SALT LAKE CITY — From a shooting at a Salt Lake City church to violence and loss around the world, some people are seeking ways to cope and support one another.
Some of them attend the Salt Lake City support group “Come As You Are.” The group, which originally started online, gives people the chance to share what has been on their minds in a judgment-free space. It’s “for anyone tired of pretending they’re fine.”
People are encouraged to “come as you are.” Founder Ashley Rupe, who grew up in Salt Lake City, says helping people process their day-to-day experiences is why the group exists, especially given current events.
“There’s so many things going on in the world right now,” she said. “You look at your phone and there's a shooting or a car accident. There needs to be more good in the world and a good space for people who are burnt out from all the bad things happening around them.”
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On a Sunday night when the world felt loud, one room in Salt Lake City was quiet.
During the group’s first in-person event on Sunday, people sat together, participated in breath-work, and listened to calming sounds at the Artspace Commons in Salt Lake City.
“I’ve been challenged a lot in my life where I felt like I wasn’t good enough for other people,” she said. “But the only person you need to be good enough for is yourself.”
Rupe says her life has been shaped by instability and survival. At 16, she says she even attempted suicide.
"I needed a space where I could run and hide — a safe place where I could run into open arms and know that I was okay," Rupe said.
Among those who attended on Sunday was 25-year-old Austin Athay. He’s queer and says belonging didn't always come easily growing up in Utah.
For Athay, spaces like "Come As You Are" offer something invaluable.
"Having spaces like this where you can come be yourself fully and have that connection where you feel seen is one of the most important and valuable things that money can't buy," Athay said.
You can learn more about upcoming events at @comeasyouare.mentalhealth on Instagram.
