May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re committed to spreading the message that “it's okay to not be okay,” and to ask for help.

Anne Willis, Doctor of Psychology and Chief Clinical Officer for Columbia River Mental Health Services, joined KATU to discuss the importance of seeking help.

Willis said she hopes that by raising awareness more people will consider mental wellness as important and routine as visits for physical health.

She also wants people to know they don’t have to wait until they are in a mental health crisis to seek help.

“You don’t have to be really sick to see someone for mental health,” said Willis. “We have a body that we have to keep in motion, that we have to try and keep healthy. We have the same thing for our brain.”

Willis also said normalization of mental health care is important.

“The biggest thing I want people to hear is that this is normal to experience thoughts or behaviors [or moods] that are troubling to you and you want to fix. And there are lots of resources out there—treatment being one of them,” said Willis.

People can also reach out to a friend, or go online to seek out resources for assistance around mental health.