Juli describes herself as a complex young woman. She talked openly about the problems she has faced when she was interviewed in her home:

"I didn't fit in anywhere, not just how I look or how I acted. But no one understood me when I said something. I would just say something, an insight, and people were so busy talking about something superficial and they'd be shocked by what I said… No one understood and that made me feel really alone. I was at an age where adults didn't take me seriously yet, because I was just a young teenager, not even an older teenager…"

"I was suicidal, really, and I was having a nervous breakdown, 'cause I couldn't handle anything anymore and the pressure that I was getting from everyone, friends, family, telling me that I was talented but that I had no self confidence. I didn't like myself anyway, so everything was just kind of building up and building up until I just broke. I snapped. I couldn't handle it anymore, so that's why they said I should go to the hospital and sort everything out".

Juli recovered and, once back at school, came into contact with people who had had similar experiences. She was able to connect:

"I met people in school and we started talking, and I realized that I wasn't alone and that really helped me just rebuild and have faith that there were other people like me".

Connecting with others has been good for her. Juli moves in two circles: people with whom she parties and people with whom she has deeper relations:

" I have a select few with whom I'll really have conversations with, and that satisfies my need to bond with people and then I don't feel so alone. I have the best of both worlds: being a teenager and being superficial, because I want to do that, I want to have fun."

More at peace with herself than before, she reflects: "I think finding yourself is basically accepting who you are instead of trying to change yourself for other people...I have friends and I have my music, and I'm doing more with art and people".

Having found the help she needed, she feels comfortable about going to school: "School isn't as scary a place when you have people like that and groups that help you. And school isn't a scary place really when you know you have the social workers and the groups that you can talk to. School isn't so scary anymore. It's kinda, it's more intimate."

Here's what Eliza, one of the "popular" girls at Juli's school, said about her:

"Nothing more exciting happens when you're popular. You just hang out with your friends just like you would if you're not popular. I remember when Juli played the guitar at Earth Day Festival and I was like "Ooh, my God, her voice, so talented", because she was doing something that's recognizable: she was taking something out of herself. When you don't open to people...then people won't like you. I think anybody can be popular if they're outgoing and if they show their talent, because that's what awes people: It's personality".

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