A first-time experience at CHAT@SCAPE reveals insights about navigating mental well-being.
I’m alright—or at least I think I am. That’s what I told myself as I walked nervously through the renovated halls of *SCAPE toward CHAT@SCAPE, a mental health outreach and assessment service for youths. At 24, I had never opened up about my struggles—not even to friends. Now, I was about to share them with a stranger.
Before the session, I filled out CHAT’s self-referral intake form. It asked probing questions about my mental health worries and what I hoped to gain from the check-up. The process, meant to guide the youth support worker in understanding me, was harder than expected. Answering questions about myself felt like an uphill task.
A few days later, a warm voice called to schedule my session. Standing now at CHAT@SCAPE, I was preparing for the worst, though the bright blue logo above the tagline, “Young People’s Minds Matter,” offered a small reassurance.
Stepping Into the Unknown
Inside, soft jazz music played, drowning out the sounds of renovation outside. The space felt inviting, with shelves of books and card games scattered about. I was greeted by the youth support worker who had called me, waving from a room across the hall.
In Room A, a small, cosy space with baby blue walls, I settled into a cushioned armchair. The youth support worker explained what to expect from the session, clarifying that she wasn’t a therapist but a qualified mental health professional. Her role was to help me understand my distress and guide me toward solutions if necessary.
Her approach was reassuring: symptoms wouldn’t be amplified into a dire diagnosis without reason. Instead, the focus would be on understanding my emotions and their impact on my life. Confidentiality was emphasized, and she assured me that my comfort would be prioritized throughout the session.
Finding the Words
As we began, she remarked on the candidness of my intake form, which highlighted how work-life imbalance had affected my relationships. Translating my written answers into spoken words, however, felt daunting. What if I said something wrong? Were there even wrong answers?
“Share what you’re comfortable with,” she encouraged. Starting with vague responses, I slowly opened up as she asked follow-up questions and even shared her own experiences. Her approach turned the session into a conversation rather than an interrogation.
Articulating my thoughts became the true challenge. I struggled to find the right words, often comparing myself to others who seemed more expressive. She reassured me that everyone copes differently and that comparing myself to others wasn’t helpful.
By the session’s end, I realized her role wasn’t to fix me but to guide me toward better self-awareness.
A Roadmap to Wellness
She concluded the session by affirming that my distress was manageable without further intervention unless I chose otherwise. Life’s challenges naturally bring some stress, and the key is distinguishing between normal and disproportionate distress.
Before I left, she shared why she joined CHAT: she had once been a client herself. Her experience taught her that seeking help is about progress, not perfection. As she put it, “Whatever struggles I have can be worked on—as long as I ask for help when I need it.”
Leaving CHAT@SCAPE, I felt lighter. What began as a nerve-wracking step toward the unknown turned into a productive conversation. The road to mental wellness isn’t a quick fix, but it’s a journey worth taking. Starting is the hardest part, but once you do, you’ve already taken the most important step.
