The stigma surrounding mental health disclosures is something that usually divides us, but imagine over a hundred people submitting their mental health stories to an online platform in the hopes that it will help others. Jordan Leigh and her fiancé, Patrik [Patty] Laine, have been able to build such a widespread community through their mental health-based initiative, From Us To You (FUTY). 

Leigh is currently pursuing her master’s degree in mental health counseling at New York University, while Laine is a professional hockey player in the NHL (National Hockey League) with the Montreal Canadiens. In January 2024, Laine announced that he was taking time away from hockey to prioritize his mental health and entered the league’s Players’ Assistance Program. During this time, Laine and Leigh received messages through social media supporting him along his mental health journey.

The idea for the organization started from this exchange and officially launched on Aug. 12, 2024. 

“We were just overwhelmed by all the support and messages that we were getting in terms of people talking about how much they appreciated him sharing that he needed help with this mental health journey because not enough people are talking about it. They would share their stories with us through Instagram DMs and emails,” Leigh said. “It seemed like there was a really big need for more conversations about it, so we wanted to continue the conversation and make that more public so that everyone else can get support in the mental health area.” 

As conversations regarding mental health increase, people’s perspectives have begun to change – something Laine remarked on when reflecting on his career. 

“At the beginning of my career, I grinded through everything, it didn’t matter what it was. That strategy doesn’t work out in the long term, even if you think you’re doing a good job putting it off in the short term,” Laine said. “I’ve realized how important it is to take care of your mind. If your head isn’t doing well, it’s going to affect every other part of your body and your game, but most importantly your life.”

While the initial goal was to create an Instagram page where people can share and relate to others about their mental health, Leigh and Laine are now in the process of becoming a full-fledged international nonprofit. 

“We are going to be based out of the United States, but of course, we want to be able to work with organizations and people in Canada, because that’s where we’re based right now, and also back in Finland, because that’s Patty’s home country,” Leigh said. “We want it to be something that anybody can be a part of and really feel like they are a part of the community, but then so many people were asking for resources and how they can continue the conversation. So, taking it into merchandise and scholarships and things like that seems like a really great next step. So, it just takes time, but everything is in the works.”

As Leigh and Laine look to amplify the conversation around mental health, Leigh highlights three ways in which you can destigmatize mental health.

“The first one is protest which can be perceived in a lot of different ways, so it depends on how you do it. The second way, education, is actually proven to change people’s minds, but it’s not actually as effective for changing their behaviors and their actions,” said Leigh. “The third way is called contact. Contact is the most effective for changing your actions and your mind. Basically, it’s whatever the issue is, so mental health, that you’re trying to destigmatize. You meet somebody, or you know someone personally, or have a conversation with somebody who is dealing with that problem.”

This shared sense of vulnerability is what builds a sense of community like the one Leigh and Laine are cultivating with FUTY. Rowan’s chapter of The Hidden Opponent (THO), a mental health club for student-athletes, in a similar way, is building a mental health community of its own. 

The club’s President, Rowan field hockey’s Kylie Elwell, discussed the impact of the club on mental health awareness for student-athletes and how it welcomes those struggling and those who want to offer support.

“The club helps break the stigma. It helps, because it’s not like, ‘Oh, I need to be depressed and anxious in order to join this club, or if somebody sees me at this club, they’re going to think I’m depressed,’” Elwell said. “I know you can be here because you’re struggling, but you can be here because your teammates invited you, or you could be here because you’re a good teammate and you want to learn how you can help the other people on your team.” 

Just like a physical injury, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation for one’s mental health, but there are ways to improve your mental wellbeing. Leigh underscored the importance of being proactive when taking care of your mental health.

“Address the struggle when your battery is at 20% or 30%, not when it’s at 0%. If you are starting to feel like you’re running low and you’re a little bit overwhelmed, right at the beginning of that feeling, take a step back and figure out a way to organize your thoughts,” Leigh said. “So, just kind of having more frequent check-ins with yourself is something that you can do.”

This battery analogy can be applied to multiple contexts, especially if you are a student.

“I think when you are a student-athlete or a student in general, you have so many things that are scheduled for you, and you have so many different things on the checklist that I think sometimes you can feel like you’re going on autopilot,” Leigh said. “From the athlete perspective, you win a big game and it’s like, ‘Okay, but the next game is next week, so now we have to start preparing for it almost immediately.’ So, taking the physical time to celebrate those moments is really important because you want to make sure that your battery is not running too low and that you don’t get burnt out.”

Elwell can relate to the high expectations placed on athletes. 

“I think so many people in athletics struggle because it’s so scary to be like, ‘I’m scared of our game. Like, I’m not even like, oh, this could be rough. I’m literally scared… because either I might not get in or I’m upset because I might not play at all,’” Elwell said. “Or on the other hand, maybe I’m upset because I’m a starter and I’m expected to be the best person on the field, so if I have an off day, I just ruined it for the whole team. There’s so many levels to it.”

Laine balances his mental health and hockey in a variety of ways. 

“I focus on recovery and making sure there’s time to decompress. I decompress through walking our dog with Jordan or even playing board games and video games,” said Laine.

Laine has advice for other athletes when it comes to prioritizing their mental health. 

“Listen to your body, it’s wiser than you think. Your symptoms aren’t happening for no reason. The symptoms are actually there to protect you and tell you something bigger is going on,” Laine said. “It’s a sign to take the time you need and reset.”

Rowan baseball player Connor Stachowski serves as THO’s Social Media Manager and is proud of Laine for telling his story.

“I remember seeing him enter the Players’ Assistance Program,” Stachowski said. “It’s awesome seeing people at that level spreading awareness.”

Leigh also has some advice for those who are considering therapy. 

“The most important thing in terms of success with a counselor is your relationship with the counselor. The first therapist that you come across might not be the best match for you. But I would just encourage people not to get discouraged if the first experience you have with counseling is not a perfect fit,” Leigh said. “I describe it like a dating app, a little bit. You might have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince, kind of thing. It takes time to build relationships, and it really pays off in the end.”

Whatever your role is at Rowan or in life, know that there are mental health resources available to you. For more information about From Us To You check out their Instagram page, an official website with more mental health resources is set to launch in Jan. 2025.  

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