About Me
Katya’s mission is to empower young people through education. Through personal disclosure she illustrates healthy relationships + boundaries, self-acceptance + care, and empowerment. She enlightens students of all genders to the messages we receive through our culture and media exposure, and how these messages impact our self-esteem and relationships with others.
From an early age Katya began receiving messages about values and gender roles from the media and the world around her. Her strong family support system and values took a backseat when the pressure and anxiety of fitting into high school became overwhelming. Until high school Katya’s best friend was her mother, once peer pressure and negative self-image began to sink in Katya fell into negative coping habits and drifted from her strong relationship with her family.
Finally being healthy and accepting herself for who she is, Katya now empowers students to make healthy choices and build their own identity, one they can be proud of.
Katya struggled with depression most of her life. It took years for her to recognize that she was having mental health problems - by time she finally did she was a teenager and too self-conscious and ashamed to reach out for help.
Katya feared being seen as “the sad girl” she was concerned with her image and hid her depression out of fear that others would reject her. She felt out of control of her emotions and internal world.
She tried to “tough it out” but each year the depression and anxiety grew more intense. Katya pushed herself to maintain an image of being a good student who had it all together - she was a Peer Leader, wrote for the school newspaper, a cheerleader, homecoming queen,
With messages and values constantly bombarding teens, Katya’s low self esteem and depressive outlook made her even more susceptible to the media’s advertising tactics. She began to internalize the idea that she was supposed to look, behave and identify herself in a certain way. She began to value herself only through the eyes of other people, looking to her peers for validation. For Katya, rock bottom hit during her study abroad experience in Florence, Italy. She broke down; unable to function or continue her daily life.
Though the road to recovery hasn’t been easy, once she decided to take matters into her own hands she began to feel empowered. Katya reached out for help and became her own biggest cheerleader. She leaned on the people who truly care about her - her family - when in need of support.
Today Katya’s relationship with her family and self is stronger than ever. Armored with her positive self-image and care Katya is a warrior for change and empowerment. on a mission to change society’s perspective of mental health and shed light on stigma that is handed to us through media and social norms.
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