OSCEOLA, Wis. — Talking about mental health is important at any age. A Wisconsin teenager saw the need among her peers, and decided to address it.
“I felt like it was a very timely topic, something for me to talk about and break the stigma and let people know it's okay to feel feelings other than happy,” said Ava Johnson.
What started as a class project for the Osceola High School junior quickly grew into a passion. Through her own struggles Ava realized that distance learning, lack of social interaction and the pandemic were weighing heavy on other teens too.
“It was very eye-opening that there were so many people that we didn't realize before that were truly struggling with something this severe," she said.
Ava researched, interviewed mental health experts and used her own experiences to start something called "Growing Good Feelings." She created a website with information, resources and an Instagram account that pumped positive vibes into the world.
“If making the call for a therapy session was too scary, start with a simple Instagram DM. I just kind of wanted to be somebody's first step into realizing that they needed to get help,” said Ava.
Johnson then sold plants, stickers, and started a GoFundMe to raise money for the cause. She donated the proceeds to the Behavioral Health Center at Amery Hospital & Clinic. Her biggest takeaway? That we have to take care of our mental health, the same way we do our physical health.
“You need to fill your mind with the things that are good for it. You need to do what you need to do to make sure it stays positive,” Ava said.
Those are wise words, especially from someone who's not even out of high school yet.