Daniella McLaughlin
Mental Health Advocate
Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. I hope you enjoy reading my personal stories. My goal is to relate to others that feel like they are the only one who has gone through something.
Sharing My Story
My life is a testimony
I am very transparent with my life and the storms that have come my way.
Daniella has lived life like a dragonfly. She has known she is standing on the vast watery depth of endlessly profound and potentially life-altering thoughts. The dragonfly is the balance keeper between the “little me” and the “God self.” As dragonflies get older, they achieve balance with mental clarity and control. They provide an expression of the emotional and mental together. In Genesis 1:18 it says “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."
Daniella struggled greatly with ADD, special education, dyslexia, and behavioral problems. When Daniella first attempted suicide as a teenager, the Lord sent her father to guide her back to life. That Wednesday night, no one showed up for her father’s bible study. Daniella took 166 pills, all she could find. If her father hadn’t shown up early, she would have died the doctor said! Her father was her Angel. He was the only one who understood her depression and her mental illness. He was her support system.
I am blessed to be a fighter and love to share my testimony to help others.
Contact me for future events in your organization or church.
Daniella M. McLaughlin was born May 10, 1979, and raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey, by Rev. James W. and Betty McLaughlin. Her parents planted the seed of faithful service at an early age. As the youngest of four children, she grew up in a strong Christ-centered family, where the Word of God was proclaimed daily. Daniella’s early education was forged in the Haddonfield School District.
Daniella says black people didn’t believe in mental illness, and that you could get better, and they didn’t take time to understand it, but her father did. Her own mother said it was all in her head, she didn’t believe it or want to understand it, but her father went to groups and saw that it was real. He was the only one who understood her depression and her mental illness. Her father was her Angel and her support system. Daniella's mother works hard on understanding her even though it’s hard for her.
After three suicide attempts and teenage madness, Daniella graduated from high school and attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania. While attending college, the world turned upside down when she became ill with a seizure that led to the discovery that she had a bipolar disorder. Daniella became determined to utilize her life experience to help others afflicted with mental illness. She learned to embrace it.
1st
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.
Daniella has lived life like a dragonfly. She has known she is standing on the vast watery depth of endlessly profound and potentially life-altering thoughts. The dragonfly is the balance keeper between the “little me” and the “God self.” As dragonflies get older, they achieve balance with mental clarity and control. They provide an expression of the emotional and mental together.
Daniella was inspired to assist others in overcoming their circumstances. Daniella never gave up on her faith in God. In fact, all of this brought her closer to God. On October 29, 2001, Daniella gave her life to Jesus. She would go on spring break with Campus Crusade for Christ and witness to others.
Daniella always looked for ways to improve herself and continues to shine after all the Darkness she has endured. She found that writing her life story is healing and helping her overcome any obstacle in life.
Daniella has always been bold enough to tell people about her battle with bipolar disorder. The world likes to keep quiet about it, but Daniella wants to use her life story to help other learn about bipolar and other mental illnesses. She is following God's voice and walking with his voice in her ear and sharing storms of life with the world praying she will touch one person at a time!
