Leah Rink Patient Testimonial
Christmas is a magical time of year for Leah Rink. She loves the festivities, and she loves to give to others. The Christmas of 2025 was an extra special holiday for her, as she was able to come full-circle with an experience she had two years prior.
Back in 2023, Leah suffered a psychotic break just before Christmas. She says during that time, she was “completely out of it” and was admitted to the Emergency Department by her loved ones. From there, she was brought to Samaritan’s Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit (IMHU). In her state of crisis, she said she hardly knew where she was.
“They brought me up to Inpatient Behavioral Health and I woke up like, ‘Where am I?’ and at first it was really scary, but then I got to know the staff and the other people in the unit and it became like a small community.”
She said the staff immediately made her feel comfortable and safe. She accepted help and did well with therapy and medication. After two weeks, Leah regulated and was discharged.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “After I discharged, I stopped taking my medication and went into another bout of psychosis and was back in the unit for a month in February.”
The second stay with Samaritan’s IMHU was transformative for Leah.
“I listened to my family to go get help and it’s the greatest thing I’ve done to this day.” She said. “I got one-on-one time with the psychiatrists and nurses and therapists. I feel like the care there is very centered on the patient’s needs.”
She says when she discharged the second time, she felt like a new person.
“I am currently the best I have ever been, honestly. I’m the old Leah, but a better version of her.”
She continued getting help with regular therapy appointments and now she helps facilitate mental wellness in others as an onboarding specialist at Thrive Wellness and Recovery, a local resource for those struggling with mental health or addiction. In 2025, she felt inspired to act on an idea she had during her stay at Samaritan.
“The initial idea sparked in the psych ward. I was talking to a security guard about a book donation drive,” she said. “There was some nail polish that was a big hit among patients, and there were some puzzles and books and board games, but I noticed they were outdated.”
Leah decided to put together a donation drive for all new books, games, puzzles, art supplies, and other activities to gift to the Inpatient Mental Health Unit. Her effort was a massive success, with more than 250 items donated. She said giving back to the unit just felt like the right thing to do.
She shares also a message to anyone who may be struggling with mental health: “This moment doesn’t define you. Being hospitalized doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re surviving. And even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, there are people rooting for you and it’s best to hold on to hope. Hold on to hope for yourself.”
Originally published in January 2026.