There are many accounts on Instagram I can do without. Weird spam accounts and pyramid scheme beauty gurus could disappear one day, and I wouldn’t even notice. However, one account makes me stop and read through the entirety of the post, even when it is more than five pictures.
The account? Revelatori. As soon as you click on the account page, you are met with swirling colors and beautifully simple stories. Some words may jump out, such as “therapy,” “acceptance” and “thank you,” which may give you an indication about what the page is all about.
Tori Press, the creator of Revelatori and a former graphic designer, is the brilliant artist behind the operation. In 2016, she started sketching cartoons of things that were influencing her life such as yoga, meditation, therapy, releasing self-negativity, etc.
However, she doesn’t just draw cartoons. While a lot of her work is drawings, she incorporates words about self-growth and her experiences with it. A popular topic on her page is therapy, which Press enthusiastically endorses for all of her followers.
Through her posts, she not only tells her stories about therapy, but she works to de-stigmatize therapy. Many are scared to go to therapy for the social stigma and backlash they may receive. Also, many have pre-conceived notions of therapy or counseling from pop culture that are untrue. People may think that therapy is only reserved for people who need intense psychiatric help or that they are “crazy” for needing a therapist (If just thinking about therapy makes you nervous, click here.)
Press works to change that perception. She presents her therapy sessions as ways to declutter her mind from past experiences and emotions instead of a dire savior. Press shows that every therapy appointment doesn’t have to come with some big revelation. It only has to be helpful to you and your mental health.
Press creates captivating metaphors to narrate her therapy journey without stigmatizing the experience. In fact, many of her pieces illustrate the idea that her therapist turns her “rocks” of emotions and memories into “diamonds.”
Not every piece is about therapy, however. Some are about her family, random events in her life, living with curly hair, quotes and other seemingly random things. While this list may seem nonsensical, there’s a method to Press’ madness.
The post about living with curly hair is a metaphor for going through the acceptance process of yourself, flaws and all. A piece about her favorite houseplant? It’s about learning to share the favorite parts of your life with the people you love.
Revelatori also does something that many are afraid to do: Press reveals her flaws. She draws her mistakes candidly and makes sure people know that she has messed up many times in her life. She illustrates her nerves from seeing a therapist and exposes her negative inner critic (I’m sure we all can relate). Press’ authenticity is refreshing in the age of Facetuned influencers and depressingly good looking TikTok girls on Instagram.
I relate to many of her struggles, which is probably why I make sure to catch up on her posts every so often. Press’ perspective on even the worst topics motivates me to see the lesson in everything. My favorite post of all is titled, “I write a lot of positive stories, with a lot of happy endings.” It takes you through the people in her life who are struggling, such as her friend who is battling breast cancer and the mass shootings taken place at the time it was posted. It shows all the ugliness of the world, and she questions how she can write positive stories without seeming fake.
Just when you think it is the end, she transitions to beautifully light colors to say that creating happy things are what keeps her faith in humanity. I cannot tell you how many times I have looked at this post during this pandemic, but I can attest to the powerful effect Press’ work can have on your mentality.
Her most recent posts addressing the current pandemic are even more reason to check out her page. While Revelatori is awesome for your mental health at any time, it’s especially important now. Her posts are a part of my coping strategy. She discusses not expecting perfection from yourself, virtual therapy appointments, anxiety during the pandemic and more through her uplifting illustrations. If those aren’t enough, simply scroll through her 451 posts, and get lost in the positivity and self-acceptance.
Use Revelatori as a confidence booster to care for your mental health. Don’t wait until you think you’ve reached your breaking point before talking about your experiences and emotions with a therapist or family member. Therapy and person growth are not the big scary things that people make them out to be. Revelatori has taught me that throughout my two years as a follower. Maybe it can help teach you that, too.
If you need mental health resources during the pandemic and are a UF student, you may be able to receive 4 telehealth sessions from the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC). For more information, click here. This site also provides tips on how to deal with your emotions during the pandemic and offers multiple helpful resources. If you would like to find a provider in your area, click here.