How Honesty and Openness Create Hope

Valéry Brosseau is a passionate speaker, writer and mental health advocate whose lived experience with mental illness has taken her on a journey to combat stigma through mental health awareness. She began volunteering in mental health in 2013, winning awards for her volunteer work, and then pursued further education and training in this field. Valéry now delivers talks and workshops, raising awareness and equipping people with the tools and language to support others and manage their own mental health. In 2019, she delivered a TEDx talk on the stigma surrounding suicide.      

Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide and may be triggering to some readers.

In 2014, I tried to kill myself. I overdosed and had a seizure on the tile floor, which resulted in a concussion. A few weeks later, I attempted again. The doctors told me that my concussion was most likely a factor in this.

I started my process of recovery managing the concussion as well as setting myself up for the mental healthcare I needed. Though I did not experience long-lasting symptoms following this concussion, I know how closely related concussions and mental health are.

When I woke up in the hospital after that second attempt, I started thinking maybe there was a reason neither time worked. Maybe there was a reason I was sticking around. I never could have imagined that 5 years later I would become someone who educates people on mental illness and speaks in front of crowds. I could never have imagined that my story would have power, that it would effect positive change and inspire people. However, what I’ve overcome is what makes what I have to say all the more compelling.

I spent years believing that if I tried harder I could be better – “normal”. I saw most people living without crumbling at every onset of emotion and decided that I was doing something wrong. It took me years to realize there was a reason things were more difficult for me, but even then I continued to believe that failing to experience things normally was a flaw in character as opposed to a medical condition. I was taught by the stigma placed on mental illness and the attitude society often takes toward mental health issues that I should be blamed for it.

I now know I have struggled with mental illness my whole life. Having reached the other end of the tunnel alive, diagnosed, and supported I can understand what is different about me, how it affects my life and how I can manage it. In the case of so many people like me, mental illness is a chronic problem that will be managed for years if not the rest of their lives. The key to managing these issues is speaking openly, candidly and honestly about mental illness. Things are no different with head injuries. Concussions and post-concussion syndrome can stay with us for extended periods of time, if not the rest of our lives. Talking about it without judgment or stigma is the best way to receive the help we deserve. This is what I hope to promote and support.

At a time in my recovery when I was feeling more stable, I decided to seek a volunteer position at a crisis helpline. I wanted to help provide a service I wish I knew existed when I was struggling. I was living in Oshawa at the time and found Distress Centre Durham’s website. I have now been involved with DCD for over 7 years, volunteering as a helpline responder, taking on leadership roles and helping train new volunteers. Through this work, I became more and more involved in mental health, taking every training that was made available to me and furthering my skills and knowledge.

In 2016, Distress Centre Durham named me Volunteer of the Year. In 2017, I was awarded a province-wide volunteer award by Distress and Crisis Ontario called “The Spirit of Volunteerism Award” for my outstanding dedication to the distress centre and my volunteer work there.

During my time as a volunteer, I started understanding the importance of speaking up and being honest. I began sharing my story with fellow volunteers and to the volunteers I was training. I found that they were inspired and that they gained a better understanding of the people they were connecting with on the helpline. This encouraged me to keep sharing and keep trying to promote understanding and compassion. In 2019, I delivered a TEDx talk on the stigma surrounding suicide, encouraging openness and honesty. This non-judgment and willingness to share can help us take strides towards a better understanding and more support for head injuries as well. When we experience a concussion, it is important to be able to speak up about our experience and our needs. This can only be done when we are met with compassion.

The mental health field has become my passion. This passion prompted me to start a business as a speaker and workshop facilitator. I aim to use the platform I am creating to connect with people on a genuine level and encourage them to talk about mental health. Talking about it with kindness and empathy is the only way to create a safe space to reach out and seek help.

You might say I have learned resilience and found my passion the hard way, however my struggles have helped me understand on a deeper level the power my story can have. I don’t regret the pain I have been through. I have seen how hard I can fight this thing and all I know is I’m going to keep trying. Whether you are faced with the long terms effects of a brain injury and the mental health concerns that accompany it, or you have an official diagnosis, don't be ashamed of what you’ve been through – be proud of how far you have come.