It's funny how things work. Ever since "recovering", I've wanted to speak out about and help others with mental illness.

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But it was hard. I had no platform. I had no experience. I was camera shy. I had a serious fear of public speaking.

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I did speak at an event a friend of mine put together shortly after "coming back", and I barely got my two minutes out. My knees were shaking. I was nauseous before, during and after.

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But then I started helping people with real estate. And I got over my fear of the camera. I got used to interviewing people and learning about their lives and businesses. Mental health became a topic in many of these conversations.... which led me right back to where I wanted to be!

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It's no secret that our city has a major, growing, mental health problem. You don't have to look very far to see it - and I'm not just talking about what you see on the streets.

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People are hurting. Businesses are hurting. It doesn't have to be this way.