As high school students from the San Gabriel Valley, we saw the need for greater mental health support among students of all ages. Unfortunately, mental illness has become a major issue in our school system. The concept of Therapicasso was founded by two students who were struggling with those same issues. We were inspired by all of the students who wondered if they were capable of tackling their mental health struggle while balancing the burden of their academic and personal lives. Through ending the stigma early, we hope to teach youth that they can overcome their mental health struggles, as well as use their voice to speak up about mental health. For us personally, this has been our lifelong journey to recover from our mental illness and repurpose our status as struggling with mental illness into a status of strength and self-acclaimed power. Therapicasso is a labor of love driven by our desire to create a safe space where individuals can express themselves and overcome their struggles through reclamation.

Sincerely,
Gabby/Lex Wong & Joshua Ferriere