Meet Andrew Ward of Far Betterment in Raleigh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Ward.

Andrew, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I went through a long and arduous period of severe depression. I had given up quite frankly. I had struggled with depression most of my life but this was different. This was worse somehow. My son who was seven at the time left my wife and I a note describing to us what he felt and it felt so identical, it felt terrifyingly familiar. My child felt shame about his feelings. We thought we had made ourselves available to him in every way but we failed him. So, I made a decision to never let my children grow up in a world where they couldn’t talk to us. That started with myself. I had to be brutal and honest about everything and show my children that you can speak up and reach out.

I decided that my children deserved a place they could go and so did others living with depression and mental illness. That’s where SaneSideOut.com began which eventually lead to Far Betterment, my podcast.

Starting Far Betterment and my website SaneSideOut.com was a way for me to help others who felt the same way, and through that, I began to find purpose and healing in what I was doing. I found the motivation to make connections and reach out. I found a way to be human again.

Has it been a smooth road?
The struggles I found were really more within myself. Constant questioning and self-doubt, but the community -especially my circle- have been nothing but supportive. It’s been really amazing for meeting new people. A lot of personal growth has come from that.

What else should our readers know?
Far Betterment is a podcast, where I have a new guest each week and we discuss their story. Everyone has one, and I sort of want to curate that and dissect it and connect with it.

I think for me, it’s been amazing to just interact with people and find commonality in everyone and see that we are all just human. We’re all trying our best and we all deal with things in our own way.

I think what makes me feel incredibly proud is how much growth has come from all of this and the positive feedback we’ve received. In general, everyone seems to be behind what we’re doing and that has been incredibly validating.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Well, I was born and grew up in Westminster, and I think what I loved was how within reach I was to so many resources and natural beauty. I was very lucky to have experienced something that not many do.

If I had one complaint it would be traffic. Nothing worse than bumper to bumper traffic at 2 pm on a Thursday for no apparent reason.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.farbetterment.com
• Phone: 9195854688
• Email: farbetterment@gmail.com
• Instagram: @Farbetterment
• Facebook: Facebook.com/farbetterment
• Twitter: @Farbetterment
• Other: www.sanesideout.com

Image Credit:
Robyn Buchholz

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