We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Morgan Hannaleck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents are some of the most genuine, caring, and passionate people in my life. They are very different from each other, and have always come together to give everything they absolutely could to me. My mom is incredibly thoughtful and has always gone the extra mile to show people she cares-there is not a single birthday, holiday, or event that goes by in our family that is not being celebrated by her. Although we live across the country from each other, I get a text from her every morning before she wakes up and every night before she goes to bed. She has taught me to take every opportunity you can to tell those around you that you love them and show them that you care. My dad is a deeply passionate, soulful, and emotional man. He has always been very connected to his purpose and lives out each day honoring that. He had almost lost his life to mental illness and was able to overcome his demons and make a true, lasting recovery. He inspires me to create, connect with myself, and feel things very deeply. As a teenager, I developed an eating disorder that absolutely consumed me and landed me in the hospital. Eating disorders weren’t really talked about much at this time, but my parents were beyond committed to learning everything they could to help me get better. They found me treatment and supported my recovery in any way they possibly could. At the end of the day, I am incredibly grateful that I have parents who unconditionally support me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My recovery journey from an eating disorder is what ultimately led me to my current pursuits. I began to tell my story and saw that not only did I feel empowered, but other people were also able to relate and open up to me about what they had been going through. I saw how vulnerability spread like a wildfire, and how healing that was to be around people who had the courage to be vulnerable. I began professionally telling my story to schools, communities, and organizations. Within this, I learned I had the desire to help people on a more intimate level, which led me to getting my Masters in Social Work. I now also see individual clients and help them heal. I really encourage my clients to look inward at their relationships with themselves, as this drives their lives. I also have written 2 books and created free resources on my website, beyondyourmask.com, in hopes that people who come into contact with my work can know that they are not alone and a full, recovered life is possible. I think what sets my work apart from others would be my desire to deeply connect and empathize with those around me, especially those that have also struggled with themselves, whether that be in the form of an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, trauma, or something else. I believe that my story equips me with the ability to identify with my clients’ emotional states and tailor my therapeutic interventions and presentations accordingly. My approach goes beyond textbook techniques, addressing the specific concerns of each person or group I come into contact with.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I often think about if I hadn’t ever been sick, would I be in my current profession? Ultimately, due to the deep emotions I feel and my desire to help others, I think if I could go back, I would still have ended up in the mental health field by choice. There is nothing quite like holding space for a person’s pain and sitting with them in that. There is something so beautiful about it. It breeds sanity and unconditional love, which what I personally think life is all about.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Somewhere along the way in my life, I learned to associate my productivity with my worth. I thought that if I was doing the best thing, then I was worth something. If I wasn’t doing something awesome and dynamic at the time, I would end up feeling anxious, depressed, and desperate to feel like I am enough. I had to learn that this urgent, frantic perception of myself and how I am doing comes from my own baggage. I had to learn that I am inherently worthy and lovable, regardless of what I may or may not be achieving at any given time. This required me to let go of my perfectionistic core beliefs and restructure them into ones that are realistic. I have learned to honor, care for, and love myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: beyondyourmask.com
• Instagram: @morganhannaleck
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-hannaleck-b11269183/

Image Credits
Image with the red dress and background and image wearing brown dress outside in a field credit to @capturedbyweinchez