An interview with Jamie Tworkowski, founder of ‘To Write Love on Her Arms’

In October, Active Minds, one of Bucknell’s clubs, held an event called “To Write Love on Her Arms,” on the uphill side of the ELC. The premise behind the event was simple: people would stop by their table, and use a marker to write the word “love” on their arms.

The event was inspired by “To Write Love on Her Arms,” a non-profit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about suicide, depression, addiction, and self-harm – to name a few. Jamie Tworkowski, founder of the organization, graciously met with The Tab Bucknell for an interview.

How pervasive do you think self-harm/addiction/suicide are in young people today? (18yr olds to 25yr olds, in particular). Many people assert that self-harm is a fad and romanticized by pop culture. Do you agree?

The US Surgeon General recently declared addiction a “public health crisis,” calling it a bigger threat to Americans than cancer. Suicide is at a thirty-year high. Nearly 43,000 people died by suicide in 2014. So these are enormous problems that deserve our attention, and the attention and support of our government as well. As for self-injury, while I would agree that some people try to romanticize it, the reality is that it’s people using pain to cope with pain, and I’m of the belief that there’s nothing romantic about it. People who struggle in this way, they need help. As for the idea of young people doing it for attention, I have a friend who works as a professional (licensed mental health) counselor and he said something I’ll never forget: “If someone is taking a razor blade to their arm for attention, then that person deserves our attention.” 

What kind of damage (besides physical) have you seen self-harm inflict on the lives of those struggling?

I would rather simply encourage people to get help. If you’re struggling with self-injury, please get help. Talk to a counselor. Start the conversation and trust the process. There are better ways to cope and you deserve better. The heart of the matter is not the self-harm but the reasons for the self-harm. That’s where the help comes in, understanding our pain and beginning to think and respond differently.  

Where do you see TWLOHA heading within the next year? How about 5 years?

We want to continue to be creative in bringing a message of hope, help, and encouragement to people all over the world. We want to continue to be at the intersection of pain and hope, and I think it’s safe to say we’ll continue to work to meet people where they are, both online and offline. We will continue to show up in the realm of music as well.

Have self-harm/depression/suicide/addiction affected your personal life in a profound way? Were these issues things you always cared about, or did something catalyze your founding of the organization? 

I’m a person who struggles with depression and that’s been true for years now. I take medicine and I’ve had several seasons of counseling. It’s become something I’m completely comfortable talking about. As for the second question, I would say I’ve always been a sensitive person, but in terms of the catalyst for the organization, that goes back to meeting my friend Renee Yohe in 2006.

I was lucky enough to participate in Bucknell’s TWLOHA event.

What are some pitfalls of setting up a non-profit organization? Is there any advice you might pass on to younger people that are seeking to do the same? 

For the first year, we operated under the umbrella of another non-profit. It gave us a big brother that we could lean on and learn from. My best advice would be to do that. It sounds sexy to “start something,” but I think it’s important to admit what you don’t know, and learn what you need to learn. There’s so much that comes with starting a non-profit and maybe even more that comes with keeping it going. It’s vital to connect with folks who know how to do all those things.

Self-harm and suicide are two of the biggest threats to young adults across the nation, and on Bucknell’s campus. It’s truly important to spread knowledge about mental illness and reach out to those that you think might be needing help.