The Healing Power of Community and Connection
By Scott Kelsey, Founder of Shareapy & One Mind Lived Experience Council Member
Growing up in a small town in upstate New York during the 1980’s, my life revolved around sports fields, neighborhood streets, and whoever happened to be outside at the time. We showed up for one another without calling it community—it was simply how life worked.
Once I left that town and my world expanded, connection began to change. As technology became more woven into daily life and responsibilities multiplied, I found myself surrounded by more people and more ways to connect than ever before—yet feeling increasingly disconnected in the ways that mattered most.
For a long time, I believed I had to handle everything on my own. At work, I pushed through quietly. In my personal life, I stayed silent about the challenges building inside me. And during the periods when anxiety and depression were at their worst, I convinced myself that reaching out would only burden others.
But here’s the truth:
Feeling unsupported—whether real or perceived—can take a profound toll on your mental and emotional health.
It certainly did on mine.
When Silence Becomes Heavy
When you’re struggling, silence can feel safer than vulnerability. I spent years trying to manage stress, uncertainty, and self-doubt alone. But the more I tried to push forward without opening up, the heavier everything became.
Fear grows in isolation.
Anxiety expands in quiet.
Depression deepens when you feel you’re carrying it by yourself.
What changes everything is connection.
The Shift That Changed My Life
My healing began the moment I started talking with people who understood—people who had lived through their own battles with anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress. These were real conversations rooted in honesty, empathy, and shared struggle.
And something incredible happened:
I felt seen. I felt understood. I no longer felt alone.
I realized that connection isn’t just comforting—it’s healing.
How One Mind Reinforced the Power of Lived Experience
My role on the One Mind Lived Experience Council has only strengthened this belief. Sitting in a room (or on a call) with people who speak candidly about what they’ve lived through has taught me something invaluable:
Lived experience is one of the most powerful healing tools we have.
The council continually reinforces that real wisdom comes from people who have actually walked the path—not from perfection, but from experience.
The Science Confirms What We Feel
Growing research continues to validate what many of us instinctively know:
Human connection is fundamental to mental well-being.
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory naming loneliness and disconnection as a public health crisis—comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day—while emphasizing that community connection is one of the most powerful protective factors we have.
Podcasts like The Huberman Lab and Ten Percent Happier have also highlighted the neuroscience behind social support, explaining how shared emotional experiences regulate the nervous system, lower stress hormones, and activate pathways in the brain tied to safety and resilience.
The science is clear:
Community heals. Connection protects. Sharing transforms.
Why I Built Shareapy
Shareapy grew from this very realization. I wanted to create a space where people could show up, share openly, and feel held by others who genuinely understand. A space where connection isn’t an afterthought—it’s the foundation.
Community isn’t a “nice to have.”
It’s essential. It’s human. It’s healing.
Five Actions You Can Take Today to Heal Through Connection
If you’re reading this and longing for more support, more understanding, more connection—here are five simple, meaningful steps you can take:
- Share something honest with someone you trust.
Even a small opening creates space for connection. - Join a community where people meet regularly to talk, listen, and support each other.
Whether it’s Shareapy, a peer group, or a local circle—consistency matters. - Reach out to someone you know is struggling.
Supporting others strengthens your own sense of purpose and connection. - Engage in conversations about mental health—even casually.
Normalizing these topics builds bridges and reduces stigma. - Replace isolation with presence.
Attend a gathering, join a class, or sit with people who make you feel safe. Healing requires proximity.
A Final Thought
I still have tough days, just like anyone else. But I no longer face them alone. Through lived experience, shared stories, and community connection, I’ve found strength I never knew I had.
My journey—and my work with One Mind—has taught me this:
There is nothing more powerful than being heard by someone who understands.
That’s why community matters.
That’s why connection matters.
Be well,
Scott