You’re Worth It: Mental Health Advice for Students and Job Seekers from a Providence Expert

Time to Read: 9 minutes

Mental health struggles don’t always come with a warning sign, or an instruction manual. And for many young adults entering school, work, or a new life stage, asking for help can feel overwhelming, or even taboo. That’s why we sat down with Dr. Robin Henderson, Chief Executive of Behavioral Health for Providence Oregon, to talk about what it means to seek support. From reframing stigma to finding the right therapist, Dr. Henderson shares real, grounded advice for anyone just starting their mental wellness journey. Her biggest message? “You’re Worth it. Absolutely.” 

Q: Can you share a little bit about your role here at Providence and what drew you to the field of mental health?  

“My name is Robin Henderson, and I'm a psychologist by training, and I am the Chief Executive of Behavioral Health for Providence here in Oregon. Which basically means all things mental health, somehow, either directly or indirectly touch me. I've worked in mental health for my entire career… Primarily because I have a firm belief that well, first of all, we all have mental health, and it's just like physical health. 

We all have mental health issues, and they travel along a spectrum of the normal stuff that you get every day, like the common cold of mental health- we call that depression and anxiety. Along with much more serious illnesses that oftentimes are misjudged.  

Mental illness can be misdirected or misdiagnosed, and people are stigmatized, and I don’t like that. I want a world and a career where I can make a difference in the lives of people who are living their best life with all the cards they've been dealt.”  

Q: For someone who has never sought mental health care before, what does “behavioral health” mean, and what makes it such an important part of whole person's care?  

“It’s all our emotions and all the things that make us who we are… our body is our physical health and its influenced and impacted everyday by our mental health. If we’re not feeling good physically, then we're not feeling good mentally. And if we're not feeling good mentally, we’re not going to feel good physically. 

The idea that if you're dealing with depression, you can just ‘pick yourself up by the bootstraps,’ and go right on with the world— it doesn't actually work that way. Depression is real. Anxiety is real, and when we get into all our feels, and we don't know how to redirect that, we can start spinning. We can start convincing ourselves that maybe we can't do this. Maybe we can't do that. Maybe we can't do something. When the reality is, even when we're dealing with individual serious mental illness… There's a lot of things we can do.” 

“…. We all know that we have to exercise to keep our bodies good. We have to work at it, right? Well, you have to work at your mental health too.” 

Q: Many young adults and students worry that asking for help is a sign of weakness. How do you help people reframe that belief?  

“Asking for help is the biggest sign of strength we have. We're not afraid to go to the doctor or emergency room for physical injuries and our emotions are much the same way.  

Asking for help means I'm taking control of my own mental health. I’m the one who's driving the bus here. I'm the one who's making the decisions, and I'm deciding that I care about me and my mental health and the mental health of those around me.  

If you were talking to somebody else who came to you and they were in crisis, you would encourage them to get help. Why wouldn't you encourage yourself?” 

Q: What are some subtle or overlooked signs that someone may be struggling, even if they appear “fine” on the outside? 

“I always look for changes in routine… If the things that normally bring you joy don’t anymore, or you’re feeling irritable around people you normally enjoy— those are signals. Maybe they’ve stopped joining people at the lunch table. Whatever it is, taking the time to sit down with somebody and saying, ‘Hey, are you okay? I've noticed that you're different… and I don't know if that's a good thing, and maybe you've made some cool life decisions that I want to know about. Or maybe it's something I need to be worried about.’ 

Go for a walk. Grab a cup of coffee. Whatever it is, those are the types of things that when you start to notice change in someone can help. That's when you step in as a friend. 

 It could be that they've made some decisions, maybe they've been in therapy, and they've decided to distance themselves from unhealthy relationships. That’s a positive, but you wouldn’t know that if you don’t ask.” 

Q: And for somebody who might feel overwhelmed and doesn't know where to begin, what first steps would you recommend? 

“The first step is to reach out to someone you trust. Be it a partner, a spouse, a family member, a pastor, the chaplain, even the hospital's caregiver assistance program. That's a great place to start. 

Just sit down with somebody that you trust and say, ‘Things just don't feel right these days. I don't know what's going on, but I don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning. I don't know what's going on for me, but I get anxious every time I get in my car to drive. It's just overwhelming. And so, I don't go anywhere.’ Whatever it is, start with somebody you trust.  

And if you don't have someone in your world you could trust, then reach out to 988, and for younger people, the youth line program and have a conversation with someone there. There are people there who are trained to help you identify and get you to the next place where you can get some help.” 

Q: How can someone find a therapist who feels like a good fit- and what advice do you have for people who have had a bad experience with therapy in the past?  

“I think that the hardest part about therapy is finding your person… Most therapists will offer an intro 15–20-minute call to see if it’s a good fit. Give that a shot and don't be afraid to go through two or three people. Maybe even six, seven, or eight. Doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you. It just means that you're looking for a particular fit. 

The other thing about having a bad therapy experience. Those are out there. Having a bad physical health provider experience is also out there. My daughter went to therapy once and she had a therapist who basically said to her one day, ‘I want you to go get two rocks and I want you to have these two rocks have a conversation with each other.’ And she came back, and she's telling me about this, and I'm like, no, that's not a thing. This is not how this works. We're going to find you a new therapist. And she did. 

She went back and found a new therapist. She broke up with that therapist and said this just isn't working for me. Not everybody is the right fit. Find the right fit for you because you deserve the help. 

Q: Cost can be a major barrier. What resources or options exist for individuals who may not have health insurance or who are concerned about affordability? 

“The Psychology Today website has several different options. Many therapists do have low-cost options. 

 Also look at the local nonprofit organizations in your area. In the Greater Portland area, we have a lot of those sliding scale options (flexible pricing based on income, usage, and other factors) through the county’s mental health services, LifeWorks, New Narrative, and Cascadia.  

Look around the nonprofits in your area. Often the United Way will have a listing of nonprofits in your area that have low cost, low barrier options.” 

Q: Are there programs or opportunities focused on culturally sensitive services? Do you have suggestions for how people can find care or providers that reflect them or their culture? 

“I know that we have a lot of good information on our Providence website. We also have a lot of really, really good information, especially culturally specific and for individuals who identify as LGBTQ on our website, at Work2BeWell.org. That is geared more towards young people, but the materials there really speak to a broad spectrum of individuals who have varied backgrounds. Even if you're older, the materials still work. But that's probably where we have our biggest breadth and depth of resources being able to help you.  

One of the assets that we have on that website is that we went through every single state and found places where you could safely find a provider that wasn't backed by some for-profit search engine. Go to Work2BeWell, Look at our 50-state resources and find the provider that works for you.” 

Q: What are some small habits or practices that support mental health, especially for people juggling school, work, or life transitions?  

“I'm a big fan of mindfulness techniques, breathing techniques, taking a few minutes. If you're starting to feel anxious and ramping up, just close your eyes and do some simple breathing techniques. 

One really easy one, [is what] we call 7/11 breathing where you breathe in for seven counts and you breathe out for 11. Another one is what we call square breathing. Where you breathe in for four counts, hold for four counts. Breathe out for four counts. Hold for four counts and do a few rounds of those. 

I also talked a little bit about affirmations. Affirmations are important. What are the things you want to work on? Is it, ‘I am a strong and powerful person. I look fantastic every day. I am somebody who can get the job done.’ Whatever that affirmation is for you, being able to find those and put those out there into the universe and have them in your head, and shifting your own self talk is a big deal.” 

Q: If you can leave our readers with just one message, what would it be? 

“You're worth it. Absolutely. Everybody is. Everybody has something wonderful to give in this world. You just need to realize what it is” 

Resources 

• Work2BeWell.org— Mental health resources for youth, culturally sensitive care directories, and emotional first aid tools.  

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline— Call or text 988 anytime for free, confidential support.  

• Providence Mental Health—Explore local services, virtual care, and treatment options. 

• Psychology Today Therapist Finder—Filter by insurance, specialty, or cultural background.  

Closing Thoughts 

Seeking help for your mental health isn’t a weakness. It’s one of the strongest and most life-affirming steps you can take. As Dr. Henderson reminds us, healing is a journey, and it isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Explore these resources and take the first step toward a better tomorrow. You deserve to live a full, joyful, and mentally well life. You are absolutely worth it. 

It's easy to feel like you are alone in your struggle, but the truth is you’re never alone. The tools, people, and resources you need to begin your mental health journey are out there, and many of them are closer and more accessible than you think. Whether it’s a competent therapist, or simply a breathing technique that helps you through the day. Support takes many forms. You don’t need to have it all figured out to take the next right step. You just need to start. And every small effort you make to care for your mental well-being is a powerful act of self-respect.  

Mental health is health. And your life, your peace of mind, and your future are worth investing in. Take that first step and then keep going. There is hope, there is healing, and there Is a community ready to support you.