The opportunity to pursue a dream and the dynamics of a colourful family paved the way for Linda Kelly’s interest in mental health counselling.

“I love learning about human nature and relationships, so going into psychology and mental health was second nature to me,” says the CEO and owner of Kelly Mental Health.

Kelly’s formal education includes a Master of Social Work degree from Lakehead University. But she acknowledges that growing up in a large, second generation Italian-Canadian family gave her an early education about complex family dynamics and learning how to read a room.

She also learned commitment and responsibility from her father, who spent his working life at the Provincial Papers/Cascades mill.

“My parents always pushed me to be independent and to set my own course, especially since my generation had opportunities that many of the women in my family never had,” she says.

That spirit of independence, coupled with a strong work ethic and a touch of compassion, is crucial in her profession.

With a staff of 12 full-time and two part-time employees, Kelly Mental Health aims to make mental health services accessible and relatable.

“We offer an experience that doesn’t feel like sitting in a doctor’s office being analyzed or told what to do,” Linda says. “We promote a down-to-earth approach with real people helping clients to normalize their issues, understand what’s going on, and work together to get better. Talking to a professional is as normal and necessary as going to the doctor when you’re sick.”

Kelly Mental Health also addresses issues through seminars and workshops as well as a magazine and blog, encouraging people to take better care of their mental health.

“I expect the need for services in Thunder Bay will continue to increase, and we intend to manage that with the best care we can provide,” Linda says.

It’s an irony for Linda that while her company attempts to help people, she too struggles with the so-called “imposter syndrome,” the sense that only people who are smarter, better, richer, or more capable are the ones that have real purpose in life or are able to change things for the better.

“We grow up sometimes feeling like we’re not powerful enough to do anything.

“But that’s just negative self-talk,” Linda says. “It’s time for all of us to get over that. To do it we have to be supportive of one another because it’s intimidating to take a big chance and try something new.”

To support local, when a new businesses opens Linda makes an effort to connect with the owners to let them know they have her in their corner, and that “we’re in this together, making our city a more diverse and lovely place to be.”

Another irony for Linda is that the sense of accomplishment is fleeting. No sooner does she finish one thing before she’s wondering what’s the next challenge.

“That can be tough in working with human beings where wellness is on a spectrum, rather than a good-or-bad scale,” she says. “The fight to become and stay healthy is lifelong, so my job is always interesting.”