“Working with Metropolitan constantly makes me aware and helps with my self-esteem problem, letting me know that I’m worth it. If I have a problem, Karen is there. I’m able to bring it to her and that helps. I’m very thankful to Metropolitan and their services. Everyone is nice. I want to introduce other people to MFS.”
– Jan Brooks, client
For Jan, taking care of her mental health has been a lifelong journey – and one that she is still pursuing.
In her 30s, Jan Brooks found herself suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts but eventually found solace in therapy. “Back then, therapy helped me learn my triggers and gave me tools to support myself,” she recalls. Those tools carried her for years, but as time passed, she began to feel the dark thoughts creeping back.
By the 2010s, Jan knew she needed more support. “I could feel myself slipping,” she says. “Insurance pointed me to Metropolitan Family Services [MFS], and I’m so glad. I’m so happy they put me in contact [with MFS] because then I met Karen.”
Karen Cannon, Jan’s therapist at MFS through our Behavioral Health program, became a steady source of guidance and encouragement. Beyond traditional therapy sessions, Karen connected Jan to a variety of therapeutic MFS programs that would help her rebuild her confidence and form new relationships.
“I love my art therapy [at MFS], and I’m doing group therapy there,” Jan shares. “Coming to the Southeast Center for different activities is good for me. I’m able to talk to people.”
“In group therapy, I feel safe to talk,” she explains. “Sometimes I let go of some things that are going on with me or the way I think about things, and that’s very helpful. I have something to look forward to, and I know I’m going to be able to express myself.”
Jan also has attended other behavioral health events at MFS, including a workshop that opened her eyes to new ways of understanding herself. “[The workshop] was about PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], and I thought, well, I don’t have PTSD,” she recalls. “But after going, I realized I do have trauma that I wasn’t aware of. Metropolitan is a learning experience for me, and I’m taking a lot of life lessons away from it.”
Karen has witnessed Jan’s growth firsthand. “Her overall ability to not assume the blame or responsibility has grown. Now she’s putting the ownership on others who need to be held accountable instead of on herself,” Karen observes, noting that Jan has been hard on herself in the past.
Today, Jan feels stronger, more authentic, and more hopeful. “I used to wear a mask. This is not a mask now; this is me,” she says. Once suicidal in her 30s, Jan now embraces life. “Every day I can get, I’m happy for it. I want to live. Life is good, and I’m glad to be here. I want to experience life.”
“I’m trying to take care of myself. I had low self-esteem, but now I’m learning to like myself better. That’s a constant battle. I’m working on self-love. I’m a work in progress.”
Jan Brooks, client