Mental and behavioral health vloggers are typically people dealing with their own journey, but they can also be mental health professionals or students sharing their knowledge in a broad way.
Rather than using the platform of YouTube to treat individuals, these channels often help viewers to identify issues and find the professional help they need in the real world. Here are three examples of these types of YouTube channels.
KATI MORTON
Kati Morton is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Her channel fosters a safe space for metal and behavioral issues of all kinds, from self-harm to eating disorders. She updates her page every Monday and Thursday to build a community of subscribers that support one another while learning more about behavioral and health issues.
Kati’s videos are great because she does a lot to make her tone familiar and welcoming. Kati films in a variety of locations rather than one stuffy doctor’s office. She often invites guests to her channel and does something called a “coffee and a chat,” which feels like grabbing breakfast with a friend.
Kati takes questions from viewers and subscribers and answers them candidly and honestly. This is a great channel for people who want information with the sometimes sterile and imposing environment of an unfamiliar doctor’s office.
THE DANI Z BLOG
The Dani Z Blog is maintained by Dani Z, whose videos are based on her own struggles with mental and behavioral health. Dani has dealt with borderline personality disorder, sex addiction and alcoholism. While she hasn’t updated in a few months, her videos come from the first person perspective, and she speaks very honestly about her struggles.
Dani talks about more than just her mental health, which gives viewers an honest look at how life with behavioral and mental health issues continues to move forward. She discusses the trouble she has with the health care system and getting into therapy or getting the right prescriptions, and she discusses her self-care routines that help supplement her care.
EMMA WICKS
Emma Wicks is a support worker in the U.K. who runs a blog about mental and behavioral health and LGBTQ issues. She updates the channel three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Emma describes her personal recovery journey on the channel’s about page: “I am recovering from PTSD, Depression & Social Anxiety.
In the past I have had panic disorder and I used to self harm. I’ve experienced emotional, physical and sexual abuse. I’ve also had two psychosomatic physical illnesses, one which left me with no voice for two years.”
Something really unique about Emma’s page is the Sunday updates, where she and her girlfriend Becky focus on the positive parts of their life together. Emma says that she included these videos specifically to highlight “moments of joy in recovery.” Emma also challenges herself to different self-care routines and posts updates about her progress.
If you are searching YouTube for behavioral or mental health information, it is helpful to check the about page of the channel where the video is posted. These pages often let you know about the vlogger, what their experience or knowledge of behavioral health is and what perspective they are posting from. In addition to other sources, YouTube can be a valuable resource while on the path to recovery or while seeking out information on new behavioral health struggles in yourself or your loved ones.
