This Friday, Out of Your Mind, a newly established non-profit organization, is launching an 18-month pilot program in the town of Boone. Out of Your Mind is a creative resource to mental health in the local community. Founded by local resident, Kat Dolan, Out of Your Mind will serve as a platform to combat social isolation through creative peer support and reframe mental illness as a mental opportunity. Members of the community are invited to The Jones House Cultural and Community Center on Friday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the official launch.
“I grew up repeatedly hearing the tired phrase, ‘You are not alone’ without any physical evidence to back this. Out of Your Mind provides a space for others to see how ‘not alone’ they truly are,” said Dolan. “This is not a ‘tell all’ space. Out of Your Mind intends to provide exactly what the name implies—a chance to step outside the rabbit hole of circular thinking and share an experience with others who understand the importance of maintaining a healthy mindset and growing in emotional intelligence.”
Out of Your Mind offers donation based local events for those who live with mental opportunity and is also open to those who know someone who is suffering and want to understand how to better support them. She began coordinating different events for locals in August 2017 and what started as weekly potlucks has evolved to two events per month typically including a group hike and small business collaboration event.
Since August, Out of Your Mind has collaborated with local businesses including: Wine to Water’s CW Chocolate, High Country Yoga, Foggy Pine Books, and Noble Kava.
With the aid and support of local board members, Jeffrey Scott, Janet Pepin, Sara Figlow and Athalia Whitworth, Dolan is coordinating events for the local high school, college, and community audiences, fostering a creative space for all stages of mental health & understanding. But the reach does not end here.
Dolan, a performance poet and writer by trade, will premiere a poetry video at the launch celebration. The poem titled, “Nobody But Myself” personifies Dolan’s own depression as a person worthy of love, no matter the ups and downs, and embodies the passion behind the organization. The video, produced by local cinematographer, Christian Goudy, of Mountain Wind Films, and enhanced by local Audio Engineer, Nicholas Blanchard with music accompaniment by artist Leah Matthews, is set to hit the internet shortly after the launch party with hopes to reach as many viewers as possible during the Mental Health Awareness month of May.
For more information, or to donate to Out of Your Mind, please visit our website or follow OutofYourMind_ on Instagram.