Success Stories

Meet Jasper: A Bridge to Transformation

Some may think the future is scary. But it’s letting go of the fear of the past that is truly daunting.

Jasper has always struggled to open up and let people in, even at a young age. While always being in a constant state of impending doom, he slowly started to detach from the people around him, and he never was able to crawl out of the hole of hopelessness that swallowed him every day.

Jasper came to Healing Bridges in 2022 to find a better way to handle his emotional turmoil after trying therapy five previous times. Since growing up in an emotionally and verbally abusive household, he never quite had the confidence to stick it out in therapy due to a lack of support from his family. As time moved on and Jasper got older, he realized that waking up and getting through each and every day was starting to become insufferable.

After exhausting many different treatment options at previous providers, Jasper was in desperate need to find a therapy program that would give him hope from his relentless internal misery and accept his insurance throughout the entire process. Even though Jasper wasn’t sure if Healing Bridges would be the right fit at the time, he knew he needed help to push through his depressive and anxious mindset – as he grew emotionally numb for any aspects of his life anymore.

Since starting Healing Bridges a little over a year ago, Jasper has been chipping away at his own self-cynicism to build his confidence and faith in himself. While still carrying this enormous sense of guilt and animosity from his childhood that has been weighing down on him for decades, he knows the only way to free himself is to face what troubles him head-on instead of pushing any potential good thing away.

Since setting boundaries in both his personal and professional life has been a constant challenge, Jasper has made it a priority to find a healthy balance between putting himself first and showing up for others when needed with his Healing Bridges therapist Jo. By channeling a lot of his pent up emotions into his existing talents and creativity, Jasper turned his passion for art into a successful tattooing career.

“I have found a family at my tattoo shop that I never had in my past,” Jasper said. “I have been creating more art and testing my skills in a new environment, which has pushed me out of my comfort-zone in ways I have not experienced before.”

Jasper has stated that the pressures and negativity of the tattoo industry can be a struggle from time to time, but he wants to follow his heart and do what’s best for him moving forward. As he continues to build his portfolio and overcome intrusive thoughts regarding his new profession, Jasper works on his mental health by opening himself up to new possibilities and leaning on people he trusts when life gets tough to manage. With Healing Bridges supporting him every step of the way, Jasper has found new outlets to cope with the changes that life brings and the courage to battle the agony that circulates inside the depths of his mind.

Jasper’s story is a true depiction of what depression and anxiety can feel like. Every day, Jasper woke up in a body that fought to survive, but with a mind that consistently tried to die. Mental illnesses are often misunderstood because the frequent attempt to conceal the pain inside can increase the burden to bear.

It is up to the caring people in the world to encourage those suffering in silence to NOT give up on themselves and to seek professional treatment. You can help individuals like Jasper gain the strength to keep moving forward by donating to Healing Bridges and supporting our cause that does not let those with a mental illnesses battle their psychological warfare alone.