About ATSO

About ATSO – Ask The Stubborn Optimist

About Ask The Stubborn Optimist CEO and Founder, Sara Thomas – I am a 27 year old multiracial woman diagnosed with severe chronic depression, anxiety, and light 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 began talk-therapy at 17, continuing on to regularly meet with psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts over the years.

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 is not including 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, Ask The Stubborn Optimist, CEO & Founder

I have my Bachelor’s Degree is from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), and I am currently 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 also the recipient of the first ever ‘You Shine’ award. The ‘You Shine’ award is a special recognition by Maple Counseling, a mental health non-profit that has helped over 300,000 people of all ages over the past 50+ years, connecting them with affordable mental health care and support. Maple Counseling 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 an early-stage, 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 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!

Photo of me at a friend’s wedding.

So, have a question about mental health? Want to know more about ATSO and me? Please ask away, I am here for you!

Meet our amazing team!

Kenise Jackson, Executive Assistant to the CEO + Social Media Marketing Analyst

Kenise Jackson, Executive Assistant to the CEO

My name is Kenise and I am the Executive Assistant to Sara Thomas, the CEO of Ask the Stubborn Optimist. I am currently pursuing a degree in marketing. I thrive on combining my passion for mental health with my love for marketing.

I couldn’t be happier to contribute my skills and enthusiasm here. Together, we’re making a profound impact on countless lives, and that’s what truly inspires me every day.

I firmly believe that effectively communicating the importance of mental health care and destigmatizing seeking help would make the world more inclusive, compassionate, accepting, and understanding of others.

In my free time, I like to read, cook, listen to music, dance, binge watch, and play sudoku. I believe that together we will make it to tomorrow and everyday is a precious gift.

Rachel Petersdorff, Finance Specialist

Rachel Petersdorff, Finance Specialist

My name is Rachel and I am the Finance Specialist here at Ask The Stubborn Optimist. I am working towards a degree in accounting, and I have always been advocate about mental health throughout experiences of my own.

Being able to bring my unwavering passion for mental health and my expertise in accounting and finance together to make a meaningful impact is so fulfilling. I am so happy to be a part of a team that helps to provide resources for individuals going through hard times; day by day we are emphasizing the importance of asking for help and lessening the stigma around mental health care.

In my free time, I love to work out, bake, play with my cats, and listen to music. I make sure to take time for myself every day and enjoy the free time I have earned.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

About ATSO; Answers to the most commonly asked mental health questions at your fingertips.

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.

Personally, 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, like they do for me.

But none of this means that you are broken, or damaged, or any less worthy of a happy life than everyone else.

You’ve got this.

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 a licensed social worker. 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 ‘just’ this 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 judgement, and really make large strides in your recovery process. I think everyone could benefit from therapy.

Do you offer one-on-one mental health sessions?

Yes! I offer 30 minute mental health guidance and support sessions. In the 30 minute 1-on-1 session, I provide you with mental health guidance, referrals, support, and validation.

Think of me like Google Maps or Waze. I am here to help guide you to your next destination on your mental health journey, and move you closer to happiness.

Interested? Book a virtual session with me now here!

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! 5% of all proceeds go to the mental health non-profit To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA).

TWLOHA also provides a find help tool to search for mental health resources in your area by zip code.

You can also help fund the work that I and ATSO do through tips! You can tip through the ATSO linktree!

All purchases and tips are deeply appreciated, as they help me to continue to do the mental health advocacy work I love and help others with their mental health struggles. Together, we can change the world for the better, ad together, we will make it to tomorrow.