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Re-author the Narrative: Shaping a New Story in Mental Health
Welcome to "Re-author the Narrative", a mental health movement founded by Kelly Younkins in late 2022 dedicated to reshaping how we understand, talk about, and support mental wellness. For too long, mental health conversations have been framed by stigma, misunderstanding, and outdated beliefs. 'Re-author the Narrative' is about taking back control—transforming those stories into empowering, hopeful, and healing experiences. The only way, in my opinion, that we can truly eliminate stigma around mental health (which is the focus of many mental health campaigns and initiatives) is to 1) eliminate the use of the word stigma and 2) re-author, or "rewrite" the narrative or the story around mental health and wellbeing. We need to normalize that we all have a mental health to cultivate, something you will hear me say so often I think it is ingrained in my programming and personality. I truly believe it, and science backs it up. We all have a brain, a nervous system, and have countless moments where we must respond to the influences around us and within us, all of which play a role on our presentation and manifestation of health and wellbeing, illness and disease. So it's important to normalize this, and welcome people of all ages and stages into the conversation, and experience. Mental Illness isn't about someone else we don't know- its someone we know and love, and mental health is a part of our story as well. You will also hear me say the 'right help at the right time' makes all the difference. And the messaging behind this is important because mental health exists on a continuum. Some suffer from severe and persistent mental health conditions that require specific, evidence based, scientific modes of therapy, intervention, crisis management, on demand resources, and pharmacological treatment to maintain stability and safety in order to prevent decompensation and promote improved functioning and wellbeing. While others may benefit from less intensive, yet still a wide range, of coping skills, therapeutic modalities, and supportive interventions to cultivate their mental health and wellbeing. If you notice, by accepting others wherever they are on their journey of health and wellbeing, we can help so many more people with their mental health and wellbeing being the messaging is INCLUSIVE rather than exclusive, and EVERYONE benefits from this! We do this by changing our wording and choosing our language and presentation carefully, intentionally; shifting the perspective through the semantics we use to describe mental health and wellbeing conditions, and opening up the awareness of the vast amount of resources our communities have at their disposal to access a higher level of being for anyone. We elevate our communities by investing in our collective health. We invest in generations to come by cultivating mental wealth- a term you will also hear me use repeatedly. Mental Wealth is the concept that the micro habits and actions we take constantly help us build compounding residual health wealth and resilience. What we do matters, and what we don't do has an impact. For all of us, for this generation and those to come. What Does “Reauthor the Narrative” Mean? “Reauthor the Narrative” is the process of rewriting the stories we tell ourselves and others about mental health. It’s about shifting from limiting beliefs and harmful stereotypes to narratives grounded in strength, resilience, and self-compassion. In my work as a mental health clinician and advocate, I help individuals, families, and communities rewrite their internal scripts and societal stories to foster healing and wellness. I empower our communities to reshape the perspective and language through my creative art, content and dialogues I post, through events, teaching experiences, and other interactions that literally reshape people's experiences with mental health and wellness conversations. I seek to inspire others to shift the way they speak about mental health (their own and others'), as well as adapt the way we invite people into our conversations, resources, and therapeutic experiences around mental health and wellbeing. You will see evidence of this in my social media posts, pictures, events I have founded and hosted (like the Mental Health & Wellness Expo I founded in our area, and the "Prepare for Success" Workshops my husband and I host at JYT, to name 2 big ones), and other demonstrations of this concept. For example, at the 2025 Expo, we hosted an Interactive Display where we invited professionals AND the public to name "What do you think it will take to eliminate stigma from Mental Illness" and "What helps you take care of your mental health?" We invited people with lived experience into this conversation. Professionals and those with lived experiences of all ages shared their contributions and it was a beautiful thing. And a powerful reminder of how acceptance, access to resources, love & support, animals, creative arts and creative self expression, family and friends, a higher power, hobbies and interests, therapy, medication, compassion, and so much more all played a role in their journeys toward mental health and stability. Our advocacy and outreach begets us to reckon this and infuse this in our work. I used the word "reauthor" intentionally. The word “Reauthor” was chosen with great intention. While terms like “rewrite,” “change,” or “shift” the narrative are more commonly used in mainstream messaging, I felt called to use a word that speaks to a deeper level of personal agency and intellectual engagement. “Reauthor” implies that we are not merely editing or adjusting a story — we are taking back authorship, reclaiming the pen, and owning our narratives with intention and clarity. This language invites a broader, more reflective audience into the conversation — including those whose dialogue and self-expression are shaped by a more nuanced or elevated lexicon. So often, marketing in the mental health space is designed to meet a fifth-grade reading level — which absolutely serves a purpose — but I also wanted to create space for language that respects and reflects the complexity of personal and collective transformation. “Reauthor” bridges that gap. Reauthor the Narrative reinforces that we have the power to choose how the story is written, to control the narrative and debunk myths that people may have about those with mental health conditions or diseases because frankly...everyone is touched by someone with a mental health illness or condition, and everyone has a mental health to cultivate. That includes you- whoever is reading this :) Why Is This Important?
How We Bring This to Life Through innovative events like the Mental Health & Wellness Expo, wellness based workshops, wellness based counseling, and community outreach, 'Re-author the Narrative' creates spaces for healing and growth, as opposed to such a hard focus on illness, disease, pathology, and disability. These initiatives center on:
Media & Resources Explore my YouTube videos youtu.be/BKAMMtHMfl8?si=SA6rGeS_DHOHiOwR and professional blogs, public facing Facebook Business Page www.facebook.com/kellybakothesource/ and Instagram page where I discuss the principles of "Reauthor the Narrative" and share practical tools, ideas, and strategy for mental health transformation, as well as creative works of expression around this concept. Join the Movement Ready to take part? Follow the journey on social media using #ReauthorTheNarrative, attend upcoming events, or reach out to learn how you can be involved in reshaping mental health conversations. Want to support the mission? Let's collaborate! Thank you for being here and I hope this inspires you, your team or organization, or your community to Reauthor the narrative-and let's reshape how mental health is viewed, cultivated, and supported! #reauthorthenarrative #cultivate growth #mentalwealth #mentalhealthishealth
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If you’re new around here—or if we’ve been connected for a while—thank you for being here. I wanted to take a moment to re-introduce myself in a way that captures more than just a bio. Because truthfully, a few lines of credentials can’t capture the full picture.
You may have picked up pieces of my story along the way, but here’s a little more about the person behind the website, the practice, the page, and the passion projects. Because honestly? A short little bio could never capture it all—and I don’t think it should. You’re dynamic. I’m dynamic. And we deserve more than a couple of bullet points. My name is Kelly Younkins. I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) in the state of Ohio and a Mental Performance Coach supporting people all across the globe. I also teach part-time in the Counseling Department at Youngstown State University—Y and Proud! 🐧✨ I serve as the Wellness Consultant & Performance Coach at Joel Younkins Training, and I’m often called into workplaces outside of the mental health field to lead custom learning events and workshops on well-being, communication, and team health. I started in mental health back in 2005 and have worked in just about every setting—child and family systems, multi-systemic programs, outpatient, residential, school-based, wraparound… I’ve been a facilitator, a supervisor, a developer, and a presenter at the local, state, and national level. One of my proudest professional contributions is creating the Family Reunification Model ©, a 7-year-long project rooted in clinical practice, research, and heart. You can check it out at thefamilyreunificationmodel.com to learn more. But beyond the roles and titles, I’m a person who cares deeply. I care about people being seen. Heard. Valued. I care about helping individuals, families, and teams better understand themselves—and each other. I care about creating things that work. That bring people together. That leave the world a little better than we found it. Over the years, I’ve created programs, workbooks, workshops, and trainings that do just that. I’ve studied what works, what doesn’t, and where the gaps are—and I’ve been relentless about closing those gaps. My practice. My content. My courses. My Expo. This website. The products. The pages. All of it was built out of the same mission: To connect people to themselves and to the supports that help them grow. My “why” is personal. I was lucky enough to be raised by parents who gave me space to become whoever I wanted to be—and loved me through every version of that journey. That freedom and love shaped everything about how I move through the world. And that love now pours into others, through every part of my work. I believe people want to live in alignment with who they really are. They want to feel seen, feel fulfilled, and feel connected to something meaningful. Whether it’s through a class, a coaching session, a workshop, or a live video—I aim to create space for that. I started this online space back in 2016 to normalize mental health and make support more accessible—not just through information, but through connection. Through real, honest conversations in the spaces where people are already showing up. So if you’re here, I hope this space reminds you that your mental health matters. That there are people and programs and places ready to support you. And that wherever you are on your journey—you're not alone. And just so you know—my most important roles? Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Colleague. Those roles fuel everything I do. Thanks for being here. Truly. I don’t take this connection for granted. Let’s keep creating something meaningful, together. 💛 —Kelly |
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