Speak As One founder Julie Korioth is on a mission to change the way people think and talk about mental health -- because open, honest communication helps people heal.

Like many passionate mental health advocates, Julie knows what it's like to need help. As a little girl with undiagnosed visual processing disorders, being called on to read in class left her feeling anxious, confused, and alone. Julie pushed through. Despite being a "bad test taker," she went to college and earned two degrees. She also married, became a mother, and then divorced. A marital separation later caused unhealed trauma to bubble up, but it also nudged her to get the help she long needed for battles she was fighting.

Today, Speak As One offers some important things Julie says she wanted while on her own emotional healing journey: a thoughtful collection of real tools to nurture emotional wellness and a source of inspiration through personal discussions of hope around mental health.

Julie lives in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas, with her two children, whom she adores. She spent many years as a board member for SIMS, a non-profit serving music professionals experiencing mental health issues. Julie also holds an undergraduate degree from Texas State University, and a Master of Arts in counseling at St. Edward's University.

"When I was at the lowest point in my life, I couldn’t read, I could hardly write, and some days, I couldn’t talk. I also wanted to know that things could get better. When I heard other people talk about their times of triumph, it gave me hope. That’s why I started Speak As One, and why I’ll continue it." -Julie Korioth