Shattered spirit leaf

Shatttered Realian

Hello, and welcome to my little bio site! Most people know me as Clay or Aelen, though you can also call me Gantry(pronounced gone-tree) if you like. Here is some quick information about me:
-Male, 21.
-Fan of food, cool weather, and all things wholesome(especially Ori!)
-I want to make things better for others, any way I can. My private messages are open if anyone needs to talk.
-I am a diehard follower of Jesus Christ.


Origins

When I was younger, I discovered something no young person should ever see, and it led me into addiction. But now, thanks to God I've been brought out of that into a new purpose that just might change the world. I am a servant, and this is my story.


Current Work

I am not a professional mental health supporter, and I don't pretend to be. But regardless, I use my experience and training as best I can to provide mental/emotional support, and am accessible in emergencies as a crisis counselor.


Future Plans

I aim to do what no other has done before: Blend video games with ministry. I have a story to tell, and living through my own, I want to give people hope. There's power in a game, and as one one who has seen just what that can do, I know I can use it to change lives.

Origins

Mentally, I used to be very, very sick. Everything I could see, I internally corrupted, unable to stop or control myself. I tried and tried to stop, but there was no escape. I had created a monster I could not defeat.But then I discovered Ori and the Blind Forest, and my whole life changed. Suddenly I could see things for what they were, and my chains were gone. For six years I had been bound to an addiction. Then, as though a switch had flipped, I was free. It was time to become who I really am, who I believe God wants me to be.I entered the official Discord server for the Ori games and community. What awaited me there was a terrifying trial by fire. I shattered emotionally, but God reforged me into something far greater than I ever thought or imagined I could be. I learned a lot, grew, and now He's given me a purpose to accomplish. My life has a new meaning, no longer a slave to corruption, but pursuing God freely.

Current Work

That trial by fire I mentioned in the previous section was a dance with death; it was a battle against suicide. But now, every day I get to thank God for the fact that that person is still alive. Since that first trial, that first victory, I've chased after this dream of helping people. This battle taught me that I have the ability to change, even save lives. So now I embrace the hard times and the struggles. Now I fight with all I have, because I know that even if there's just one person who's willing to do whatever it takes, it might make the difference of an entire lifetime for someone.
I have certifications in suicide intervention through ASIST and ACT, as well as five years of hands-on experience. I do my best to provide all the help and support I can for mental health; I try to be that one friend for those who have none. Additionally, I want to empower others to do the same, to be willing to go that extra mile for the people they're surrounded by. It is not easy in the slightest. But what is easy that's truly worthwhile? Being uncomfortable is how you test the limits of what's possible, and with God, anything is possible.
This path has not come without its problems, though; it seems I'm hardwired to learn things the hard way. I've made many mistakes and hurt many people along the way. I don't justify my mistakes. But they have one benefit: I learn very quickly. I've had to change in ways I never considered. And there are things I wish I could undo. But what's done is done, and the best I can do is learn from it and be better. My mistakes stand as a testament to how far I've come, and thanks to God I've risen above being controlled by pain.

Future Plans

I have two primary career goals: one that I hope to achieve, and one that I will achieve.GAME DEVELOPMENT
I believe that a video game is the most effective and meaningful way to tell a story. Not only do you get to experience amazing worlds and events, you actually get to be a part of what happens, and even influence how it ends. It becomes real, at least for a little while. A really good game is marked by the profoundness of its effect on the players, and as you'll see in the Ori communities, people's lives have been changed by Ori, my own included. People meet friends, make connections, begin careers, and do life together. Ori was not designed to bring people together or change lives for the better, but it did.
Now...just imagine how much good could be done if something was.I'm going to build an organization similar to Moon Studios and make games that are designed and intended specifically to have this positive impact, giving people hope and teaching them how to overcome their struggles with mental health and trauma. Hopefully(NOTHING is impossible), I will be able to acquire the rights to the Ori IP and make a spinoff Ori game for this purpose(since Ori is such a good platform for the expansion of ideas). But if not, that's okay, because there will be more games of my own. This is going to help so many people, if it works.THE HUG MINISTRIES
Having seen how the smallest actions can lead to the biggest outcomes, I understand the importance of just being there when people need someone. That's all it might take; you might save a life just by saying "Hi."
Many people I've worked with either can't afford professional help, none is available, or they aren't willing to get it. But professional(and almost always paid) help shouldn't be the only option. That's what I'm going to change.
Mental health workers are actual superheroes, and there aren't enough people in this world who would go the extra mile like that and make sure people are okay. I aim to change that by building The Hug Ministries, a global network of volunteer counselors and trained suicide hotline workers, serving online communities at no cost to those being served. There will additionally be counseling and suicide prevention training for anyone who wants it, not just those in my organization. This endeavor will require a lot of effort from all involved parties, but I know this truth:We can all save lives.