“Good mental health leads to academic and career success. Ashley uses the metaphor of a garden to show the effect of our mental health on our life achievements. “When you have a garden and you are planting new fruits and vegetables, if you're not giving care to those plants [watering, pruning, and plucking weeds] all sorts of insects and weeds are going to take over your garden… if you are taking care of yourself, which could be as simple as going outside or meditating… this is comparable to taking care of your garden.” Taking care of our minds and our bodies is very important. If we don't take care of ourselves, the weeds will grow up in our brain and create burn out because we are not giving ourselves the time or attention we need. Giving ourselves love and grace is essential to success within our lives.”

“Everyone needs someone they can laugh with and cry to, isn’t that what friends are for? Friendships can bring extreme value to your life and create a healthy and positive support system for your toughest life challenges. However, not all friendships are positive and healthy. How do we know when to walk away, and what is the next step?”

“While religion can have strengths and challenges, it is important to have an open mindset and continue to give yourself and others grace as well as compassion. As QuiAnne’ mentioned earlier, professionals should be holistic in their approach to helping someone navigate the challenges of religion and any hardships they have faced. It is also vital to understand how disenfranchised groups can be affected by religion and how personal culture as well as mental health ties into the discussion of religion and how we are impacted by religious practices.”

“Have you ever thought that you were under-qualified for a job offer you received and only got the job because you ‘got lucky?’ Or have you ever felt like a fraud after graduating from college because you believed that you do not deserve your academic achievements? Either way, there is a term to define this. This term is Imposter Syndrome.”

“It is important to find what you value and what is important to you… this can help identify what you do not seek in a relationship” Orlando-based counselor Stephanie says. The more you are sure of what you want and what will benefit you in a relationship, the easier it is to seek out those positive relationships and decipher which ones you should continue to keep.