NEW YORK (March 21, 2022) – The #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to normalizing society’s perception of mental health by making it part of our everyday conversation, is proud to welcome Aaron Taylor as Director of College Relationships for its #SameHere Sit-Downs program. #SameHere Sit-Downs is one of five consulting programs offered by the organization, targeting various areas of society, and is designed specifically for colleges, universities, and collegiate athletic conferences. 

Taylor, a former offensive guard for the Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers, has strong ties to collegiate athletics and is an outspoken mental health advocate. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame, was a two-time All-American, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Taylor is also the founder of the Joe Moore Award for the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football and currently works as a college football analyst and television sportscaster. 

“Our fundamental belief is that mental health exists on a continuum, a continuum that each of us live and move on every day as a result of real-world challenges. Aaron, through his openness, to share his own life experiences, understands this and is the perfect fit to lead the relationship-building efforts for the #SameHere Sit-Downs program,” says Eric Kussin, Founder and CEO of #SameHere Global. “With some of the recent, tragic news coming out of college campuses, and specifically college athletics, time is of the essence to grow our programming and help as many colleges as possible through broader awareness, education, and tangible resources.” 

The #SameHere Sit-Downs program was specifically designed to support the social and emotional development of college students, and their sense of connection to professors, coaches, counselors, and peers. The program creates a cultural shift within college/university communities by changing the way campuses think about and approach mental health through story-telling, resources, common language, healing exercises, and proprietary technology. #SameHere Sit-Downs builds a safe and welcoming environment for students and staff – resulting in fewer communication breakdowns, a lift in the social/emotional well-being of all involved, and an increase in performance. 

“Over the years, I’ve lost eight friends to completed suicide and I’m tired of losing such good people prematurely,” says Taylor. “Part of the solution is changing the perception that mental health is a binary issue – meaning those who are sick and those who aren’t. It’s a global issue and we’re all affected to some degree. Additionally, the timing has never been more urgent. We’ve just come through the single greatest period of instability our generation has ever seen due to COVID-19, and college students have been one of the hardest-hit populations. I’m excited to join #SameHere and offer students vital knowledge that can improve mental health and potentially save lives.”

The #SameHere Sit-Downs program has already worked with the University of Southern California, Cornell University, Indiana University, Boise State University, James Madison University, University of Richmond, University of South Carolina, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and more. The program is applicable to all types of student groups – from athletic teams to music departments, to general studies – and administration. For more information about #SameHere Sit-Downs, reach out to collegeprograms@samehereglobal.org. 

Taylor has also joined the #SameHere Celebrity Alliance, comprised of athletes, actors, performers, and musicians. Members of the #SameHere Celebrity Alliance have openly shared their personal mental health journeys on the #SameHere website and include Theo Fleury, Chamique Holdsclaw, Amanda Beard, Hayden Hurst, Robin Lehner, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, Jocko Sims, and more. 

Additional programs offered by #SameHere include #SameHere Schools for K-12 school communities, #SameHere Safe for offices, #SameHere Sports for teams/leagues, and #SameHere Service for first responders and active/retired military. #SameHere is proud to partner with 5 IN 5 INC, a company dedicated to investing in content and technology to change the way mental health is approached globally. 

The #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement

The #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to normalizing society’s perception of mental health by making it part of our everyday conversation. Founded in late 2017 by Eric Kussin, a professional sports executive who experienced a debilitating mental health crisis. The #SameHere Movement provides proprietary tools and culture-changing, evidence-based programs for schools, offices, military/first responder groups, and sports teams/leagues to build open and safe environments. Championing the message that mental health lives on a continuum and everyone is impacted at varying levels, The Movement has gathered celebrities, advocates, practitioners and the world’s leading experts in STARR (Stress & Trauma, Active Release & Rewiring) Exercises to empower individuals to share and build their own mental health routines. A directory of Integrative Practitioners from across the globe is also available for anyone in search of total patient care. Follow #SameHere on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit SameHereGlobal.org.