About ATSO
About ATSO – Ask The Stubborn Optimist
About Ask The Stubborn Optimist CEO and Founder, Sara Thomas – I am a 28-year-old multiracial woman diagnosed with severe chronic depression, anxiety, and mild psychosis. I have had these mental illnesses all my life, and first began noticing symptoms when I was around six years old.
My symptoms began to intensify around age 12, and I started talk therapy at 17, continuing to regularly meet with psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts over the years.
AI-Generated Headshot of Sara Thomas, CEO + Founder, ATSO
In addition, these conditions can come with disassociation, insomnia, heart palpitations from stress, frequent nightmares, and diurnal mood variation, in addition to other varying symptoms like for example, vertigo and short-term memory loss. As a result, I have had countless hours of therapy, sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists, a 72-hour psych ward stay, plus brain, mental, and psyche evaluations, as well as blood testing. This does not include the immeasurable amount of hours I have spent stuck in the deepest parts of my mind, really having to confront who I am and what my mental illnesses mean to me.
Photo of Sara, CEO + Founder of ATSO
I have my Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), and I am completing my Master’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Developmental Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). The focus of my studies is on mental health and developing behaviors.
I am the recipient of the first ever ‘You Shine’ award. The ‘You Shine’ award is a special recognition by Maple Counseling, who recently launched the ‘You Shine’ campaign to recognize people who actively improve the world and increase community mental wellness.
My mission in life is to raise awareness about mental health, end the stigma surrounding it, and normalize asking for help. Above all, I want to help others with mental health illnesses and suicidal ideations realize their fullest potential. You can have mental health issues and/or disorders, like me, and still live a very full, happy, and invigorating life.
Most importantly, I want to make sure no one feels alone in their mental wellness journey.
At Ask The Stubborn Optimist (ATSO), we are dedicated to giving you the very best in mental health and wellness. So the focus of our blog is on different ways to cope, normalizing asking for help, understanding and accepting your mental illnesses, and mental health lifestyle tips and tricks.
ATSO is a BIPOC female-founded startup focused on facilitating access to mental health resources, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, and supporting the mental health community and their loved ones in any way we can.
In conclusion, ATSO is a source of inspiration, motivation, love, support, understanding, encouragement, and hope for anyone who needs it. If there is anything else you would like to see added to the ATSO site, let us know!
Have a question about mental health? Please ask away, we are here for you!
Looking for specific mental health resources? Visit our free Mental Health Resource Library!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Is it normal to struggle with mental health issues?
Yes, it is normal. Many people either have mental illnesses, like myself or experience some mental health issues throughout their life.
In any given year, an estimated 26% of Americans age 18 and older, about 1 in 4 adults, suffer from a mental disorder.
I believe that this is an underestimation, especially with all of the stress and anxiety the current state of the world causes.
You should always seek help for mental health issues, and yes, it is normal to struggle. But you can still live a very full life with mental illnesses.
If I have mental health issues or mental illnesses, does that mean I am broken or damaged?
No, not at all! Having mental health issues means you have mental health issues. That is all.
Daily tasks that may be easy for others may be difficult for you. For example, I struggle with getting out of bed every morning. You may need daily medication, like I do. And your mental health issues may even affect how you interact with others as they do for me.
But none of this means that you are broken, damaged, or any less worthy of a happy life than everyone else.
How can I build self-confidence?
Practice makes perfect, and often faking it till you make it really does work.
If you would like to begin with some smaller steps, I first started with writing complimentary adjectives, like ‘kind’, ‘beautiful’, ‘smart’, and ‘strong’ on my skin in pen. Write them somewhere you look kind of often, but where other people will most likely not see them. I chose the insides of my feet and wrists.
The next step is to practice complimenting yourself in the mirror. It will feel very awkward, but I promise you it helps.
You are worthy of self-love and of self-confidence.
What’s the difference between a therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist?
A therapist is someone you can go to for talk therapy. Therapists typically have either a Master’s Degree in a related field or are licensed social workers. Sometimes they may also have a Ph.D.
A psychologist is also someone you can see for talk therapy, but they have extensively studied psychology and have either a Ph.D or a Psy.D.
A psychiatrist is someone who not only has extensively studied psychology but is a doctor who can prescribe medication. In addition to a medical license, a psychiatrist has earned a certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).
If you are considering finding support, a therapist is a great place to start. If you find yourself needing more support, try a psychologist. And if you are interested in medication, see a psychiatrist. Oftentimes, psychologists and psychiatrists can work together on a patient. For instance, I used to see a psychologist weekly whose office was next to my psychiatrist’s office, who I saw every 2-4 months.
Two of my favorite sites for finding a therapist, psychologist, and/or psychiatrist are Psychology Today and American Psychiatric Association. If you would like to find more resources, PsychCentral can connect you to even more healthcare providers in your area. Inclusive Therapists is especially useful if you are looking for a mental health care provider who will understand and celebrate your diversity and intersectionalities.
What should I do if a friend or loved one has a mental illness?
Firstly, it is important to know that different people may require different kinds of support. So be sure to keep your friend or loved one’s preferences and personality in mind. Secondly, thank you for wanting to help!
There are three main rules I recommend following for helping someone with their mental health issues:
1. Avoid using the word ‘just’.
This is important to remember because something may be a ‘just’ to you, but could be very difficult for your friend or loved one. Additionally, by avoiding the word ‘just’, you will actively think through your words more carefully, which will allow you to speak in a supportive way.
2. Listen.
Sometimes listening can be the most important and helpful thing you can do for a friend or loved one. Listen, and really acknowledge what they’re saying. By showing that you are there for them, your friend or loved one will begin to feel more comfortable opening up about their mental health needs.
If you find yourself listening to the point you are no longer able to complete your own tasks, recommending a therapist is always helpful too.
3. Keep their love language in mind when providing support.
Most people have a ‘love language’, which is the way that they prefer to demonstrate and receive acts of love and kindness. These can be words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts, and physical touch. Click here to learn more about love languages!
Is therapy scary?
No, therapy is not scary. It can be intimidating at first, and slightly nerve-wracking to open up about yourself and your mental health issues. But it is healthy, and can really make a positive impact on your life.
Therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists are all dedicated to helping you understand yourself better. They are someone you can completely confide in, everything remains confidential, and it can be really healing to talk to someone who is an expert in what you are going through.
Feel free to ‘shop around’ for a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist who works best for you. Therapy is meant to be your safe space. Somewhere you can open up without judgment and really make large strides in your recovery process. I think everyone could benefit from therapy.
How can I help support the work that you and ATSO do?
Visit our ATSO Shop where all of your purchases directly fund our mental health advocacy work. This also lets you show your ATSO spirit!
You can also help fund the mental health work ATSO does through more links on our ATSO linktree!
All purchases and tips are deeply appreciated, as they help us continue to do the mental health advocacy work we love and help others with their mental health struggles. Together, we can change the world for the better, and together, we will make it to tomorrow.