Finding Family, Finding Myself: The Power of Accessible Mental Health Care

I wouldn’t be here today without my found family. That’s not just a phrase—it’s my truth. If I had never walked through the doors of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit in the nation, I don’t know where I’d be. At a time when everything felt like it was crumbling around me when the weight of isolation and uncertainty threatened to pull me under, I found something I never expected: a lifeline.

It was my first year of high school, but I wasn’t stepping into crowded hallways or sitting next to friends in class—I was trapped behind a screen, attending school virtually as the pandemic blurred the lines between home and the outside world. I was growing up, but it felt like I was doing it alone. Then, amid that chaos, I found HMI’s free, confidential mental health counseling.

Before then, therapy had always felt like a dead end. I had tried multiple clinicians, but none of them truly saw me. None of them understood the tangled mess of emotions I carried. But then I met Elena. I felt safe enough to let my guard down for the first time. For the first time, I understood what it meant to be heard, understood, and supported by someone who genuinely cared. She wasn’t just a therapist—she walked alongside me on my journey of becoming.

The care I received didn’t just help me survive—it changed the course of my life. Now, I want to be that person for someone else. It ignited something in me because I want to be the kind of clinician who understands what it’s like to stand at the edge of despair and be pulled back by a single act of kindness.

But the heartbreaking truth? So many people never get that chance. While I was fortunate to access free, confidential therapy within my own community, countless others are left without options. Every day, I talk to peers who desperately want to seek help but can’t—because they don’t have insurance, because they can’t afford it, because they can’t find a therapist who understands their struggles. This isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a crisis.

We cannot continue to treat mental health care as a privilege when it is a necessity. We need more funding, more resources, and more diverse clinicians who reflect the communities they serve. That starts with calling on our local politicians, demanding affordable programs, and making it possible for people from all backgrounds to pursue mental health professions without being buried in debt.

No one should have to fight this hard just to be heard. No one should have to choose between survival and silence. We can and must do better for young people across this country.

Yu, Ames, NY