News

The Maxwell Gray Film Fellowship program unveiled its latest video production this week. The video features Caroline Thomas, a senior at Pioneer High School and active Peer-to-Peer member for almost 4 years. Caroline speaks about her experience living with anxiety and how her support system and use of coping skills help her manage it.

Caroline has struggled with anxiety from a young age. As she got older, her symptoms started to physically intensify which led her to begin therapy. Initially, Caroline was hesitant, fearing it would further alienate her from her peers. After her first few sessions, she found that a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medications prescribed by her psychiatrist helped mitigate many of her daily anxious thoughts and feelings.

“Mental illness is not something that fully goes away, and my anxiety will always be there,” says Caroline, acknowledging that mental health journeys are life-long.

However, after receiving treatment and ongoing support from family and friends, Caroline is effectively managing her anxiety. She is encouraging her peers to have open conversations around mental health and seek resources when needed through her school’s Peer-to-Peer program.

Caroline’s video, along with past video productions can be found on the Eisenberg Family Depression Center’s Maxwell Gray Film Fellowship website. For more information regarding Peer-to-Peer, please visit: depressioncenter.org/p2p

This project was funded by The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation, in memory of Maxwell Gray, and the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Collaborative Innovations Fund at the U-M Eisenberg Family Depression Center.