Living successful lives after mental health trauma

After her daughter, Jenny took her own life at aged 16, Jenetta Barry launched World Jenny’s Day (10th October) and works with a dedicated team of people who are now living successful lives after having experienced challenge and trauma.

Today Jenetta assists teens and parents of troubled teens/young adults, to step into new ways of communicating – from openhearted understanding rather than from knee-jerk fear and judgement.

She has also been the go-to counsellor for people in extreme circumstances (including counselling terrorist-attack survivors).

As World Mental Health Day (also 10th October) approaches, Jenetta and the World Jenny’s Day team share their stories and through these success stories offer hope as well as solutions to those in crisis.

Victoria Pena’s family was attacked by rebels, her mother and her 6-year-old sister who were by her side, were shot and killed. Now she is supporting World Jenny’s Day to raise awareness of the support for those living with childhood trauma. She says “When I first meet Jenetta, I was in total distress as I was desperately trying to deal with a past childhood trauma. We had been living in a war-torn country and one day whilst driving, we were attacked by rebels. We hid in a gutter for many hours but unfortunately during that time my Mum and my 6-year-old sister who were by my side, were shot and killed.

I have personally worked through my darkest hours with Jenetta and am being a part of World Jenny’s Day because mental health is such a taboo in society still today. This day will be able to provide more than hope it also gives solutions.

Being with World Jenny’s Day enables me to contribute to a beautiful and needed cause, to show support to my family members and friends who suffer from mental health and to support Jenetta, because what she is doing is amazing!”

Savanna Stephenson’s father took his own life when she was 18 years old, she says “I wanted to be involved with World Jenny’s Day, and to help raise awareness, because after my father had taken his life, it took a lot of strength to put my hands up and say, “Actually, I need help, I’m not going to do this on my own.”

I knew straightaway that I was not going to be able to cope with the ocean of emotions that I was feeling. After being introduced to Jenetta, I had comfort straightaway, knowing that she had experienced suicide with her daughter and that she knew what I was going through. I honestly don’t know where I would be if I had not met Jenetta and The Epiphany Process.

I believe that World Jenny’s Day is important in raising awareness because there’s so much power in hearing what people have gone through and how they’ve been able to move on with life.

I think mental health is just not spoken about enough. I sometimes wonder if there was more talk about it maybe my dad would be here today. I feel like the more we talk about mental health, the more people will feel like it’s okay for them to talk about their own challenges.”

Larissa Allen, battled with depression and an eating disorder, she explains “Having seen the difference, The Epiphany Process made to my life it inspired me to go on and want to be able to help other people to change their lives, which is why I am supporting World Jenny’s Day.

“I suffered so badly from mental depression to the point of battling with a severe eating disorder and not wanting to be alive I am incredibly grateful to Jenetta and the Epiphany Process, so if my story and supporting World Jenny’s Day inspires someone in a bad place reach out to get help and support, then it’s worth it. ”

Jenetta says “Every single one of us has been bruised on this journey through life. Knowing that there are accurate skills to not let the inevitable traumas of the human experience break us, is what makes the difference.

By coming to terms with my own personal tragedy I have discovered a remarkable source of emotional resiliency and a process for imparting it to others with The Epiphany Process.

I am so honoured that Victoria, Savanna and Larissa who have worked through the process, are now supporting this World Jenny’s Day mental health awareness campaign. We are aiming to continue our campaign to spread mental health awareness and wellness across the world, particularly focussing on teens and young people who are dealing with depression and suicide ideation, as well as providing guidance for the carers of those who feel compromised.”