Mental Health Month | Wellness Wednesday

Good Wednesday afternoon to you ❤

I’m stopping in to share something very important- May is Mental Health Month! If realized this sooner, I would have done my Giveaway May in June so that I could spend all month posting about mental health :) But, humans are entirely capable of doing two things at once so here we are lol.

I wanted to share with you a couple things that Mental Health America is doing this month and keep the conversation on mental health going! MHA is the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all Americans live mentally healthier lives through advocacy, public education, and service. 

One of the things I thought was really important to share is their partnership with Walgreens for a dedicated mental health “answer center” on its website! This new page will help connect people to MHA’s Online Screening Program— free, scientifically-based online screenings for a number of conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD and others. How awesome is that! I think it’s a great first step for anyone who suspects they may be dealing with a mental health issue. You can find the free screening here:  www.walgreens.com/mentalhealth.

In addition, MHA has launched the #mentalillnessfeelslike social media campaign where you are encouraged to share what mental illness looks like for you! I spent about 30 minutes earlier today going through posts and I was so moved. Not only is it helpful to see what others are going through, but it is also encouraging to know that you’re not alone. 

Mental illness is so tricky because even though you “know” your brain is lying to you, you still believe it. It’s literally like fighting yourself FOR yourself. To me, mental illness feels like… feeling like I’m too much and not enough all at once.

I will end today by encouraging you to visit the new Walgreens screening page and check out the various #mentalillnessfeelslike galleries on instagram, facebook, twitter, and tumblr. It’s my hope that it will be enlightening to see how mental illness affects everyone differently (and similarly in some cases), to help those suffering with mental illness to feel a sense of community and support, to help bring understanding to commonly misunderstood disorders, and to try and break the stigma associated with mental illness. 

I hope you have a pleasant Wednesday evening  ❤

-Danni

Denyelle D. Beauty | Giveaway May Week 2 [CLOSED]

Happy Monday and welcome to Week 2 of Giveaway May!

What’s up for grabs this week? A makeover with my wonderful makeup artist- Denyelle of Denyelle D. Beauty! You’ve seen her beautiful work on my clients, now you get to have the Denyelle D. Beauty experience for yourself!

What can this be used for? Anything! Well, almost anything* :)

Maybe you have a date coming up that you want to look extra fancy for, your bridal or baby shower, a special event, photo shoot, or maybe even a nice “just because” pick me up! 

Would you like to win a makeover by Denyelle D. Beauty? Enter this week’s giveaway for your chance to win! 

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

1. Follow @dfinneyphoto on instagram

2. Follow @denyelledbeauty on instagram

3. Share a photo of what beauty means to you. Be sure to mention @dfinneyphoto and hashtag your photo with #dfinneymaygiveaway!

NOTE: Your instagram account must be public for your photo to be seen. Your photo doesn’t have to be taken with a DSLR camera, it just has to show what beauty looks like to you- that could be a photo of a loved one, flowers, the sunset, your children, a selfie, a lovely piece of artwork- anything! You are free to post more than one photo entry.

*Giveaway not applicable to bridal makeup or makeup mentoring. Makeover valued at $100 and must be redeemed within 3 months of winning.

I will be creating right along with you this month and I would love it if this giveaway can be interactive and encouraging so please don’t be shy! This week’s giveaway is limited to those in (or willing to travel to) the DC area for their makeover. 

I look forward to a beauty-filled week with you and I can’t wait to see your photo entries for this week!

Have a lovely Monday  ❤

-Danni

UPDATE (5/13): The winner for Week 2 is Cee Cee (@heavenly_one on Instagram)! She won a makeover with Denyelle D. Beauty! Congratulations Cee Cee! Shoot me an email (danielle@dfinneyphoto.co) and I’ll get you linked up with Denyelle!

Imani Studio | Giveaway May Week One [CLOSED]

Happy Monday and welcome to May!

It’s been a rough start to the new year for me, but I know a couple things that always make me feel better- creating and doing things for other people, so this month, I’m combining the two :) And guess who benefits- you! 

So here’s how it goes:

Every Monday this month, there will be a giveaway- of what you ask? Well you’ll have to come back each week to see :) And every Friday there will be a winner! How awesome is that?

I have teamed up with a few of my favorite fellow small business owners and I can’t wait to share some of my favorite things with you!

So without further ado, let’s checkout what’s up for grabs this week!

WIN a beautiful scarf camera strap from Imani Studio!

I have been complimented and asked so may times about where I got my camera strap from and Imani Studio is responsible for my fabulous strap! Kayla (owner of Imani Studio) was so kind to partner with me for this week’s giveaway and as a result the winner gets to choose their favorite strap to receive :)

Would you like to win one of her beautiful camera straps? Enter this week’s giveaway for your chance to win!

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

1. Follow @dfinneyphoto on instagram

2. Follow @kayla.naughton on instagram

3. Share a photo of what spring looks like to you. Be sure to hashtag your post with #dfinneymaygiveaway!

NOTE: Your instagram account has to be public for your photo to be seen. Your photo doesn’t have to be taken with a DSLR camera, it just has to show what spring looks like to you- that could mean flowers, pastel colors, extra daylight, allergies, the end of the school year- anything!

I will be creating right along with you this month and I would love it if this giveaway can be interactive and encouraging so please don’t be shy! This week’s giveaway is not limited to just those in the DC area, so everyone is welcome to enter!

I look forward to a fun month with you and I can’t wait to see your photo entries for this week’s giveaway!

Have a beautiful Monday  ❤

-Danni

UPDATE (5/6): The winner for Week 1 is Bella Reese (@sunkissed722 on Instagram)! This is her beautiful photo entry- isn’t it gorgeous! Congratulations Bella! Shoot me an email (danielle@dfinneyphoto.co) and I’ll get you all set up on how to receive your beautiful new camera strap!

Models Needed + Giveaway May | News & Updates

It’s been a while since I’ve done a News & Updates post, and I have a few things to share sooo here we go!

Models Needed!

I am looking for one couple (married or engaged) for a photo session the afternoon of Friday 5/13!

Interested?
Please view full details here and shoot me an email with a photo of you and your beau!

Know a couple who would be perfect for this?
Please share this post with them!

Graduation Season

If you or someone you love is graduating this season, I would love to capture this momentous time for you! I am making mini sessions available to graduating seniors from May through July, so if you’d like to schedule yours, email me today!

Giveaway May!

What’s this you ask? A little something I’ve been cooking up :)

I am partnering with a few of my favorite small business owners to bring you one giveaway every week in the month of May!

Of what you ask? Well you’ll have to come back each week to see :)

Stay tuned on Monday, May 2 for the first giveaway!

Well, that’s it for today! 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend 

-Danni

Truthy Thursday | Don’t Stop Talking About It

Good Thursday afternoon to you  ❤

It’s a gloomy day here in DC, but I’m trying to make the best of it :)

I wanted to drop in quickly with a follow-up to my post last month. I was so overwhelmed with the response it received! I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I was touched by the personal stories that were shared with me and incredibly thankful that I am apart of such a wonderfully supportive community. 

I have always been appreciative of really honest stories and articles regarding mental illness, as well as artists and public figures speaking on their personal struggles. Since my diagnoses earlier this year, that interest has more than doubled, because instead of just having an interest, I understand what it’s like. 

We all know the stigma that mental illness has, so since I do have a very personal connection to it, I want to do my part of keeping the lines of communication open- in hopes that someone else can be helped to feel less weird about their mental illness or seek assistance in dealing with it. 

I don’t always have the energy, the words, or even the desire to speak about what I’m going through WHEN I’m going through it, but I am thankful for women like Bunmi Laditan and Bassey Ikpi (to name 2 specifically) that are able to beautifully articulate this not-so-beautiful struggle. It is incredibly helpful to read their posts because not only am I able to understand where they’re coming from, I appreciate their sharing in the first place, and there’s an added benefit of knowing that you’re not alone in this. Some days that helps and some days it doesn’t lol. 

But on that note (and the purpose for this post) I wanted to share some of the articles I’ve come across in the past few weeks that I’ve found really helpful. Hopefully you’ll find them helpful as well if you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. If you’re not dealing with any of these issues yourself, I encourage you to read these articles anyway as it may help you understand a little what your friend or family member may be going through.

‘My Body Spasms. I Think I’m Going to Collapse’

One of my favorite artists, I really appreciated this interview with Laura Mvula regarding her ongoing struggle with anxiety and panic attacks.

The Anguish of Depression: ‘I Am Trying to Stay Alive’

I appreciate Bassey Ikpi soo much for being such a vocal mental health advocate. Her writing is masterfully moving.

What Does Depression Feel like?

Though depression is a “common” issue, the symptoms aren’t always the same, nor is it easily described. I thought this was a very good article.

Living with Bipolar Disorder

This really hit home. Victor Pope Jr is one of my favorite online comedians and I am so appreciative of him sharing his struggle with bipolar disorder. Especially when it comes to addressing the pressure of always having to be “on”.

So, this was my share for today… Maybe I should just shift to Truthy Thursday because I don’t remember the last time I actually posted a Truthy on Tuesday lol. I hope you’re able to check out these articles when you have a free moment and I thank you for being apart of this beautiful community ❤

-Danni