On this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, Kelli chats with Lauren Perna. Her childhood anxiety was extreme and eventually segued into generalized anxiety, major depressive disorder, and other mental health issues. She has spent the majority of her life ashamed of her emotions and her diagnoses, but that all changed when she found her voice in mental health advocacy several years ago. Lauren Perna is the CEO and Lead Writer of Lauren Perna Communications, a New England-based firm that helps clients tell their story through content strategy and copywriting. Clients include life sciences companies, healthcare organizations, and other game-changers, all united by their passion for improving lives.

Personal branding is the biggest buzzword in business, whether you work for yourself or someone else. The general message is you need to find a way to differentiate yourself and share your unique opinions. But that doesn’t always come easily to everyone. And if you’re not a communications professional, it can be challenging to figure out what to say, where to say it, and how to say it.

In my 40's I have become the most confident and authentic version of myself, letting go of all the things that were holding me back like drinking and unhelpful thinking. I spent most of my 20's and 30's with low self-esteem, feeling unworthy and ashamed of my mental illnesses. The year I turned 40 was the year I started my business and it turns out entrepreneurship was the best thing for me. I have thrived in my 40's, and learned how to embrace myself including my anxiety and depression!

You are not your diagnosis.

When I talk about my experience [with a misdiagnosis early in life], people often want to know if I’m upset about the years of living with a misdiagnosed mental illness.

The misdiagnosis revelation brought me to a point where I could separate myself from all my diagnoses. Had none of this happened, I probably never would’ve told my story and fully accepted myself.

Today my anxiety and depression empower me. They are a part of me and make me a better person. It took a lifetime to get there, but I finally see that I am not my diagnoses. They are simply one more thing that makes me who I am.