“Bert Nash changed my life”

When Damian started coming for services at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, it not only changed his life.

It may have saved it.

“I used to struggle with suicidal urges, so I honestly don’t know if I would be alive if it wasn’t for Bert Nash,” Damian said.

Damian, who is transgender, wasn’t feeling accepted at school or at home.

“I started coming out as trans in middle school,” he said. “No one really supported me. I didn’t have a good relationship with school or family. My life kind of spiraled. We started looking into therapy options. So I came to Bert Nash. That was the first real support I had.”

Damian immediately felt accepted when he came to the Bert Nash Center.

“It provided me with a safe space,” he said. “I was able to talk to someone and find that support system that I needed. I didn’t have to pretend to be someone else or to pretend I wasn’t trans. We’ve been working on helping me advocate for myself as well as being comfortable with myself in social situations.”

His family has also benefited from Damian receiving services at the Bert Nash Center.

“Bert Nash helped to educate my parents as far as me being trans,” Damian said. “Having an outside person talk with my parents has really helped. So it created a safer home environment.”

Therapy also gave Damian an outlet for talking about his anger issues.

“It gave me a safe environment to get things off my chest,” he said. “I have had anger issues for a long time, and I still struggle with it. Bert Nash has helped me with coping skills and de-escalation.”

After transferring from another school in Douglas County, Damian is a senior at Free State High School in Lawrence. He has also done volunteer work at the Lawrence Public Library, mostly doing art activities.

“My peers in Lawrence have been very accepting,” he said.

 After graduation, Damian plans on earning a welding certificate. 

“Welding is part of STEM (an education curriculum that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), which is important to me,” Damian said. “But it also has a lot of applications in the art world and I could do it on the side for fun, too.”

Damian is excited about the future and looks forward to becoming more independent. And he is grateful for the help he has received from the Bert Nash Center.

“Bert Nash has consistently been a support system for me,” he said.