A self-story is shaped early in the process of a facing mental health challenge. When the focus is negative, the impact is self-limiting. Shaping and owning a narrative that focuses on resilience is empowering–and even more so when this story is shared with others. Yet self-disclosure comes with both costs and benefits. It is a process that must be done strategically to avoid doing more harm than good.

Up to Me is a small group program designed to positively impact these dynamics. It does so by:

1. Helping people consider the tone of their internal narrative and crafting a message that represents personal goals
2. Exploring the costs and benefits of disclosing personal narratives and learning strategies for disclosing relatively safely

With support from the Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation, The WISE Initiative for Stigma Elimination has trained hundreds of program leaders, and positively impacted thousands of people around the globe.