The Venture Center launches mental health programs

The Venture Center, in partnership with Chenal Family Therapy and The Bridgeway, has launched a series of programs to provide mental health and wellness resources for entrepreneurs.

The Venture Center’s Wayne Miller, The BridgeWay’s Bruce Trimble, and Chenal Family Therapy’s Ken Clark discussed Friday (Jan. 29) the current state of mental health and addressed the unique challenges entrepreneurs face at the virtual event attended by entrepreneurs from around the state.

Miller’s work with entrepreneurs during the years revealed a need that inspired the series.

“People hear a lot about the creativity and grit of entrepreneurs, and rightfully so. But there is another part of entrepreneurship that demands our attention, and that’s mental health and wellness,” said Miller. “Talking about it is just the beginning. We’re here to start the conversation and then to provide education and resources, and to make mental health wellness a conscious part of all our efforts.”

Ken Clark of Chenal Family Therapy added, “The entrepreneurial journey can be a mental health rollercoaster, pounding away at the emotions of the entrepreneur from every angle. Between the self-doubt that exists in taking the huge risk of going out on your own, the anxiety that comes with managing a bottomline for the first time in your life, the drama that can come with running a team, and the isolation and chaos it can create in your home life, the pressure can feel relentless. Entrepreneurs who want to increase their chances of success, as well as incubators/ecosystems wanting to increase their ROI, need to prioritize gaining access to mental health resources.”

“Since the onset of COVID-19, we have seen people who reported increased stress, anxiety, or depression,” Bruce Trimble said. “Many have noted that these stressors are interfering moderately, severely, or overwhelmingly in their lives. People have also expressed concerns about the economy, unknown duration of COVID-19 effects, lack of normalcy, isolation from friends and family, and risk of virus exposure as the leading sources of stress, anxiety, and depression. In light of these concerns, The BridgeWay is proud to work with The Venture Center to provide employers with mental health tools.”

VCHealth will be held every final Friday of the month and will include a broad range of topics. The Venture Center’s entrepreneur support programs are free and open to all community members interested in attending. To learn more about The Venture Center’s entrepreneurial programs, visit www.venturecenter.co/events.