Blog

July 2023

Anita Okogbue

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Anita Okogbue and she shares with us a bit about her passion for community health education and a quote she lives by: “Everyone has a mountain, it might look small in comparison to your mountain but to the person, it’s as big as yours.”

May 2023

The Impact of Sharing Your Story: Your Voice Creates a Brighter Future

Sharing your mental health journey can have a powerful impact on your own mental health, while making a difference in the lives of others. Your voice has the potential to make a profound impact: offering hope, support, and a sense of connection.

May 2023

Camila Haro

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Camila, a UC Irvine student and Connect-OC Health Educator intern. Camila shares with us about how she balances her academic commitments with other areas of her life, including work, family responsibilities, and social activities. Camila tries to approach life with an open mind and a compassionate heart, and believes that these values can help us navigate the ups and downs of life's journey.

March 2023

The G.R.E.E.N Foundation (TGF)

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight Orange County agencies providing exceptional mental health and wellness service to the community. In this article we learn about The G.R.E.E.N Foundation and their mission to provide community health education through different avenues to help individuals and families access quality health care and help victims of hate crimes access resources.

March 2023

Strong Families, Strong Children (SFSC)

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight Orange County agencies providing exceptional mental health and wellness service to the community. In this article we learn a bit more about Strong Families, Strong Children and their mission to improve the health and well-being of veteran families by engaging the community, building resiliency, and creating safer, more stable home environments.

March 2023

Julie Eyerman

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Julie, a Vanguard University student and Connect-OC intern. Julie shares with us a bit about how she engages peers and the community in speaking about self-care and mental health in everyday conversations and her belief that making a big change starts small in your own community.

January 2023

Mia Aniceto

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Mia who is currently employed at Pacific Clinics/REI. In this interview Mia shares with us a bit about how community mental health opened their eyes to the complex web of support, resources, and networks that we encounter throughout our journeys to wellness.

January 2023

Attachment: Relating to ourselves, others, and the world

Recently, there has been an increased popular interest in attachment and the ways our attachment experiences and corresponding attachment styles impact our relationships. In this article, Project Coordinator David Paddison explores a bit about attachment, how it helps us relate to ourselves, others, and the world and shares additional resources for further information.

November 2022

Ashley Espiritu

A goal of the Connect-OC Coalition is to highlight the voices and work of young adults advocating for mental health and wellness. In this interview we speak with Ashley, a CSULB student and Connect-OC intern. Ashley shares with us a bit about her personal struggles with mental health and how studying health science opened her world up to different resources and outlooks on mental health/illnesses.

November 2022

Project WHY (We Hear You)

In this article Connect-OC Young Adult Advisory Committee Member Arielle Zappia shares about her non-profit, Project WHY (We Hear You), and how she became passionate about advocating for reducing the stigma surrounding homelessness in Orange County , Ca.