How do you make your health a priority?

I’m grateful to be busy and I think sometimes the busyness serves as a distraction from the anxiety or sometimes depression that I experience. But I do make it a priority to stay consistent with therapy. It’s really important to find a therapist that’s a good fit. I’ve found someone that I fully trust. What I struggled with at first was going to therapy and letting my therapist know that I’m also a therapist and the fear of being judged. But it was important to get over that shame and realize that I’m a human being. There are definitely instances where we’ll be talking and she’ll say something and I’m like, I know what you just did, but it’s funny because it still helps, it’s still sometimes that I need to hear.

I also recently shared on my Instagram about taking antidepressants. I didn’t talk about it for a really long time because my family has their own opinions on it. I’m an only child and I’m very close with my mom. Although as I grow older, I’m learning our beliefs on things are very different and that’s a challenging thing for me to work through. One of those differences is that her view on me sharing my mental health struggles should be kept private. And I always felt, here I am preaching the sermon of taking care of your mental health, talk about it, be open, it’s okay. And then I’m not practicing what I preach.

What keeps you grounded and provides inspiration?

Obviously, there are links between animals and mental health and how they can be a sense of calm. Brooks, my cat, definitely provides that for me. Being home over the last year and working remotely, having sessions virtually, it’s been funny because he literally will sit next to me all day. It’s nice to have this animal in your life that looks to you to take care of him and offer endless love.

“I am also a huge Disney nerd.”

It’s very nostalgic. It was where we would go as a family every year on vacation. I am very much a low-key Disney adult. I’m not out there wearing all those outfits, but I am very inspired by Disney and their attention to detail and just the way they can tell a story.