“More than anything else, I am passionate about mental health because I’ve been there,” shares Matt Lanasa, an Orchard Place volunteer and mentor and the Chief People Officer at Aureon, a long-standing partner with Orchard Place and children’s mental health. From his late teens through early 20s, Lanasa battled anxiety and depression. Initially, labeling it as an "existential crisis." Despite a positive upbringing and supportive environment, he found it challenging to pinpoint a specific cause for his depression. Engaged in sports, surrounded by good friends, and a great life on the surface, he still faced internal struggles similar to those faced by many children at Orchard Place.
As Lanasa aged, his mental health declined to a point where he considered self-harm. “I was a father of two at this point and was terrified that I would do something to myself that would lead to terrible ramifications for my children,” he explained. “I checked myself in to an in-patient facility.” Through counseling, medication, and mastering emotional regulation, Lanasa successfully navigated through his struggles and emerged on the other side. Since then, he has maintained a relatively stable and productive lifestyle, all while positively impacting the lives of children at Orchard Place.
Now, volunteering and mentoring at Orchard Place Residential Campus, he greets his mentee, John, whose name has been changed for this story, with a fist bump. John says, “I really enjoy spending time with Matt because it gives me a chance to get away from the unit and beat him at basketball!”
“When I was having my most challenging times, I came across an article about how Winston Churchill struggled with depression,” remembers Lanasa. “He used the term ‘Black Dog’ to both describe and objectify his mental health challenges.” This helped him realize that mental health is something to fight for, rather than simply enduring. “If I can help another person learn to approach their mental health as though it were a ‘Black Dog,’ I feel that I have paid back those who have helped me do the same.” Learn how you can be a mentor at Orchard Place by going to www.orchardplace.org/get-involved/volunteer.