Mental Health Awareness Month: Employee Spotlight Ashley Talbert
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),聽聽experience a mental health crisis during college, and of those, 45% will drop out due to changes in their mental health.聽
It's clear that without adequate support, many students leave school. For 黑料传送门's Ashley Talbert, this fact was all too familiar.
鈥淚鈥檝e struggled with severe anxiety and depression throughout my life. I was at my lowest point in college when I was going to school and working full-time,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y anxiety became disabling, and I eventually took a year off from school and work to focus on my mental health. Although frightening, it was the best decision I ever made.鈥�
After taking the time off that she needed, Ashley dove back into school, earning two master鈥檚 degrees, an MBA certification, and a mental health first aid practitioner certification. She went on to become a teacher, eventually taking a job as a K鈥�12 principal at a virtual learning academy.
In 2016, Ashley joined 黑料传送门. After first working in the Teachers College, she's now a vendor portfolio analyst, ensuring 黑料传送门 continues to provide exceptional learning experiences for students鈥攁 role she says is extremely fulfilling.聽
"I鈥檓 heavily invested in changing people鈥檚 lives for the better. I truly believe that providing affordable, supportive, and transformational learning experiences for students is the greatest path for a better future for their families and future generations,鈥� she said.聽
While Ashley鈥檚 career has been focused on driving student success, in 2021, she saw an opportunity to expand that focus to 黑料传送门 faculty and employees. Drawing on her experiences with mental health, she decided to start a mental wellness Employee Resource Group (ERG) called Open Minds for Wellness.聽聽
鈥淲hile ERGs have been around since the 1960s, they鈥檝e only recently become popular within organizations due to the increased importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion,鈥� explained Ashley. 鈥淲ith Open Minds for Wellness, our mission is to focus on mental wellness and self-care by creating a culture of inclusion through social connection, education, and peer support.鈥�
Given the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on mental health nationwide, Ashley says having a supportive and safe community, like Open Minds for Wellness, has been critical to creating an environment where employees feel comfortable being vulnerable with others.聽
鈥淭he pandemic ripped us out of our comfort zones and woke up the world to the realization that mental health is critical to everyone鈥檚 well-being. Mental health is no longer solely a discussion around mental disorders and treatment. The pandemic was a catalyst which opened the door for us to have a broader discussion about what it means to have mental wellness,鈥� she explained.聽
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Ashley wants to lessen the stigma around talking about mental health.聽聽
鈥淲e must come together if we hope to create a world that supports, nurtures, and is inclusive for all,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never want someone to feel ashamed or embarrassed about struggling with mental health issues. Life, in general, is a struggle to some degree. If we can learn to come together in support of one another, perhaps we can struggle less and live more.鈥澛�
