Creating Space for Healing: It's Okay to Not Be Okay

A Journey of Support, Growth, and Mental Well-Being at Labyrinth Made Goods 

Have you ever gotten overwhelmed, experienced a burnout, suffered from anxiety and depression that caused severe procrastination? I have experienced the above. I’ve learned every journey of healing starts with a single moment of honesty. Labyrinth Made Goods has been by my side, providing transformative support and guidance throughout my mental health recovery. 

 The Backstory: Where It All Begins 

Living without much support, especially while unknowingly dealing with mental health struggles, is incredibly tough. I’ve faced a lot of traumas throughout my life, and I always told myself it didn’t slow me down from actually succeeding in life. But looking back, I now see that those experiences were the start of a long and difficult mental health journey. 

My motto in life was always to “bury it and move on”, never taking the time to work through the trauma or even discuss and fix the damage it caused. Over 220 million adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. (National Council for Mental Wellbeing). A combination of statistics suggests that 60% of adults who experience trauma may develop mental health issues.  

My first traumatic experience happened when I was just four years old when my mother became incarcerated. From then on, I began a mental health journey that I didn’t even recognize until adulthood, nor did any of my family and friends. At 14, I started receiving mental health diagnoses, but I didn’t take them seriously. Instead, I kept a smile on my face and tried to find the good in every situation. 

People around me called me “Colgate” because that was the first thing that they would notice was my teeth, when they saw me. I was always smiling. Compliments on my smile and laugh were constant. It became my way of coping. My smiles made others feel good, it helped me push through and made me happy as well. I didn’t want to dwell on things I couldn’t control, especially if I felt they would hold me back from the growth I envision for myself. 

Trying to Take Back Control 

I thought I was happy but eventually realized something was wrong. Each new diagnosis came with more medication, and being sedated made it hard to function. I tried counseling, but most therapists weren’t a good match, and the answer always seemed to be more medication that left me feeling disconnected. When things seemed to be going well, they would fall apart. I once worked three jobs and went days without sleep. Loved ones told me it wasn’t healthy, but I thought I had it under control and didn’t want to admit they were right. I didn’t know staying up that long wasn’t normal at all. 

Eventually, I burned out and quit two jobs I cared about. Soon after, I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1, and things started to make sense. I fully committed to receiving treatment, took my medication and never missed an appointment, but something still felt off. I didn’t feel like myself. 

Interesting Fact: Bipolar 1 Disorder affects about 2.8% of U.S. adults each year, with 4.4% experiencing it in their lifetime. It’s marked by manic episodes; periods of extreme energy, mood highs, risky behavior, and poor judgment (NIMH). Yet only 22.5% of those diagnosed recognize they’ve had a (hypo)manic episode (PubMed Central) 

Mental Health Recovery with Labyrinth Made Goods 

Growing up in a predominantly Black, low-income town, mental health wasn’t taken seriously. My mom tried to get us help but was often told we were just kids and would grow out of it. 

Moving to Bloomington, IL changed everything. There were more mental health services, but I still felt ashamed of my diagnoses and lacked support to stay on track. My untreated mental health led to poor decisions and impulsive behavior, eventually resulting in incarceration. Life after that was chaotic. The only thing that gave me some stability was medication, but it left me sedated, and I knew I was meant for more than just meds and a disability check at age 27. 

Joining Labyrinth Made Goods was a turning point. I was surrounded by patient, supportive people who helped me grow in every part of my life. What came as a surprise was the patience everyone had during my struggles with mental health. I remember having conversations around me needing to be on medication but would not be able to fulfill the duties of my job. A supervisor taught me how to advocate for myself, something no one had ever shown me. I spoke up about my needs, asking for lower doses of medication from my doctor that would still manage my mental health but also allow me to live a regular life.  My doctor was never opposed to lowering the dose with the understanding we will increase it, if needed. This made me feel wonderful, that my doctor not only listened to what I was saying, he acted. I was able to advocate adequately for myself. The support did not stop there.  

It's Okay too Not Be Okay 

Mental health doesn’t always look like crisis, it often hides behind smiles, success, overthinking and silence. It can be the friend who’s always cheerful or the coworker who never says no, while quietly struggling inside. Pain isn’t always visible, and strength doesn’t always mean someone is okay. 

Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us of these quiet battles. Through Labyrinth Made Goods, I found more than a job, I found a path to healing. Their supportive, Real-chance model shows me that it’s okay not to be okay, letting me know healing is possible, and that second chances aren’t just impactful, they are necessary. 

So, here’s our call to action, let’s break the stereotypes. Let’s choose empathy over assumption. Let’s hold space for the smiles that mask struggle and uplift the voices that feel silenced by stigma. Support someone. Ask twice. Share resources. Listen deeply. 

Mental health doesn’t always look how we expect and everyone deserves to feel seen, safe, and understood. 

 Call To Action 

• Look Deeper: A smile can hide pain; so, check in, listen, and don’t assume someone is okay.
• Break Stereotypes: Mental illness isn’t always visible. It can look like success, burnout, or quiet struggle.
• Create Safe Spaces: Foster open, judgment-free conversations about mental health at work, home, and in your community. Make room and make time.
• Support Healing Work: Back organizations like Labyrinth Made Goods, which provide jobs, hope, and real chances to women who’ve experience incarceration.
• Lead with Compassion: Choose empathy, help create a world where it’s safe to say, “I’m not okay.”
• Lasting Impact: Labyrinth Made Goods empowers women to move from survival to true transformation through support, mentorship and job training. 

If this story resonated with you and you'd like to create more opportunities for women overcoming trauma and incarceration, please consider donating to Labyrinth Made Goods, every contribution supports healing, empowerment, and a real path forward. 
No act of support is too small, together we can break cycles and build a brighter future.