How Photography Saved My Life | Danielle Hark | TEDxBergenCommunityCollege

This is the inspiring story of one woman’s journey of transformation and growth in the face of bipolar depression, and her quest to eliminate stigma and change the way the world views mental health, one photo at a time.
In a desperate moment, Danielle Hark found herself on her bathroom floor, in the midst of a crippling panic attack. When she reached for her phone to call 911, she saw that it was on photo mode. Taking photos in that moment not only saved her life but led to a personal revolution, and ultimately to the birth of the worldwide community Broken Light Collective. This online gallery and non-profit organization has used photography to empower the lives and journeys of over fifty thousand people from 181 countries. In this poignant talk, Hark, now a writer, advocate, and certified life coach, explores how photography can be a tool for profound personal change.
Danielle Hark is a wellness writer, freelance photographer and photo editor, and certified life coach whose work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Dr. Oz’s YouBeauty, The Mighty, and Upworthy, as well as various other publications and books. Danielle is also a mental health advocate who lives with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder. In the midst of her struggles, Danielle founded Broken Light Collective, a non-profit organization that empowers people living with or affected by mental illness using photography. She has been interviewed and featured by the New York Times, BBC News, NBC, Word Press, The Huffington Post, Upworthy, as well as the American Association of Suicidology. For more information, visit www.DanielleHark.com, www.BrokenLightCollective.com, and follow Danielle on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @daniellehark.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@albertoperezpuyal3740]

Amazing!!! Great!!! Art and expression for helping you and others. That's what I try to aim in my classes: do not take any pills to power yourself; take art and express yourself; it's cheaper and wealthier. I have had students that were treated by doctors and many pills. Finally they realised that their only way to get out from the depression was doing skate, playing the guitar... or taking pictures.

[@slb103177]

Thank you for sharing a little piece of your journey and for the work you do to end stigma and create healing. You rock, D!

[@neathturcot6637]

Excellent talk, very inspiring!!

[@DrSigneK]

Fantastic!

[@d3ath_of_me]

Hi Danielle I'm creating a photography project inspired on some anxious disorders.. you have inspired me on the road of making it possible. I'd like to give you credit on my investigation and i'd love to know where were you born and how old are you, so i can make a little biography of you. Thank you so much! kisses.

[@adamdrury5556]

Lorena Bernal Hey, I'd love to see your project as someone who has suffered anxiety disorders and loves photography. You are breathtakingly beautiful.