IDENTITY BEFORE DIAGNOSIS

I received a message a few weeks ago and that one sentence will stay with me forever:

“Kym a whole system has not improved the situation in 16 years, and has often made it worse, but you and Prue have given light and hope in the darkness.”

That line isn’t about praise - it’s a reminder of what people are up against.

It’s a reminder of why this work matters.

It’s a reminder of the gap so many fall through every single day.

Mental illness is tough enough on its own… then add systems that are confusing, inconsistent, and overwhelming. Hope fades fast. Families burn out. People stop believing things can change.

And I know that feeling, because I’ve been that family member searching for answers and support, only to be told “sorry, it’s just the system.”

Support doesn’t need to be complicated.

It can be simple.

It looks like listening without judgement.

It looks like offering one small step at a time.

It looks like showing up consistently - on the good days and the bad ones.

Showing up matters. More than policies, more than paperwork, more than perfectly worded care plans.

And for anyone wanting to work in this space, please know: you need to be ready to show up even when it feels hopeless. Especially then. Because that’s when people need us most.

When we see people for who they are, not their diagnosis, not their label, not the narrative the system has created around them, that’s when real change happens.

Sometimes all it takes is helping someone hold a tiny bit of hope until they can find their own light again.

And to everyone out there doing the hard yards, walking beside people, holding space, navigating impossible systems, fighting barriers, refusing to give up: keep going. Keep punching. You might be the only one giving light in someone’s darkness.

And a huge shout-out to my home girl Prue Anderson whose work in the Assessment & Referral Court shows exactly what genuine psychosocial support should look like. Proud to walk beside you in this space. 💛