Kristen Harootunian

Kristen's childhood was marked by significant trauma, including her mother attempting and completing suicide. As she grew older, she struggled with mental illness and substance use disorder as a way to cope with her pain. At one point, she even believed she wouldn't live past 18. However, through numerous treatment efforts, Kristen was able to attend long-term treatment, go to a recovery high school, and eventually become a Penn State graduate, where she earned her BA in Corporate Communications. She was honored to be the commencement speaker at her own graduation. Kristen's childhood was marked by significant trauma, including her mother attempting and completing suicide. As she grew older, she struggled with mental illness and substance use disorder as a way to cope with her pain. At one point, she even believed she wouldn't live past 18. Throughout this process, she has replaced harmful coping mechanisms with positive ones. She has been sharing her story all over the country since 2016 alongside Minding Your Mind, talking about the importance of therapy, a support structure, and how to ask for help.