Since launching in 2020, Free Your Feels (FYF) has grown into a statewide, youth-centered mental health initiative that combines broad reach with meaningful connection. Across five years of work, the campaign has consistently shown that when mental health conversations are accessible, non‑judgmental, and grounded in youth voice, everyone benefits.
SEE THE WORK BEHIND THE IMPACT
Over the past five years, Free Your Feels has grown from a digital campaign into a statewide community presence — showing up in schools, events, and online spaces to make youth mental health conversations easier to start and safer to have.
As a youth-focused campaign promoting mental health awareness and education, FYF begins with universal prevention (Tier 1), adapts to community context, and has evolved into more targeted prevention (Tier 2) through peer-to-peer programming and technical support — offered largely at no cost to schools and communities.
Youth‑Centered, Relationship‑Based Experiences
These experiences prioritize connection, dialogue, and shared learning, creating spaces where young people feel safe to explore emotions, build skills, and strengthen relationships with peers and trusted adults:
Free Your Feels Teen Summits bring together youth, caregivers, and community partners for interactive, youth-centered mental health experiences. While each summit is shaped locally, common elements include youth peer leaders, adult allies, creative activities for self-expression, and connections to community resources.
While all Free Your Feels Teen Summits center youth mental health, some are intentionally designed with a dual focus based on local community needs. In Athens and Northwest Georgia, Teen Summits also highlighted opioid misuse prevention, recognizing the connection between mental health, substance use, and community well‑being. This approach supports braided funding and promotes long‑term sustainability.
During Teen Summits, youth participated in a
“Head, Heart, Hand” reflection activity to capture what they learned, felt, and took with them. Youth reported gaining practical skills for expressing themselves and coping with challenges (Head), feeling accepted, understood, and supported (Heart), and leaving more open‑minded and confident sharing their feelings with others (Hand).
Teen Summits are especially effective at normalizing conversation and building confidence.
Youth consistently report feeling accepted, heard, and more willing to talk about mental health.
These outcomes are key to prevention and early help‑seeking.
Peer‑to‑Peer Wellness Groups create recurring, small‑group spaces where young people can talk openly with peers about everyday challenges and topics of their choosing. These groups emphasize connection, empathy, and shared learning.
Consistent peer spaces create peer support systems and foster trust, emotional safety, a positive school culture, and skill‑building over time — particularly for middle school youth who may not otherwise have structured opportunities to talk about mental health.
“Feelings Fridays” bring mental health conversations into the everyday rhythm of school life. A resource table offers themed printed materials, sensory items to ease stress, and connections to counselors and trusted adults / staff — building rapport and making support easier to access.
