My Experience with a Mental Health Nonprofit 

Hi, my name is Julia Rosenberg! I’m a rising senior double majoring in advertising and communications. This summer, I’ve been working with The Trauma Survivors Foundation as their social media intern. This nonprofit is dedicated to helping first responders and other trauma survivors get free therapy and also outsource personnel to help people affected by disasters all over the country. My role is to create content for their social media platforms and assist with outreach efforts to help grow their brand. 

This internship taught me how to effectively communicate with empathy and understanding because the nonprofit focuses on sensitive topics regarding mental health. I became more intentional with the content and messaging I wanted to portray. I learned how to create more impactful, useful, and supportive content that not only informs but also builds a connection with people going through traumas. I had to do research about trauma therapy, mental health, and PTSD because I wasn’t well informed about these topics. I spent a lot of time trying to understand how to approach this subject sensitively and finding resources to give more information about mental health, especially for first responders. This position has motivated me to pursue a specialty in mission driven media strategies that focus on community and advocacy. 

One of the most positive aspects from this experience was seeing The Trauma Survivors Foundation be focused on purpose and making a difference. All the pieces of media and content I created were contributing to a bigger cause and creating something meaningful. The members of the team were very passionate about what they did and were always striving to make a difference, even in the smallest ways, which was very inspiring. It created a more collaborative, encouraging, and positive environment which helped me feel more comfortable sharing my ideas. 

I went into this internship hoping to gain mainly social media and content creation experience but I came out with a new appreciation for mental health advocacy and informed communication. This experience has given me new insight to mental health advocacy and the inner workings of how a small nonprofit runs. I was able to further develop my skills with content creation on social media and strategic communication. If you are considering pursuing a career in nonprofit work, do it, because it’s an incredibly valuable experience. It deepens your appreciation for small but meaningful causes that truly make a difference.