Gratitude for Building Self-Esteem with Me

As I reflect on the journey to build self-esteem that we have taken together over the past year, I am filled with gratitude and a deep sense of purpose. Writing these essays has not only allowed me to share insights and strategies to help you build self-esteem but has also given me the opportunity to connect with you, my audience. The stories, struggles, and triumphs of those with lived experience have inspired me more than words can express, and I hope that, in some small way, my words have been a source of encouragement and strength for you.

This final essay marks the end of one chapter, but it also signals the beginning of an exciting new phase in my life. After much thought and reflection, I have decided to embark on two significant film projects that I feel will continue the work we've started here--raising awareness, challenging stigma, and empowering those who have been marginalized by a broken mental health system. 

Sean Gunderson's Next Steps Toward Improved Self-Esteem

The first of these projects will be a feature film, one that tells the story of my life in a way that I hope will resonate with many of you. This film will delve into the nearly 17 years I spent in unjust detention within a mental health system that too often prioritizes control over care and isolation over understanding. I want to show the world what it means to survive when the odds are stacked against you and to emerge not just as a survivor but as someone who is thriving despite the scars. My hope is that this film will shine a light on the flaws in the system, but more importantly, that it will highlight the resilience of the unbreakable spirit within us. 

The second project that I am passionately pursuing is a documentary that will explore the professional dialog surrounding mental health as it is presented in peer-reviewed journals. There is so much valuable knowledge and insight that remains trapped within academic circles, inaccessible to those who could benefit from it the most. Specifically, the dialectical tension between those who point the finger at bad science and bad ethics and those who attempt to justify it, telling clients and the public known fiction deserves to be highlighted in a public forum. Through this documentary, I aim to bridge that gap, making these important conversations more accessible to the general public while also advocating for more inclusive and client-centered approaches to mental health care.

These projects are deeply personal to me, and they are driven by the same desire that fueled my writing over the past year: to give voice to those who have been silenced, to challenge the status quo, and to create a space where healing and empowerment are possible. 

As I move forward with these films, I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who has taken the time to read my essays. Your support has meant so much to me, and it is your strength and courage that continue to inspire me. This isn't goodbye but rather an invitation to join me on the next part of this journey. 

Sean Gunderson's Goodbye Invites You to Continue the Journe Toward Better Self-Esteem

I encourage you to follow me on social media (links in my bio below), where I will be sharing updates on the progress of these film projects and other initiatives that I am working on. Together, we can continue to advocate for change, raise awareness, and build a community where everyone is valued and respected. 

Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I look forward to what we will accomplish together in the future.