Agents Of Change

From advocating for mental health and literacy to providing a social service for the lgbt community to speaking out against racism, misogyny and sexual harassment, meet the local women who are using their voices in service of others and affecting change in their communities

- Andrea Sim & Chelsea

FAZ GAFFA-MARSH

Founder of My Safe Sphere, an online mental health community that aims to dismantle the stigma around emotional and mental well-being by providing a space where individuals can talk about their feelings and problems and making referrals for low-cost therapy.

‘‘My nutritionist told me, ‘Nothing I’m going to do for you will work, unless you sort out your feelings,’” says Faz Gaffa-Marsh, when she first sought medical help for hair loss and eczema after her father passed.

That’s when Gaffa-Marsh, a freelance writer and marketeer, turned to counselling in a bid to process the grief she was going through. She continues, “There’s still a stigma [with mental health] I think, that it’s the batshit crazy people who go to therapists. There’s also the apprehension of it being invasive, intimidating and expensive,” she says, articulating the many perceived barriers — despite the topic having gained considerable traction in mainstream media in recent years.