Rogers therapist promotes a happily ever after for those facing adversity
10/14/17 08:00:pm
Finding your Fairytale started as a calendar shoot with a variety of fairytale characters, like Cinderella, Snow White, and Prince Charming. Each model has overcome adversity that directly relates to the character they portray. For example, Angela, who plays Sleeping Beauty for the project, was diagnosed with narcolepsy while in grad school. Other members have struggled with the rabbit hole of addiction or abuse, like the Big Bad Wolf in disguise as a loving spouse.
The goal of Finding your Fairytale, according to Angela, is “To inspire resilience and rekindle optimism for all those experiencing traumatic life circumstances. We want to help others to keep fighting their battles, continue writing their stories, and to believe that happily ever after is not only attainable but well deserved.”
The project now includes the upcoming release of a documentary following each member’s story, as well as future plans for more videos, books and other forms of media. As the project expands, Angela says that more characters will be added and a wider variety of afflictions and stories portrayed. Despite the age of the non-profit, it has already received a positive reception from multiple outlets, including Fox News, Moxie Magazine, CNN, CBS and even a re-posting of their Kickstarter campaign video from Upworthy, which sits at more than 440,000 views.
“I was ecstatic with all of the coverage we received and so grateful that it helped us to reach our fundraising goals in order to continue the project,” Angela says. “The positive reactions we got from just those short clips really reinforced the importance of our message and increase my motivation to make the documentary the best it can be.”
The cast of Finding your Fairytale attends a variety of mental health awareness events—usually in costume—but Angela’s favorite is the Out of the Darkness Walk, which holds a special meaning to her as a survivor of her mother’s suicide at age 17. Angela was invited to be the guest speaker at this year’s Out of the Darkness Walk during its opening ceremony.
“It is a cause that is very important to me and it can be a very emotional day for those attending given the cause we are supporting, so to be able to bring a smile to so many faces despite the reason we were all together was very special.”
The Milwaukee Out of the Darkness Walk was attended by around 1,500 people this year and met its funding goal, raising more than $105,000, according to early projections.
