Psychotherapist, poet, and writer Minaa B started her Instagram account as a way to share her poetry and musings. As someone who has overcome bullying, self-harm, suicidality, and depression, she wanted to help others heal too. That was before COVID. In the months following the global pandemic, Minaa’s Instagram presence and community have exploded. The message is clear, people are hurting, and people are yearning for a safe community that says, "Me too." 

In this episode, Minaa and I talk about coming from immigrant families and finding our identities, grieving the deaths of our parents, overcoming bullying, and healing from self-harm. Minaa shares how she has learned to be seen and how she is using her voice so that others may heal too.

Goodies from this Episode:

Connect with Minaa: https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/ 

Read Minaa’s book: Rivers Are Coming: A Collection of Essays And Poems On Healing From Depression and Trauma - https://www.minaab.com/riversarecoming

Learn more about Minaa’s work: https://www.minaab.com/ 

Mental health resources mentioned on the show: 

NAIMI: https://www.nami.org/help

Mental Health Gov: https://www.mentalhealth.gov/

Looking for mental health resources? Check out: www.illgofirst.com/find-help

Listen to more episodes at: www.illgofirst.com/stories

In crisis? Text “GO FIRST” to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 for free. 

Have a suggestion? Don’t be shy! We’d love to hear from you! Say “Hi” at [email protected]