We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Geary and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, what matters most to you?
I value authenticity the most as I feel no one should ever have to hide an aspect of their personality or who they are when they are around others. Though we are all people, we are different in the way in which we express ourselves and represent ourselves, so I feel that authenticity is a way for us to show our uniqueness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think that people have slowly started to accept the realities of mental health and mental illness in general, however there is a long way to go especially in minority communities. As a Black woman, I am intentional about sharing my challenges with mental health because there are not that many people who are open about the different things that they deal with or have dealt with in the past. I am most excited about continuing my YouTube channel! I started Shygirl Sentiments podcast with the hopes of potentially starting a YouTube page in which I could focus on mental health. I think I was hesitant at first to only focus on mental health because I was worried that people would not care or would not be interested, but after realizing that people like this content I felt that I had to make this the primary topic.

I’ve always been interested in psychology, as I studied psychology in college and I am currently in graduate school for psychology, but I didn’t develop a passion for mental health awareness until I was impacted by my own mental health challenges. In addition, seeing other friends discuss their mental health on social media and personally discuss their challenges with me was also extremely motivating.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is simple, but I really enjoy walking on the BeltLine paths in Atlanta so I would definitely have that on the top of the list. I enjoy being around others and people watching so it’s really fun to walk, talk, and see just what’s going on in the city and feel the community of being in Atlanta. There are also a lot of art pieces including murals along the paths so there are a lot of photo opportunities for social media! In addition, there are several restaurants and places to get food on the different paths. My favorite place right now is Playa Bowls on the Eastside Trail of the BeltLine.

I also enjoy going to Ponce City Market as there are several restaurants to choose from and The Roof has a small amusement mark, restaurant, and stunning views of the skyline! There is also a BeltLine trail at Ponce City Market which takes you to Piedmont Park, which is a great place to spend time with family and friends, so we would definitely go there! The Botanical Gardens would also be on my list especially if it was during the holidays because they have a great light display.

West Midtown would be on the list as this area has so many different restaurants and is definitely a lively part of the city. I would take them to lunch at Flip Burger and then go to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream for dessert!

Lastly, the Tiny Doors are so fun to me so I would take them to see some of the doors as they are located in different parts of the city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my mom, Victoria, my aunt, Sharon, and my cousin, Taylor. My mom and my aunt have always encouraged me to express myself creatively and not be afraid to speak openly about how I am feeling or what I am thinking. My cousin Taylor has shown me that people might not be familiar with mental health topics, but that does not necessarily mean that they aren’t open to learning about them. This ultimately helps me to continue creating and sharing content to educate others and also share that people are not alone if they are dealing with mental health challenges.

Website: shygirlsentiments@gmail.com

Instagram: Shygirlsentiments

Twitter: ThatShyGirlErin

Youtube: Shygirl Sentiments

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlana is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.