Aleah Nesdoly and Sarah Gottwald were among those organizing and taking part in the Balancing Our Minds Youth Summit that was held at the Cleland Theatre in Penticton a couple of weeks ago.
There were about 300 students, teachers and councillors in attendance from schools throughout the Okanagan.
“We talked about our experiences with mental health and the resources that we personally use,” explained Nesdoly. “I gave a speech about my journey and how I learned to cope.”
Nesdoly was in Grade 10 when she first sought medical help.
She was diagnosed with High Functioning Depression and Anxiety.
Along with taking medication she has done many other things to help herself.
Over the last couple of years, Nesdoly has learned that she is a very “sensory person,” who fiddles a lot.
She now carries stress balls and a can of play dough in her bag to fiddle with instead of picking her skin, for example.
She also learned that she was affected by the cold temperatures and the low light of winter, so she uses lamps and “fairy lights” to make herself feel better.
In addition to these things, Nesdoly has made dietary changes, cutting out sugar and being sure to drink enough water and ensures that she has a regular sleep pattern.
“Aleah and I have been through a lot of it together. In grade eight we both realized our mental health was suffering,” explained Gottwald. “We couldn’t be in class. For me it was too scary. I felt crowded.”
As a result, Gottwald would do her work in the councillor’s office instead of her classroom.
She has since learned to use meditation and mindfulness to help her cope.
At the summit she and another Summerland student gave a speech on what they have been doing in the way of promoting mental well-being at their school.
“We talked about the peer listeners, the wellness group and the mentorship and about how far the school has come,” she said.
Both Nesdoly and Gottwald have signed contracts at the high school to be peer listeners, where they listen to students who may need to talk to someone.
They are also among those who are serving as wellness mentors for the middle school students, where they speak to them about things like practicing mindfulness, or the destructive nature of spreading rumours.
They are planning on doing upcoming sessions on body image, because many students struggle with how they look at themselves.
It is not only the students who have benefited from these initiatives, but teachers also.
“They can recognize when someone’s having a bad day now and if you need to step out that’s fine,” said Gottwald. “They’re willing to put in the extra effort knowing that you are struggling.”
“Teachers and students are so generous and supportive and are starting to understand more,” Nesdoly said.
Both these young women have come a long ways in handling their mental wellness and have continued to face their fears. Gottwald is currently the reigning Miss Summerland and Nesdoly also took part in the Blossom Pageant.
One might wonder how they are able to be up on stage speaking to an audience.
“I can stand in front of a crowd and I’m fine and yet in front of a small group of people I’m terrified because I can see them all,” explained Gottwald.
“I can’t stand in front of a class but I can stand in front of hundreds of people,” said Nesdoly.
“In front of my peers I’m afraid of being judged, because they know me so well, but in a crowd they don’t know me and I’ll probably never see them again.”
These two girls have high aspirations for their lives in the future.
Nesdoly will be attending Okanagan College next year, where she will study the brain and get her degree in psychology. She hopes to become a child therapist.
Gottwald plans to become an English teacher. She hopes to bring in a wellness group and talk about mental health wherever she teaches, because of the positive results she has seen here in the Summerland schools.