Welcome to Walt’s Waltz

Breaking Stigma. Reducing Suffering. Empowering Lives.

Mental health affects everyone, yet stigma and misunderstanding often prevent people from seeking the support they need. At Walt’s Waltz, we are dedicated to changing the conversation around mental health by fostering education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Founded in memory of Walt, who tragically lost his life to treatment-resistant anxiety and PTSD on August 22, 2019, Walt’s Waltz began as a grassroots movement born out of love and necessity. Just two days after Walt’s passing, his brother Will said, “Mom, we will start a movement. If we save one life, it will be worth it.”

Now, in its fifth year, Walt’s Waltz has grown into a vital community resource, founded in Greenville, South Carolina, by Walt’s mother, Susan, and his brother, Will. From its grassroots beginnings, Walt’s Waltz has evolved into an organization that provides essential support, raises awareness, and fosters conversations around mental health in our community.

We are committed to ensuring that no one has to struggle in silence. Whether it's through educational programs, painting mental health workshops, self-care kits, or stigma-free spaces, art exhibitions, films, tabling events . . . we work tirelessly to offer support and resources for individuals and families facing mental health challenges. Our approach combines education, advocacy, and community engagement to create a world where mental health is seen as equally important as physical health.

Together, we are breaking stigma, reducing suffering, and empowering lives, one step at a time.

Our 3-Step Approach - The Waltz

1. Education: We educate the community to improve mental health literacy, fostering awareness and open conversations. By emphasizing the connection between physical and mental health, we encourage earlier engagement with mental health services and build a community that values both equally.

2. Equity: As more individuals seek help, we advocate for accessible and equitable mental health services for everyone. By uniting more voices in this effort, we can strengthen our call for increased funding and resources. We are committed to ensuring equity in research funding, seeking support that matches the level given to physical health conditions including brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and autism, particularly in the fields of genetics and epigenetics.

3. Stigma-Free: Through education and advocacy, we create stigma-free spaces where people feel safe to discuss mental health openly. These environments promote early intervention, encourage seeking help even before crises arise, and support proactive mental health care. By fostering such spaces, we help reduce stigma and build a healthier, more compassionate, and accepting community where everyone feels empowered to prioritize their mental well-being.

Mission: Walt’s Waltz is dedicated to destigmatizing mental health, promoting equity in care and research funding, and empowering individuals through education and advocacy to foster hope and reduce suffering.

Vision: We envision a compassionate society where mental health is valued equally with physical health, eliminating stigma and empowering individuals to thrive

Values

Honesty – "Balancing truth and trust" by being open about challenges and actions.

Compassion – "Walking in another’s shoes" by recognizing suffering and taking action to alleviate it.

Accountability – "Standing firm in our promises" by setting high expectations and working to better our community.

Shared Humanity – "Together, we are stronger," acknowledging every individual’s right to be seen, heard, and valued.

Inclusion – "Weaving every voice into our shared journey" by ensuring everyone is heard and valued, believing our differences are our strengths.

Fair-Mindedness – "Navigating with justice and equity" to ensure fairness in every moment.

Mottos

Let’s stop dancing around mental health conversations. Take your mental health temperature. Time for a Mental Health Moonshot! Step out of Stigma! We, you and me, are Walt’s Waltz!