Mind Matters Hosts Conversation on Mental Health

Mind Matters, an Upper School club that seeks to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and encourage open conversations on the Hilltop, recently hosted a Zoom conversation with representatives from Morgan's Message. Started in honor of Morgan Rodgers, a Duke University women's lacrosse player who lost her life to suicide, Morgan's Message "strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. ... by normalizing conversations, empowering those who suffer in silence, and supporting those who feel alone." 

Representatives from Morgan’s Message discussed how those wrestling with mental health issues might mask their struggles. “People show you only what they want you to see. Even if you ask over and over again how they are doing, you still might not know what’s going on,” they shared. The presentation also highlighted ways that friends can support and help those they suspect or know are struggling with mental health issues.

Club Co-Presidents Macy Millones ’23 and Maggie Laguzza ’23 shared the following reflection, “We hope those who joined to hear from Morgan’s Message learned some important tools for supporting themselves and those around them on their individual mental health journeys. We believe that providing a space for open conversation, while highlighting an individual story, is an essential part of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Coming from a sports-oriented community, we were so grateful for the perspective that Morgan’s Message offered us: one that highlighted the impacts of pressure, performance, and physical challenges on mental health.”