When Mary was 19 years old, she lost a friend to suicide. Before then, her early childhood was marred with rejection and abandonment.
Although education took her through different fields, including accounting, and human resource management, the bug to pursue psychology kept biting her.
However, the two traumatic experiences solidified her desire to work in a field that dealt with mental health issues, particularly suicidal behaviour.
She wanted to understand the reasons people consider suicide and/or harm themselves and what can be done to prevent it.
"I find it fulfilling to help people who are going through mental pain and have had experiences similar to my own, where I have felt overwhelmed and at risk of suicide and struggled to talk about it due to the stigma attached to it."
She would pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Counselling Psychology and later a Master’s degree in Psychology. The 39-year-old is completing another Master’s degree in Suicidology – the scientific study of self-harm and suicide.
The Executive Director at the Centre for Suicide Research and Intervention (CSRI) says that working in the mental health industry aligns with her personality, upbringing, and aspirations.
“I find it fulfilling to help people who are going through mental pain and have had experiences similar to my own, where I have felt overwhelmed and at risk of suicide and struggled to talk about it due to the stigma attached to it,” she says.
The oldest of four siblings says growing up, she wanted to be just like renowned Kenyan clinical psychologist Dr Gladys Mwiti, her role model.
“I read her books while growing up, and she inspired me to pursue a career in counselling,” she says.
Her work at CSRI involves conducting research, educating people about suicide and prevention, equipping individuals with skills to respond to those at risk of suicide, and collaborating to prevent suicide.
Their ultimate goal, she explains, is to provide evidence-based interventions and services that reduce the risk of suicide.
Collins Omulo