Life & Work with Marisa Barbarise

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Barbarise. 

Hi Marisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My journey to faith and mental well-being began about three years ago. In 2018, I found myself in my darkest days. My mental health was at an all-time low. For years, I struggled with depression and anxiety and reached a point where my hopeless outlook felt unshakable. During this time, I did not have a relationship with God and felt confident of living my life as I wanted. Little did I know that the Lord would have His hand on me during the darkest nights, and give me the strength to rise again. My encounter with God that night gave me strength, not only for another day but also hope for my future. I felt the love of Jesus, something I never thought was possible and it changed my life despite my past disbelief. Throughout this process of healing my mental health, I began to work on my overall health, spend time in God’s Word and with God, and continue to pursue mental health care during this time. A year into my faith, I felt called to drop the current graduate program I was in to go into the field of mental health counseling. I was confident in this call, so I looked for schools to apply to and found one that felt like home. Lipscomb University was my top choice when I applied in the fall of 2021 after I interviewed and later found that I had a waiting list. Everything in me wanted to give up, but God reminded me to ask myself, “Is your worth in the approval of others or is your worth rooted in me?” And I thought to myself that my worth should be rooted in Him. I knew this was my calling, so I applied the following term, and later found out that I got into the spring 2022 semester. I now have an Instagram page dedicated to faith and mental health and am a full-time student at Lipscomb University. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it wasn’t a smooth road, but the ride got smoother as I healed. I struggling with my mental health for so many years, and it did not go away overnight. I had to put in the work to overcome my anxiety and depression. I spent eight months alone in God’s Word, found a church I loved and went to counseling during this time of healing. During this time, I had to be honest with myself, which was difficult in the sense that I knew it meant I had to change. I faced the challenge of suicidal ideations, waves of depression, and anxiety that kept me in chains and prevented me from moving forward. I had to learn coping skills to properly take care of my mental health, to ensure that I did not go back down the road I was on before my faith. Finding this balance was the biggest challenge on my journey in faith and mental well-being. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a full-time clinical mental health student with a God-given will to change the world. I created an Instagram page called @bluejeansunday to encourage others, spread the love of Jesus, and educate others about mental health and well-being. I hope to start a podcast in the next coming months and a YouTube channel to reach even more people where they are and as they are. Mental health is something I am passionate about and want to educate the world about the importance of our mental well-being and encourage everyone who wants to hear hope and good news. I am also an ambassador to sisters in faith on this app called LO Sister, created by Sadie Huff. I share encouragement with sisters around the world about body image, faith, mental health, and everything real people struggle with. We talk about our stories and share who we are. It gives us a sense of purpose in the community and allows us to heal in this space, to make it known that we are not alone. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Absolutely, I have been blessed to have the support of my dad. He has been my number one supporter since day one of my journey, and I wouldn’t have been able to come this far without his help. I also have an amazing sister named Christina, who gives me the space to exchange my future ideas for my Instagram page and gives me appreciated feedback on some things I put out to the world. My boyfriend Geoffrey gives me confidence and support during the days when I feel inspired and creative and reminds me of who I am in God’s image on the days I forget. Finally, I am grateful for my family, friends, classmates, Lo Sister, and professors that have built me up and helped me with good intentions, because that is what has made me out to be who I am today. God has the almighty praise for changing my heart, giving me life, and giving me the purpose to be here and stand strong. 

Contact Info:

• Website: msha.ke/bluejeansunday/
• Instagram: @bluejeansunday

Image Credits
@Kara_warren_photography
@raeonfilmphotography