LDS missionaries face mental health stigma after returning home

This project was a collaboration among students and faculty at BYU. I wrote one article as part of a series about mental health and LDS missionaries. My article was the main piece for the project and was accompanied by a documentary. Our series won the "Best Feature Series" Award from Utah Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest in 2017.

I contacted a number of willing participants from a contact list who reached out and were interested in sharing their stories and experiences for the documentary and articles. I did a video interview with one participant (shown above) and used Adobe Premiere Pro to create a visual aid to accompany my article.

I also used interviews from medical professionals and other adults who came home from their LDS missions early due to mental health issues. This project was eye-opening and was intended to raise awareness of the struggles of mental health and the judgment and ostracization these young adults face upon arriving home early. I am personally passionate about mental health and was happy to participate in a project that raises awareness and decreases the stigma.