Destiny Gettis dealt with insecurity and isolation when she became a mother at 21, but now she is sharing her story through a podcast started by Student Health Services.
“It really, really messed with me, and it was hard to get through it because I found myself seeping into this depression,” said Gettis, fourth-year broadcast journalism student. “There was a lot of lonely nights that I cried, and I did a lot of praying, and I did a lot of just talking to my mom.”
"Hear Me Out," a weekly podcast, discusses various topics in mental health with an emphasis on recovery and resilience. The podcast records in the Center for Health and Well-Being and consists of two co-hosts and a new student special guest in each episode. Gettis was a special guest in episode 16.
When she realized she was pregnant, Gettis said she felt ashamed and overwhelmed, feeling the need to hide it from people. Now, after overcoming her struggles, she wants to share her story to help women in similar situations.
"Everything works itself out, and you are a lot stronger than you think. It’s when you get thrown these curveballs in life that you kind of just figure it out, and you really just learn and you develop that strength that you really never could imagine you having,” Gettis said. “It’s going to be okay, you’ll get through it, it’s not the end of the world. You have so much more support out there than you think, and you’re not the only one that’s going through it.”
Katie Cohen, fourth-year experimental psychology student and co-host for the podcast, wanted to share the stories of students coming from all backgrounds to shed light on mental health.
“Sharing stories, to me, is so powerful because it brings to light the reality of mental health,” Cohen said.
The podcast also informs students about Student Health Services' resources for physical and mental health needs.
When Gettis discussed the need for quiet alone time to decompress, Cohen notified listeners about the C.A.L.M Oasis, an open space at the Center for Health and Well-Being designed for prayer, mindfulness and meditation.
“I’ve gone literally in the middle of the day," Cohen said. "I was just feeling really terrible and I wanted to kind of just be by myself in the quiet and it’s hard on campus, so I went to the C.A.L.M. Oasis, and it was really a good time to just be by myself and decompress."
Darbi Horne, a fourth-year broadcast journalism student who co-hosts the show alongside Cohen, said she thought the podcast was important for discussing issues of mental health that are often overlooked.
"It should be something that’s discussed because everyone goes through it," Horne said. "It’s a real issue and there are a lot of people that believe that it’s not. But it’s nothing that we should be ashamed about, and talking it out and talking it through, it’s a gateway to healing."
Gettis also spoke about the importance of the podcast and of having discussions about mental health as a whole. She hopes lives will be changed and more people will seek help because people are transparently discussing mental health.
“Maybe it’s that one person that they interview that makes that next person come and get the help they need, or just have that platform that they need to share their story to save the next person,” Gettis said.
The "Hear Me Out" podcast is available to listen to for free on Soundcloud, Apple Music and Google Play. New episodes are added every week.