CATALYZING ACCESS TO COMMUNITY-BASED HEALING
Written by Vittoria Bergeron
As the founder of a mental health platform—and also someone in recovery from an eating disorder—I’m energized and inspired by Project HEAL’s work. I wholeheartedly believe in providing equitable mental health resources for all. Here is my story.
Early one morning several years ago, I walked out of the inpatient treatment center where I had confronted my eating disorder head-on. As my Lyft driver’s Toyota Camry swirled around the parking lot to take me to the airport, the sun’s orange head peeked from behind the Rockies and met my tired eyes. The metaphor wasn’t lost on me: community-based treatment had offered me a new beginning.
This much was also clear: privilege enabled my access to the life-changing resources in the Camry’s rear view. I had health insurance and a salary that could help pay for what my health insurance wouldn’t. Yet through no fault of their own, over 70 million Americans across all ethnic, socioeconomic, and age groups suffer from mental illness. Simply put, we were—and remain—in a crisis.
As I transitioned to my post-treatment “normal life,” two concepts crystallized and took on enormous significance for me. The first was how critical community-based treatment had been to my recovery. In fact, most of my days in treatment had been spent in therapist-led groups. (Prior to this, I had never once taken part in a group session.) It was validating and eye-opening to listen to and share with people who authentically understood one another. Invisible pillars of support made each session into a healing fortress, free of judgment. Each group played a pivotal role in loosening the tightly knotted beliefs that my eating disorder had controlled for too long.
The second concept was access. I realized, with growing urgency, how much I desperately wanted more people to benefit from the power of groups.
The notion that groups are only for those who have hit a so-called “rock bottom” keeps millions who could benefit from these groups far, far away. Preconceptions that surround group support reinforce a suffocating stigma that prevents entry. In addition, systems of oppression such as white supremacy, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia keep a tight seal on access for those that need it most.
I founded Sesh with access and affordability at its core — and I see both as crucial to turning stigma on its head.
Today, the accessible-from-anywhere Sesh app provides therapist-led sessions for people facing a wide variety of circumstances. Sesh has confidential group sessions for those who are looking for support with their relationship with food and/or body image (Building A Healthier Relationship to Fitness and Food and Intuitive Eating) but we also offer many more therapist-led groups for those coping with depression, trauma, anxiety, and relationship issues, as well as group sessions in unique modalities like art, movement, and CBT.
Access to high-quality mental health support should not be just for a privileged few. I see Sesh groups as a crucial and powerful mental health resource that has the ability to help all of us fulfill our very human need to be seen, heard, and understood.
To the community at Project HEAL: Your stories are so unique and powerful. Being vulnerable and speaking your truth feels good and brings validation to someone else’s experience. The eating disorder community — and all other communities — can benefit by holding space for our authentic voices.
Project HEAL is proud to partner with Sesh, an app that offers group therapy for all kinds of issues and life experiences, at a flat monthly rate, making group support more accessible than ever. Sesh is generously donating unlimited access to their groups for all Project HEAL beneficiaries through the end of 2021.
Vittoria discovered the power of group support while in treatment for an eating disorder. She credits community-based, group support to her full recovery. Vittoria founded Sesh as an accessible, affordable resource for individuals to harness the benefits of professionally-led group support.
She started her career at Barclays as an investment banker and eventually an early employee at Blockchain.com where she spent four years as Chief of Staff.