It’s okay
To say you’re
Not OK
okay to
TM
say
Since 2016, our award-winning Okay to Say campaign has reached millions of people across Texas and beyond, encouraging them to speak up about mental health concerns and to share hope through open and honest conversations with trusted family members and friends.
Throughout 2021, Okay to Say continued its Let’s Talk Facebook and Instagram Live series, helping viewers stay connected and learn about a variety of topics related to mental health during a time of increased stress and anxiety. The 2021 Let’s Talk series videos received a total of more than 17,000 views.
Featured Conversations
LET’S TALK: WOMEN ATHLETES & MENTAL HEALTH
Following the high-profile withdrawals from competition by leading athletes Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles in 2021, Okay to Say dedicated a Let’s Talk conversation to discussing the mental health challenges female athletes face and the stigma that makes it difficult to ask for help. The conversation was guest hosted by Melissa Wilson of FOX 26 Houston and featured Dallas Wings basketball player Satou Sabally, Houston Dash soccer player Gabby Seiler, and Dayna Charbonneau, Psy.D., Director of Clinical & Sport Psychology at Texas Tech University.
LET’S TALK: ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES & MENTAL HEALTH
Marcy Melvin, Deputy Director of The Hackett Center for Mental Health, and Dr. Aneela Khan, Community Behavioral Health Project Manager at the Asian American Health Coalition of Houston and HOPE Clinic, discussed the ongoing hate and violence against AAPI communities and how these experiences can lead to racial trauma. They also covered how the social stigma surrounding mental illness within AAPI cultures often makes it difficult to start conversations about mental health and resources and actions allies can take to support their AAPI friends.
LET’S TALK: Relationships: Giving & Receiving Love in Times of Stress
As supporters, we don’t have to fix it. I think that there’s a strong tendency among all of us to take away the pain or stop the pain altogether. Recognize that bearing witness to the pain and being a comforting and listening ear is sometimes the most important thing you can do. — Julie Kaplow
Supporting Students: Making it okay to talk openly about mental health on campuses
Academic stressors, social and relationship pressures, work responsibilities, and even missing home can all contribute to significant emotional challenges for college students. Recognizing this, Okay to Say released a new toolkit in September to encourage students to reach out to a friend in need and to speak up when they need support themselves.
The Okay to Say on Campus toolkit includes a variety of easy-to-use co-brandable materials, talking points and statistics, ways to activate the campaign, and resources to encourage students to start—or continue—a conversation about mental health. Additionally, Okay to Say shared messages of encouragement on digital billboards at more than 30 campuses across Texas, directing viewers to the new Okay to Say landing page aimed at raising awareness and encouraging conversations.
72%
of students said they felt
hopeful and supported
after a friend reached out.