Why am I a psychologist?

Why am I a psychologist? Sometimes therapists refrain from talking about themselves in therapy. While I don't talk about myself much, I think it can be helpful for clients to know about my experiences when it can benefit their work. I also think it's reasonable for folks to know why I do what I do. So here goes...
I suppose many therapists might answer the question with some form of "because I like helping people." For me this is absolutely true, but it's not a full explanation of why I went to college for 14 years and put all that time, effort, and expense into it. A better explanation starts with the fact that I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder when I was 15 years old. Early on I really struggled, but I worked with a social worker for several years, then a psychologist while in undergraduate school, and today I live with it and enjoy a full life. I know how important counseling was to me, quite frankly just in keeping me alive, and decided that I wanted to be able to do that for other people. That's really why I became a psychologist.

Another reason I think it's important for me to be open with the fact that I live with mental illness, is that we live in a society where there is huge stigma around mental illness. Many people are too ashamed to even admit to themselves, much less anyone else, that they might be struggling with something. Mental illness is real. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults experiences mental illness in a given year. This means almost 44 million people could benefit from mental health services every year, but many don't reach out and so don't get the help they need. As someone who knows that mental illness can be overcome, this makes me very sad.
I'm a psychologist, I have a very good life, and I live with mental illness. It does not have to control your life. You can get help, and you can overcome it. Please feel free to call me - confidentially - if you need more information (901-486-5745).