From General Manager Wes Kooistra

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Probably all of us have experiences with the challenges of mental illness and mental health in our relationships with our family, friends, colleagues, and communities.

Every day at Metro Transit, we see the outcomes of untreated mental illness displayed on our trains and buses and at our bus stops, platforms, and stations. Many people who use transit for shelter suffer from untreated severe mental illness, often with co-occurring substance addiction.

Untreated mental illness is a tragedy. It is the outcome of a failed safety net. It is an unmet social service need. It is an unmet healthcare need. Transit is not a therapeutic setting. Metro Transit cannot provide for even the basic needs of people who are unsheltered and suffering from mental illness, let alone provide the social service and health care they require and deserve. 

Access to mental health treatment is a matter of dignity, respect, and obligation. Metro Transit continues its efforts to connect people to services, and we seek partnerships with the state and local governments who carry the responsibility of providing social and therapeutic services. I will be straightforward in saying that this has been an uphill climb.

But this is only one way we confront mental health needs in our work and lives. Mental illness and situational mental health needs are often more nuanced and hard to recognize. Much progress has been made in reducing the stigma of mental illness, but still, mental health struggles are often hidden and play out quietly in our lives and in the lives of our friends, loved ones, and colleagues.

In a year that has been like no other, it is important that we all think about our mental health. We have experienced isolation, adapted to sudden changes to our lifestyles and routines at home and work, witnessed repeated tragedies stemming from inequity and racism, and experienced the fear and loss resulting from the pandemic.

We can be proud of our ability to overcome so many challenges, and we can have hope that more will be done to address all the challenges that remain. But we also need to be aware of how these events and this time has impacted our personal mental health. We may continue to feel the enormous pressure and lingering anxieties of all that has been required from us. We may be grieving. We may just be tired.

Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to be self-aware and to acknowledge all that we have been through and all that lies ahead. It is a time to reflect not only on how we can best support the needs of others, but also care for our own needs.

I so much appreciate all you’ve done for Metro Transit, but I also recognize the personal challenges that so many of you need to manage and work through. So, please take time to reflect on what you need to be physically and emotionally healthy and take care of yourself with the help of others.    

Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, and one in 20 live with a mental health condition like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or persistent anxiety. Women, Black people and those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) or non-binary are even more likely to experience mental health conditions.  

Unfortunately, many people who could benefit from treatment do not seek help because they are worried about stigma, prejudice, or discrimination. To raise awareness and encourage people to seek resources, people are invited to talk openly about mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month, which is recognized annually in May.  

Among those who are sharing their stories is Leah Palmer, a policy analyst with the Metro Transit Police Department who was diagnosed with bipolar 2 in 2015. Palmer recently spoke about her diagnoses for the first time during Advancing Women in Transit’s Women’s Month Symposium. Here, Palmer expands on the presentation she made to that group.  

How did you come to understand that you needed professional help and where did you begin? 

I started feeling depressed during college. I went to my doctor who prescribed Paxil, but about four years after college, I became pregnant with my son and, out of caution, stopped taking the anti-depressant. Over the next decade, despite several tries with various medications, my depression would come and go, but each time it got a little more severe – deeper, inconsolable, and unprovoked sadness for months at a time. In 2012, I was also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. My compromised mental health impacted my family, friends, and work. 

In 2015, on the advice of an amazing therapist, I saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with bipolar 2, which is a less severe form of manic depression than we typically think of. Instead of periods of depression followed by periods of mania (feeling invincible and abnormally “high”), I experience two to three months of depression followed by a month or so of feeling “normal,” the way I imagine other people must feel, especially having the ability to see positives. 

What have you done to effectively manage your disorder? 

I’ve explored a lot of treatment options over the last two decades, including medication and therapy. To be candid, I am grateful for the medication – I know that this is the best way for me to manage my mental health. Coupled with therapy, I feel more in control over my feelings and moods. I also use essential oils, drink tea, practice yoga and use massage. To soothe and occupy my mind, I do things like journaling and reading. And I focus on getting good sleep by having a nighttime routine and minimizing screen time before bed.   

What advice do you have for others who think they could benefit from mental health resources? 

There is less stigma associated with mental health issues than we think there is, so people should know they are supported and get help if they think it is needed. If you need to see a doctor and they suggest medication, it can be scary but keep trying and hopefully you find what works for you. It’s OK not to be OK, to have your down days or to be in a funk – just don’t unpack and live in that funky land. Don’t be afraid to do what you need to do to take care of yourself and come out the other side.  

Did you know: Semicolon tattoos like Palmer’s are a symbol for mental health awareness, signifying that someone’s story “is not over.” Learn more on Project Semicolon’s Facebook page.  

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May is Asian/Pacific American Islander Heritage Month. To celebrate, employees are being invited to talk about customary dishes from their country of origin that they enjoy the most. Employees who would like to participate in the coming weeks are invited to email Sarah Berres.

Hanh Tran, Manager-Accounting   
 

Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at Metro Transit.

I was born and raised in Vietnam. My family and I came to Minnesota in November 1991 through the Humanitarian Operation (HO) program. Today, I’m responsible for Transit Asset Management (TAM) at Metro Transit. I also coordinated and work with Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS) and suburban providers on their TAM plan. 

Describe a traditional food you make in an everyday setting.

Pho bo`. It’s a light beef noodle soup, served hot, that never fails to bring comfort when you’re in a dark mood. It takes a while to make, but when made correctly it is worth it.  

What is a favorite food you enjoy at a special celebration?

Banh chung. It’s typically made during Tet, which is the Vietnamese celebration of the Lunar New Year and can last from two days to two weeks. Banh chung can be described as a cake made with sticky rice, mung beans and pork belly. It is very soft and filling, especially when served hot.  

What’s a Vietnamese ingredient you’d recommend?

Fish sauce is essential to Vietnamese cuisine. You can't serve Vietnamese food without it. It's just the right amount of salty and really brings out the flavor.