WHAT: Gentle Mentals is a self-initiated grassroots initiative on a mission to shine a playful light on mental illness to soften its stigma.
WHY: Mental illness affects one in four people. But we don't really talk about it and it's still considered a dark topic. We'd like to change that. What's dark is the stigma that disempowers people to get the help they need; people quietly suffering or worse—lives lost. We created these relatable animals with issues to lighten this heavy conversation. If we can smile and speak more openly about something that touches so many, we'd all be better for it.
We started with an idea for a book.
THE PREMISE: Gentle Mentals is what you might get if Dr. Suess, Dr. Phil, and Charlie Harper wanted to have a love-child...but made a book instead. With a rhyming cast of animals with issues—Bipolar Bear, Schizo Shih Tsu, and Tourettes Turkey to name a few—it mixes dark humor with hyper-friendly minimalist design. The moral of the story is, don't judge because we ALL have issues. This parody of a child's board book is aimed at people of all ages. Whether you're affected personally by mental illness, or you love someone who's struggling, there's something here everyone can relate to. Available where books are sold.
The book has evolved into a website, an animation, a journal, prints and we're thrilled to continue to expand our line of offerings.
Maybe we're crazy – but we believe that our mental goods brighten a dark topic and even have the potential to help save lives. And that's because we donate a percentage of proceeds back to the community to support mental health and suicide prevention organizations with every purchase. Get the goods, give some good, and help make a difference.
It takes one to love one.
Find us on Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Etsy, and more.
