Art and Advocacy: How Emily is Making Her Mark in Mental Health
Emily has made a lasting impact on our Mental Health Services and she’s leaving her mark in a truly meaningful way. Recently, she brought color and creativity to Bell by painting a mural, turning her experience into something inspiring that will be felt long after her internship.
Emily is enthusiastic, compassionate, and has made a lasting impact during her internship with Bell’s Mental Health Services.
From the moment she arrived, she felt a sense of belonging.
“As a student, coming into Bell, I immediately felt like I was a valued part of the team,” Emily says. “I felt accepted and that my opinion mattered.”
“In team meetings, I wasn’t afraid to voice my thoughts, and that has been something I struggled with in the past,” she shares. “It was nice to feel heard as part of a professional team.”
With guidance from mentors Karen Roland, Program Coordinator of New Beginnings, Lori Leister, Assistant Director of Mental Health Services, and Kris Stroup, Director of Mental Health Services, Emily quickly grew into an active team member.
“They allowed me to take on responsibilities. I helped plan Capital Day, I am running a group now on personal medicine, and I am on the Spring Fling Committee,” she says. “I was truly welcomed into being a part of it all.”
As her confidence grew, so did her impact—especially in the connections she built with clients.
“There is one client I am meeting with every Tuesday,” Emily shares.
“They have a hard time with reading and writing. We practice reading together, and I have now referred them to York Literacy. Just seeing those wins is important.”
“The client I am reading with told me they will never forget me,” she says. “It is touching and definitely tugs at the heartstrings.”
Emily’s approach to social work is rooted in connection and understanding.
“I like learning what makes people tick and what they love and then building upon that,” she explains. “Once you have that, you can build a repertoire that can last a lifetime.”
She carries that mindset into her approach to care.
“Everybody’s diagnosis presents differently, and they have different symptoms and perspectives,” Emily explains. “That is why I want to make care more person-focused.”
Her internship has allowed her to turn years of learning into real-world experience.
“My time here has given me more first-hand experience and confidence with what I have been learning in the classroom for the past six years and really putting that knowledge into practice at a community level.”
One of Emily’s most meaningful experiences began with a simple but powerful question.
“On our Capital Day trip, one of the clients said, ‘Emily, what are you going to do to leave your mark at Bell?’”
That question sparked a phenomenal idea.
“I started thinking about it and wondered if they would let me paint a mural. I noticed that everyone loves art here.”
With encouragement from staff, Emily brought her vision to life.
“I showed Kris, Karen, and Lori my idea, and they said, ‘Alright, what do you need?’” she says. “I told the client later on that they inspired the mural. It was very sweet—it was a whole moment.”
Moments like that have defined her time at Bell.
“You love those heartwarming moments where you know you are making an impact on someone,” Emily says. “This is why we do the work we do.”
And that’s exactly how Emily has approached her internship—with intention, compassion, and heart.
Thank you, Emily, for the positive impact you make. We know your future will be bright!