Today we’d like to introduce you to Meadowlark Monaghan.
Meadowlark, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As most people in mental health, my story starts with growing up with a family that experienced a lot of mental health challenges. So, I did what every other Psychology student did, and decided if I couldn’t diagnosis my family, I’ll just diagnose others! Just kidding. I’ve worked in mental health for the past six years – across college campuses, LGBTQIAA+ centers, with homeless youth, and more. But since college, I always felt this pull to bring my story, and mental health education, online – to normalize it, make it cool even. It was the beginning of the Instagram days, and as bloggers and influencers grew, I kept coming back to the idea of using this wild, dissemination tool to address its main users on mental health. Millennials and Gen Z are not only the drivers of the social media world, but they also are currently the average age of onset of mental health issues. Being able to talk directly to others, in a communication style we know and love, about true, honest, and positive mental health and wellness, became the spark that drove me.
And so, That’s Cr*zy was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly, “the only constant is change” has pretty much become my mantra. Just when you think you’ve figured something out, something else pops up. Challenges come up like whack a mole!
I think for me the biggest obstacle was just starting something. I had been cooking up this idea for FOUR YEARS before finally nailing something down and acting on it. For me, it worked out okay because in the meanwhile: I got my degree, gained professional experience, and mental health has become increasingly talked about (significantly) more so than when I was first dreaming this up. However, if you’re waiting for the “right time” to start something – it’s never going to come.
Believing in your vision, trusting that it will adapt as you go, and being okay with starting raw and imperfect, is what will help get you going.
Please tell us about That’s Cr*zy – what should we know?
That’s Cr*zy is an online platform to normalize mental health. It’s aimed at millennials and gen z’ers to open up the conversation for mental health and encourage others (and ourselves) to ask for help when we need it. So far, we have a blog, Instagram, and Youtube channel. We also place a significant importance in the community! We partner with brands that promote wellness to offer them a professional mental health lens to their blogs, products, and mission.
I come from a unique perspective of living with mental health challenges, being a family member to those with mental health challenges, and I work in the field. I’m a triple threat, baby! So, as the peer and family member, I love connecting with others experiences and normalizing the mental health challenges I’ve been through in my life. Yet, as a professional, I place a lot of value on education and research, so I keep a professional lens through all my writing/videos/etc. and aim not only to connect but educate. I took too many Advanced Research Theory courses in college to not cite my sources if you catch my drift.
From most of what I hear, people resonate with my Instagram presence the most. I definitely do not follow a set idea of branding or “feed flow”. I post whatever, whenever, that’s true to my experience and daily life – all through a lens of mental health. My feed is in no way “Instagram perfect” (haha) so I’d say that’s a refreshing perspective that sets us apart.
Which women have inspired you in your life?
I’m inspired by badass female entrepreneurs, Renaissance women, artists, women that push boundaries, women who are intimately tied into my everyday life, women I’ve never met, WOMXN all over the world. My family is surrounded by strong, bold, and vivacious women: my mom, grandma, sisters, aunties, cousins. They have all shaped me to be authentically myself and to be larger than life as they are. My mom has pink hair for crying out loud!
My college boss and mentor, Gladys Koscak, was a huge perspective shifter for me. She was a mentor and friend at such a crucial time in my life and truly shaped who I am as a person and mental health professional. She still does!
My best friend has the gnarliest work ethic of anyone I now. Becky Kalinowski has been my ride-or-die since middle school and continues to push me to learn, grow, fail, get up again, each and every time. Her fearlessness and pursuit of her dreams inspires me every day.
To name some other favorites in no particular order: Jada Pickett Smith, Ellen Degeneres, Marie Forleo, Eileen Kelly, Valeria Lipovetsky, Negin Mirsalehi, Frida Kahlo, Sophia Roe, Georgia O’Keffe, Laverne Cox, Solange Knowles, there are so many we could be here all day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thatscrzy.com/
- Email: meadowlark@thatscrzy.com
- Instagram: @thats_crzy
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8SF9nC4gLsKBNRawlZpjw
Image Credit:
Eli Arata-Reshes – credits for the desert image
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