Max, Student Intern

"Nobody should have to feel alone or confused."

"Hey, I'm Max. I'm an intern at Alongside because I genuinely believe in the democratization of mental health resources for students across the country.

Nobody should have to feel alone or confused just because they didn't have immediate access to a guidance counselor, especially considering so many of the other resources online are, for lack of a better word, garbage.

I mean, one of the ways Alongside helps me with my mental health is that rather than trying to replace my negative emotions with positive ones, it instead acknowledges that they exist and gives me small, tangible ways to live with them. You know, it's easy to say, don't be anxious, just think about the good things.

But in a time and world wrought with hatred, bigotry, and global catastrophe, it's kind of always felt empty to me. The ability to validate, compartmentalize, and live with negative emotions is a far more difficult strategy, but it's the one Alongside takes and it's the one that's been most effective for me."