Professional skier, public speaker and film director Drew Peterson grew up in the mountains of Summit County, Colorado.
After going through his own personal journey and struggle with suicidal depression, his new film, “Feel It All,” aims to break the stigma around mental health and drive more conversations in mountain communities.
Peterson said seven Rocky Mountain states, including Utah, consistently rank among the highest in the country for suicide deaths.
“When we have this mentality - kind of a ‘good vibes only’ toxic positivity mentality that often is prevalent in our mountain towns - it’s really hard to show up as our true selves,” Peterson said. “When we are struggling, it makes many of us feel invalidated. And when we feel invalidated in our own human experience, that’s when that’s going to drive into really a shame spiral.”
Peterson is working to share this message far and wide, from a conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to a film festival in Poland. And now a free screening at the Park City Library Monday.
“Frankly, all of us deserve to feel connection and to feel less alone in whatever we’re going through, whatever scale that is,” Peterson said. “But I can tell you from the position and the privilege that I put myself in by connecting with hundreds of thousands of people, that every single one of us is so far from alone.”
Deer Valley Resort will host Peterson’s film screening at the Jim Santy Auditorium at the Park City Library Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. Tickets are free and a link to RSVP can be found here.
"Feel It All" is also available to watch on Youtube.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7, 365 days a year, text or call. Online chat is also available at 988lifeline.org.
