On Oct. 13, Active Minds speaker Kai Roberts gave a presentation to students in McGuire Hall about breaking the stigma of mental health and seeking help. Having experienced an anxiety disorder himself during his years at Carnegie Mellon University, Roberts looks to educate others and spread awareness about how seeking help can impact anyone’s life and turn it towards a brighter future. His advice for every college student is, “Don’t be afraid to seek help,” even if “you feel stressed. It will be a lifesaver.”
Roberts, who campaigns to break the stigma surrounding mental health, has advocated since 2013, his sophomore year in college, to use music as a healing and coping mechanism for himself and others. He started out with a project called the “Carnegie Café,” an album that was released with the full support of the university he attended.
Roberts has since evolved into a successful public speaker, going to events and speaking at universities, where he hopes more and more people will follow his advice and “reach out for help if they think it is necessary.”
Roberts spoke about his personal experiences, starting from his childhood and how from there, his anxiety followed him until he went to therapy. He started off with the song “Celebrate” from his album “Carnegie Café,” right after a video about Active Minds played to the audience. Throughout the presentation, Roberts interacted with the audience, asking thought-provoking questions and looking for answers from students. He connected everything by outlining how the rough patches in his childhood and adolescence led to the severe anxiety he experienced in college.
Roberts shared several more important moments in his life, how they impacted him, and how he dealt with them in time. He performed more of his songs in his presentation, giving insight into his mindset and life experiences.
Roberts, with the help of WLOY, the Counseling Center, Active Minds, and many more organizations at Loyola, brought a critical issue to light. It is clear that neither he nor Active Minds will stop fighting until the stigma is broken.
Feature Image: Courtesy of Active Minds.
