the first step. But it can’t be the only step.
Every May, you’ll see a flood of green ribbons, hashtags, and posts urging people to “prioritize mental health.” That’s important. But awareness alone doesn’t help someone navigate a panic attack. It doesn’t help a college student access therapy. It doesn’t equip a friend with the words to say, “Hey, I noticed you’ve seemed off lately. Want to talk?”
What makes a real difference is turning awareness into action—small, doable, human steps that ripple out into real care.
So what does action look like?
Here are three ways to move from awareness into meaningful impact:
1. Start with yourself, gently.
It’s easy to skip over our own mental health in the name of helping others. But care starts within. Take five minutes today to check in:
- How am I really feeling?
- Where am I holding stress?
- What’s something I need that I’ve been ignoring?
You don’t have to journal for an hour or meditate on a mountain. Even one moment of honest reflection is a powerful step. And if you’re not sure where to begin, working with a therapist can help you learn to listen inward.
2. Create space for others without trying to fix them.
You don’t have to be a therapist to make someone feel seen. Sometimes, simply being present is enough.
Instead of advice, try offering statements like:
- “I’m here for you—no pressure to explain anything.”
- “It’s okay to not be okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
- “Do you want to talk, or just sit together for a bit?”
Brené Brown says it best: “Rarely can a response make something better. What makes something better is connection.”
3. Advocate for access, not just awareness.
Mental health isn’t just a personal responsibility—it’s a systemic issue. That means pushing for better insurance coverage, accessible therapy options, and mental health days at work or school. Even sharing a trusted local therapy practice or support group can help someone take that first step.
At Curo, we believe in building a culture of care—not just in May, but year-round. That looks like supporting therapists who understand your context, offering flexible care options, and helping you take that next right step—whatever that looks like for you.
Awareness is powerful. Action is transformative.
Whether you’re reaching out, speaking up, or quietly doing the inner work, it matters. Every small act of care moves us closer to a world where mental health is treated with the attention, respect, and support it deserves.
You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to show up—starting with yourself.
