You don’t need to hit rock bottom to ask for support. In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do for your mental health is check in before things feel overwhelming. October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month—a reminder that early support is not only valid, it’s essential. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe mental health screenings are acts of care, not crisis.

Mental Health Isn’t All-or-Nothing You might be telling yourself:

“I’m not that bad—other people have it worse.”
“It’s probably just stress.”
“I should be able to handle this on my own.”

But mental health exists on a spectrum. You can be high-functioning and struggling. You can feel "fine" on the outside while quietly unraveling inside. You’re allowed to ask for help—even if things aren’t falling apart.

What Is a Mental Health Screening, Really? Screenings are quick, simple tools that help identify signs of depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges. They’re not about labeling you or jumping to conclusions. They’re about getting curious:

Am I coping, or just numbing?
Is this level of exhaustion normal for me?
Have I been feeling disconnected for longer than I thought?

At Sprout, our therapists use screenings to partner with you—not diagnose from a distance.

Early Intervention = Better Support Catching symptoms early can:

Prevent escalation into crisis
Help you understand and name what’s happening
Empower you to get the right kind of support sooner
Interrupt shame cycles before they deepen

Just like you wouldn’t wait for a broken leg to heal on its own, you don’t have to wait for emotional pain to become unbearable before checking in.

You Deserve Care Now Whether you’re feeling low, anxious, burnt out, or just "off," that’s enough to reach out. You don’t have to be in crisis to deserve support. Preventative care is real care. Mental health screenings are one way to move toward clarity, self-understanding, and relief.

Mental health care isn’t just for emergencies. It’s for you, right now, exactly as you are. You deserve support that sees your full experience—not just your most visible symptoms.

Curious about your mental health? Sprout Therapy PDX offers compassionate, trauma-informed care—including gentle, collaborative screenings to help you check in. Reach out today to take the next step toward support.

You Don’t Have to Wait Until It’s Bad: Why Mental Health Screenings Matter