In this Kickstarter pitch, Bret Warshawsky shares his personal journey of using creative expression—particularly music he wrote during a period of deep depression—to transform mental illness into a source of strength. He proposes a two‑phase project: first, producing and touring a collection of his music with the help of fellow musicians to raise funds; second, using at least 75% of the earnings to build a sustainable healing retreat center. The envisioned retreat would bring together healers, educators, and peers to offer a holistic suite of treatments—including medication, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, nutrition, and various arts—aimed at helping individuals discover and pursue their passions. Warshawsky emphasizes that passion itself is the “gateway drug” that can convert mental health challenges into blessings. He calls on viewers to fund the project, share it with others, and connect with mental‑health organizations such as NAMI, DBSA, and the International Bipolar Foundation, positioning his initiative as part of a broader shift in how society perceives and treats mental illness.
Chapters
Hi, my name is Bret, and I'm interested in transforming mental illness into a blessing through passion. For me, creative expression feels like the best way that I can contribute and collaborate with the world. To raise awareness, educate people, and inspire people like me and their families and their friends that we can transform mental illness into a blessing. I believe people like me were born actually quite lucky with a predisposition for being unique and infinitely compassionate and Genius and creatively deep and charismatic and reflective. And we have a chance together to help the world reimagine and recreate how they perceive mental illness, and more importantly, how people like myself— And like you and your family and your loved ones perceive ourselves. So this Kickstarter project is to help me create a bunch of music that I wrote when I was really depressed several years ago, and it basically helped me stay alive, and I'd like to share this music with everybody. I want everyone else to know that the music I create with this project, I'm going to take on a tour to raise money, and I'm going to ask other musicians to help out so we can raise money for my even bigger dream, which Which is to go all Patch Adams and create our own space, our own sustainable healing retreat center for transforming mental illness into a blessing. Where I gather healers and educators and peers from all around the world and we use every method possible to help people transform their mental illness. From medications to meditations, Yoga, acupuncture, diet, exercise, nutrition, creative expression like music, film, and dance, and physical activity. And we all work together to provide a foundation for people where they're in a position to explore and discover what they are truly passionate about. And we help them With all the different methods to get better, to find happiness so they can go out there like me, like I'm trying to do, and just explore their passions and take it to the world and start a business or become a counselor or become a doctor or psychiatrist or an artist. It doesn't matter. Passion for me is the gateway drug. And I want to share that with the world. So please consider helping me fund this project. It's truly about the music, but it's also about a miracle that we don't have to wait for, that we can create together. I pledge that at least 75% Of any money I ever earn from the music created by this Kickstarter project will go towards creating this retreat and healing center. So please consider helping out. And if you're not that interested, please share this with anyone who you think might resonate with this idea. The different organizations like NAMI and the DBSA and the International Bipolar Foundation Organizations, your doctors, your nurses, your psychiatrists, everybody. The way we perceive and treat mental illness is changing rapidly around the world, and I really want to be a part of that, and I really want to make a difference. Thank you.
