Channel: ImFromDriftwood

Category: Nonprofits & Activism

Tags: religiousstorytellingdeathuniversitychurchself-medicationtexashomophobicmusicblake allenmarti gould cummingspercussiongriefviolabrigham youngartlgbtqsuicidemourningvulnerabilitysalt lake citymormonutahel pasolgbt

Description: Being gay and Mormon at a religious university wasn’t an easy time in Blake Allen’s life, but he had two safe havens: a gay-friendly music mentor and a fellow gay musician in his orchestra. When his friend died by suicide, however, Blake descended into a deep state of depression and guilt. Though his religious parents were incapable of giving him the support he needed, he was able to find some solace in his mentor, who did everything she could to give him the space to grieve in a healthy manner. Years later, at the advice of his therapist, Blake decided it was time to finally express his trauma through his music - a move which allowed him to mend his relationship with his family and begin tearing down the emotional walls he’d put up around him for so long. More first-person LGBTQ stories: imfromdriftwood.com I'm From Driftwood on Facebook: facebook.com/ImFromDriftwood I'm From Driftwood on Instagram: instagram.com/imfromdriftwood I'm From Driftwood on Twitter: twitter.com/imfromdriftwood