Why? Simply because stigma on mental health makes absolutely no sense - as there is no health without mental health.
Hi, I’m Katharina Seifert and I’m building this community as I struggled for a long time not only with mental illness but also with the stigma which exists in society regarding discussions around mental health.
Looking back, I do not even know what made me more sick: my own struggles or the feeling that it is not right to struggle (aka “chicken or the egg causality dilemma”) in our happiness-addicted and solution-driven society.
I felt that in 2020 there needed to be a platform for connecting broad audiences with mental health experts, to talk, reflect and discuss topics around our feelings, emotions, inner cosmos, you name it.
Therapy as we know it is a strong tool, but only one of many and it cannot replace overall social connection and it shouldn't.
The goal of hosting public deep talks on intimate topics is to prove that talking about mental health does not have to be weird, shaming or emo and that all of us have something important to say and share.
Because in the end you never know, maybe by talking about your own struggles, you could light up, inspire, encourage others or simply make them feel less lonely with their challenges.
With deep talk w/ I want to create a safer space of collective help through knowledge and experience transfer among peers and experts and enhance re-connection with ourselves but also with others.
The increasing numbers of people suffering from mental illnesses and disorders are proof that we’ve lost a connection as a society due to other priorities.
At the same time, health care systems are overwhelmed with the increasing demand by rapidly growing populations and waiting time for therapy/ no money for treatment can increase individual suffering, decrease societal productivity and well-being - or even cost lives.
When I realized this, I decided that building this community to host talks with experts is so necessary. A community filled with compassion, support and understanding is what I myself missed for a long time. I’m so happy to personally welcome you to deep talk w/!