by Kelsey Wilhoite
Hope. Healing. Restoration.
One in five US adults experience
mental illness each year, according
to the National Alliance on Mental
Illness. That translated to more than
47 million people in 2018, and less
than half of them received treatment.
Many people face depression, stress,
and anxiety during the holiday season,
explained by the NAMI as Major Depressive
Disorder with a Seasonal Pattern (formerly
known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or
SAD). This depression is “characterized by
recurrent episodes of depression in late
fall and winter, alternating with periods of
normal mood the rest of the year.”
The topic of mental health becomes more
normalized every day with a growing
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number of people talking about it and
encouraging others to drop the stigma
around it. So why are less than half of those
in need getting help?
Let’s face it, mental health services aren’t
cheap, and unfortunately people with
and without health insurance miss out
on getting the help they need due to
financial constraints.
Andrea Gregg and Cami McKenzie saw this
problem in Northeast Alabama and stepped
up to help. In 2015, the duo founded Safe
Haven Counseling Foundation, a faith-based
501(c)3 non-profit.
Gregg, Clinical Director, and McKenzie,
Administrative Director, believe that
everyone deserves access to quality
November 2019
INSIGHT