7 Mental Health Entrepreneurs Who Turned Their Own Pain Into Purpose

In my five-part series on mental health and entrepreneurship, I’m sharing the personal stories of women managing diagnoses like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD while building their businesses. Over the last four articles, I’ve explored why those of us with mental health diagnoses often turn to entrepreneurship, how the demands of the job can intensify mental health struggles, the strategies used to maintain well-being and achieve success, and the surprising silver linings that some have found along their journeys.

Sometimes the hardest chapters of our lives become the foundation of the most meaningful work we’ll ever do. As a therapist and coach who spent years battling eating disorders, depression, and anxiety, I’ve learned this truth firsthand. Healing doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating pain; it can also mean using that pain to fuel purpose, compassion, and the change we want to see.