As part of our 'Real People' series, we sat down with Caitlin Gorman, an aspiring actor from Leeds. Our founder Kimberley met Caitlin at the Young People, The Arts and Mental Health Conference earlier this year where Caitlin shared her mental health experiences. We then asked her to be part of our campaign, where you can see Caitlin repping our brand in the store!
Hey Caitlin! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Caitlin, I am 24 and currently studying for a performing arts degree in Leeds. I am also involved with the Leeds Playhouse! My passions in life include new and upcoming theatre, a long walk in the beautiful Yorkshire dales and great coffee shops! My passion for the arts has been a constant throughout my life, however with some issues surrounding my mental health along with some other things - pursuing that passion has not always been easy. It's amazing to now be in a place where I am able to see a future, where I am able to do the thing that I love the most!
What positively supports your mental health?
Positive mental health for me is all about taking care of myself. Making sure I stay active even if that is going for a walk and breathing in some fresh air each morning. I also believe it is about surrounding myself with good people – having a sense of community is vital and really helps me to feel that I belong somewhere. I also believe that one of the main things that allows me to keep my mental health in a more positive space, is being accountable. Having a schedule and knowing that it is important that I need to stick to it, really helps me to have a reason to get up each morning and know that I am having an impact.
If there is a statement you would like to make about mental health in the current climate, what would it be and why?
If there is anything that is on your mind (no matter how big or small you think that issue is) then try and voice it. The stigmas around mental health – although still present, are so much less than they used to be. There is someone who will listen without judgement, being able to share what it is that is going on can really help to relieve some worries.
I think I had so many fears when I was younger about voicing what I was feeling. No one had spoken to me before about mental health – it wasn’t a term I had come across before. To see so many people out there today who may be struggling silently with fears around judgement is terrifying. The fear that we can build in our heads can be a lot bigger than what happens in the real scenario. Mental health is real, and I believe if we can get more people talking, it will not be as scary as we all initially thought.
What do you like most about Keep Real?
I truly think its all fantastic, but if there was one thing that I had to choose I think it would have to be just how accessible Keep Real is making mental health. To think and even talk about mental health can be extremely daunting, but Keep Real is bringing real people together to share experiences as well as opening up spaces to allow the community to do the same, in an environment that incorporates the arts into it, which I believe takes the pressure off everyone. The arts are such a fantastic way to allow people to express themselves also, so to bring mental health and the arts together is just amazing!
Follow Caitlin's journey here > caitlingorman94
The 'Real People' series aims to highlight wonderful human beings in the community, and encourage conversations about mental health.
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