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Katrina’s Inspiring Story

As a teenager, Katrina gave the appearance of someone who had it all together. She was involved in theater and basketball, she was a member of the Boston Mayor’s Youth Council, she maintained good grades, and she had a wonderful friend group. She had a natural ability to make people laugh. Everything seemed okay—at least, from the outside.

“If you had met me during my sophomore year of high school, you wouldn’t have guessed how much anxiety and sadness I was carrying inside,” Katrina shared. “I didn’t look or act like someone who was struggling with depression.”

Tired of Pretending

Anxiety-induced stomach aches led to absences, school assignments fell through the cracks, and emails from teachers sat unanswered in her inbox. What she was experiencing was exhausting, yet Katrina did not know how to ask for help. What she did know, though, was that something had to change. She couldn’t keep living this way, and she was tired of pretending otherwise.

“I was on my bedroom floor trying to do my history homework, and I just stopped,” Katrina recalled. “I asked my mom to drive me to the hospital, and I checked myself into an inpatient mental health facility for youth. I stayed there for two weeks, and I’m not going to lie—those two weeks were a relief.”

Finally, she didn’t have to contend with external pressures or maintain a self-assured image. Anxiety over schoolwork and fears of failing or disappointing others melted away, at least temporarily, and she had the time and space to build much needed tools for managing her mental health.

But the weight of having missed two weeks of school still loomed. Going back seemed an insurmountable task—until she was introduced to bryt.

Finding Support Through bryt

A program of The Brookline Center, bryt provides transformative support to students who have experienced a mental health disruption to their education. It bridges the gap in support as students reintegrate into school through a dedicated team and space.

Immediately upon Katrina’s return to school, bryt was there for her. The bryt room became a sanctuary, and her school’s bryt team ensured she had academic, social, and therapeutic support. They showed her she did not need to face this alone and taught her not only how to ask for help, but that it was okay to need help.

bryt served as a grounding force amidst a tumultuous time, providing a sense of stability and support for Katrina—and thousands of students like her statewide. Thanks to the dedication of the program’s supporters, approximately 2/3 of Massachusetts public high school students have access to bryt if needed. The life-changing impact of this access cannot be overstated.

“bryt isn’t just a program—it’s a lifeline,” Katrina said. “It was a safe, welcoming space where anyone could walk in carrying fear and be met with a calm, understanding place—and a plan.”

A Bright Future

Since high school, Katrina has gone on to accomplish many of her ambitious goals, both professionally and personally—from a successful career in TV news, to driving across the country solo, to a new dream job in public education. Today, she lives a full and happy life in San Francisco.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support that I received from my school’s bryt program,” Katrina shared.