#HASHTAG

EDITED BY DUSTIN O'REGAN ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL

AMY OBERHOLTZER is passionate about supporting our children’s mental health and giving parents a soft place to land when their kids are struggling. She knows first-hand how hard it can be to care for a child with a mental illness. When her daughter was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and, later, an eating disorder as a teenager, Amy and her husband, felt scared and alone. She realized our community needed a place for people like them to find comfort and resources. She founded CATCH in her living room with other parents who wanted to help our community navigate the pressures we all face in our complex world. Now, this Northbrook-based nonprofit offers a robust set of mental health resources including a speakers’ series, a podcast, peer support groups, and connection to mental health professionals. Learn more at catchiscommunity.org. Oberholtzer is very thankful for an astounding group of volunteers that keep CATCH moving forward every single day.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I just finished Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. While it’s about really tough stuff and not always enjoyable, it is a fantastic book. Her writing always leaves me with unforgettable characters about whom I continue to care even after I'm finished! I'm currently reading Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. Her stories explore our human identity and where we fit in on this planet. They are timely, relevant, and challenge us to think.

#ON MY MOBILE

Because of CATCH, a lot of my feed is made up of mental health related accounts. I’m inspired by the incredible work so many professionals and volunteers are doing to support our collective mental health, and I particularly enjoy reading the positive, empowering quotes that are posted. Lately, I’ve been loving @dinosaurcouch, a comic about depressed dinosaurs who find hope in each other.

#IN MY EARBUDS

Music is really important to me. I listen when I walk, drive, work out, cook, and sometimes when I work. I have a wide range of musical interests, but currently a little obsessed with Dermott Kennedy's new release, "Sonder." I also am listening to the playlist I made for my birthday last year: "60 is Sweet." It includes Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, Maggie Rogers, and Chris Stapleton. I look forward to listening to the "The Daily" podcast every weekday morning while I walk my pup. It's one news story daily, produced by the New York Times, and it got me through the pandemic! I also enjoy The Axe Files with David Axelrod, and I'm learning a lot from Strict Scrutiny by Crooked Media. It's a podcast about the U.S. Supreme Court and is really interesting.